A favorite game-day snack, this air fryer buffalo cauliflower is a vegetarian remake of traditional deep-fried buffalo wings. This crunchy finger food is so easy to make. And, who knows? You might even like this meatless version more than the original.
I love dunking these air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings in blue cheese dressing. They’ve got that perfect crunch and are packed with flavor.
“Wow! These were incredible. Super easy to make and satisfied that buffalo sauce craving. My husband gobbled them up. YUM!”
The air fryer is the best kitchen tool for making buffalo-style cauliflower bites. It quickly cooks the cauliflower florets to crispy perfection in just 15 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe
- The perfect extra-crunchy snack: These air fryer buffalo cauliflower come out super crispy. Good thing they’re healthy, because you won’t be able to stop eating them.
- Your favorite buffalo flavor: Use your favorite buffalo sauce to make this easy recipe. We love Noble Made Buffalo Sauce. They offer mild, medium, and hot versions (and all are gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and keto).
- From prep to plate in 20 minutes! This recipe is super easy and comes together in just half an hour (with very little clean–up).
If you love these air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, be sure to check out a few more of our game-day favorites: Air Fryer Pigs In A Blanket, Air Fried Potato Wedges, and Air Fryer Taquitos. These recipes are great shareable snacks!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Make sure your cauliflower is completely dry. To get that perfect crunchy texture, after washing the cauliflower, dry it thoroughly. If it’s too damp, it might come out with a steamed texture, rather than crispy.
- Grease your air fryer basket. Some cauliflower pieces might stick to the bottom of the air fryer basket; greasing helps minimize this. Make sure to shake your air fryer basket a couple of times while cooking as well.
- The more coating, the better! You want to get that hot sauce and butter mixture into each nook and cranny of your cauliflower florets. Make sure they’re fully coated for best results.
- Make this recipe gluten-free! Any type of all-purpose flour or almond flour will work in this recipe. Using almond flour makes this a gluten-free, grain-free, and low carb buffalo cauliflower recipe.
How to Store Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
If you end up with leftovers, just store them in the fridge once they’ve cooled down. Air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in your fridge.
To heat them back up (and get them crispy and crunchy again), just put them in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F.
What to Serve with Buffalo Cauliflower
This crunchy finger food is a great snack. Pair it with a creamy potato salad, Air Fryer Potato Skins, and some Air Fryer Onion Rings, and before you know it, your house will become the designated party location.
To make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower into a meal, serve it with a protein, like Air Fryer Tofu or Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
And don’t forget the drinks! Homemade lemonade is always a winner for those hot summer days.
More Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Mexican Street Corn: Covered with mayonnaise, seasonings, and parmesan cheese, these air-fried elotes are delicious and great for parties.
- Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms: A fantastic vegetarian appetizer, these stuffed mushrooms are filled with gooey mozzarella cheese, red and yellow bell peppers, and a delicious Italian seasoning blend.
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks: Crispy on the outside with melted string cheese on the inside, these mozzarella sticks are one of a kind.
Did you enjoy this recipe? Let us know in the comments below! We love hearing from fellow home chefs and air fryer fans. Follow Air Fryer Eats on Instagram, pin this recipe to Pinterest, and join our Air Fryer Recipes Facebook group too.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head Cauliflower cut into florets, about 4-5 cups
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Carrot and Celery Sticks for serving
- Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing for serving
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower head thoroughly and dry completely. Cut into equal-sized cauliflower florets. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Add the hot sauce to the melted butter and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the mixture over the cauliflower and toss until well coated.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Dip the sauce-coated cauliflower florets in the flour mixture one by one, or sprinkle half of the flour mixture over all the cauliflower and mix gently until everything is coated. Repeat with remaining flour mixture.
- Transfer half of the prepared cauliflower to the air fryer and cook at 370°F (187°C) for 12-15 minutes. Shake the basket a couple times during the cooking process, until the florets are golden brown but not mushy.
- Repeat the process with the remaining cauliflower. Serve with carrots, celery sticks, and ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Video
Notes
- This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! Try this crispy Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower recipe for a delicious side dish without buffalo sauce.
You might have overcrowded your air fryer basket or tray. If there’s too much cauliflower in the air fryer, you won’t get that crispy crunch. Instead, there will be too much steam around your food and you’ll get mushy cauliflower. Do at least two batches. You may need to do more if your air fryer is smaller.
If you like the flavor of buffalo sauce, but not the spiciness, you can adjust the butter to hot sauce ratio. Use less hot sauce and add extra butter for a milder flavor.
You can easily adjust the spicy for your liking. For spicier buffalo cauliflower, use less butter and drizzle some extra hot sauce on the cauliflower when it’s done cooking.
We’ve updated this recipe!
We want our recipes to be as easy to follow as possible. That’s why we periodically update our recipes to share new tips and tricks, valuable information, and new photos. But don’t worry, it’s still the same great air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe you know and love.
Such a delicious and flavourful way to make cauliflower in the air fryer! Thanks for sharing!
My family is going to love this, thank you for the recipe!
I love doing cauliflower in the air fryer. So deliciously crispy.
Wow! These were incredible. Super easy to make and satisfied that buffalo sauce craving. My husband gobbled them up. YUM!
So glad you loved them! My husband gobbled them too!
We really can’t stop eating this! It is totally addicitive!