Description
This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower recipe offers a crispy, flavorful, and healthier twist on classic buffalo wings, using cauliflower florets coated in a seasoned batter and air fried to perfection. Perfect as a snack or appetizer, it delivers the spicy tang of buffalo sauce with a satisfying crunch without deep frying.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Batter
- â…” cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup water
For the Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, broken into large florets
To Finish
- Buffalo sauce, for brushing
- Vegan ranch, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 400°F to ensure it reaches the right temperature before cooking the cauliflower.
- Prepare the batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt, and water until a smooth batter forms.
- Coat the cauliflower. Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter, ensuring thorough coating to achieve a crispy crust when air fried.
- Air fry the cauliflower. Arrange the coated cauliflower florets in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd for even cooking.
- Cook the first side. Air fry the cauliflower for 9 minutes at 400°F to start crisping the batter.
- Flip and sauce. Carefully flip the florets, brush them generously with buffalo sauce, then return them to the air fryer.
- Finish cooking. Air fry for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is crispy and cooked through.
- Serve. Remove the buffalo cauliflower from the air fryer, brush with more buffalo sauce for extra flavor, and serve warm with vegan ranch dressing if desired.
Notes
- For best results, do not overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure even crisping.
- You can adjust the amount of buffalo sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- Vegan ranch is optional but adds a cooling contrast to the spicy buffalo sauce.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the air fryer for crispiness.
