Cauliflower is a healthy and delicious side dish that is easy and quick to make in the air fryer! Just toss fresh cauliflower florets with oil and seasonings, and air fry until they’re golden brown and roasted to perfection.
“Absolutely delicious! I hated cauliflower (and most veggies to be honest!) as a child, because it was just boiled in salted water and was very often overcooked or mushy. I love the control that the air fryer gives me and I always shoot slightly under the recommended cooking time just to give myself a bit of play room. Thanks! This is delicious.”
Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe
Roasted Air Fryer Cauliflower is irresistibly delicious, and definitely going to be your new favorite air fryer recipe!
Just like cauliflower that you’ve roasted in the oven before, this otherwise boring veggie gets a new life in the air fryer as a toasty, crispy, browned, savory but slightly sweet vegetable side dish.
Looking for a breaded air fryer cauliflower recipe? Try our recipe for crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower next!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Using the air fryer to cook cauliflower is faster than roasting it in the oven because you don’t have to wait for the oven to preheat!
- This also means that your kitchen will stay cool, so you can enjoy air fryer roasted cauliflower, even on the hottest days.
- Forget steaming or boiling cauliflower – Air Fried Cauliflower is the best and easiest way to enjoy this cruciferous veg.
- Instead of mush, you’ll have crispy cauliflower without any breading, and with just a little bit of oil when you cook it this way.
List of Ingredients
- Fresh Cauliflower – Choose a small head of cauliflower, and cut the whole thing into florets.
- Olive Oil – This is key to getting the florets nice and crispy, plus it helps adhere the seasonings to the cauliflower. You can use other types of cooking oil too.
- Salt and Pepper – Basic seasonings. If you like, just use salt and pepper to taste, or use all of the seasonings to make your air fryer cauliflower extra tasty.
- Garlic Powder and Paprika – I like how paprika gives a bit of color to this white vegetable.
How to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower
- Add the cauliflower florets to a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil and seasonings, and toss to coat every piece.
- Then place the seasoned cauliflower in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer. If it doesn’t all fit, cook in two batches!
- Now, Air Fry at 380°F/190°C for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket 1 or two times throughout the cooking process.
- When done, the cauliflower should be tender and lightly browned on the edges.
- Serve immediately!
Recipe Tips and Tricks 🪄
- Try other seasonings: The spice blend in this recipe is pretty perfect, and an all-purpose seasoning that is great on all types of veggies. You can also try your own favorite spices, or try a blend like Italian seasoning or Cajun seasoning.
- It’s important not to crowd the air fryer with cauliflower. Since the veggies give off moisture as they cook, your cauliflower will steam if there isn’t enough room for air to circulate.
- A smaller head of cauliflower works best for this recipe, but if yours is larger, you can either air fry half of it or cook the veggies in two batches.
- If you cook in batches, just put all of the cauliflower back in the air fryer at the end for 2 minutes to warm everything up.
- Fresh parsley is optional, but it adds a beautiful pop of color to this neutral-colored food!
- Air fryer cauliflower is perfect for meal prepping. It’s delicious leftover, and I even enjoy it cold, straight from the fridge! Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
What To Serve With this Cauliflower
Enjoy this air fryer roasted cauliflower as a tasty snack, (I like to dip pieces in a simple homemade lemon garlic aioli sauce) or as a side dish with any of your favorite dinners.
It goes especially well with Air Fryer Flank Steak or an Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast. If you’re on a Keto diet or eating low-carb, air fryer cauliflower can be an excellent fill-in for air fryer roasted potatoes.
Do you have a family gathering or celebration coming up? Air Fryer Cauliflower would go wonderfully alongside some Air Fryer Ham or some Crispy Tofu with Balsamic Tomatoes.
If it is a veggie finger food buffet you are looking for, we have you covered! Air Fryer Cauliflower would go well with other side dishes such as Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms or even Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks! The options are endless…
Let the crispy air-fried cauliflower cool a bit, then add it to a big healthy salad! You’ll love it on a cobb salad or in a roasted cauliflower salad.
FAQs
This can happen if you overcook the cauliflower, or if you’ve put too many pieces in the air fryer. Be sure to keep the florets in a single layer and flip them over at least once during cooking.
Nope! The air fryer cooks vegetables in a similar way as oven roasting. Instead of using water, we’re using hot air to cook the cauliflower, and a little bit of oil to get it nice and crispy.
You can absolutely do a combination of broccoli and cauliflower florets in the air fryer at the same time. You will find that broccoli cooks a bit quicker than cauliflower since the tops are more delicate.
If you like super crispy broccoli, then just throw it in. If you want it less crispy, wait to add it until the cauliflower has been cooking for a few minutes.
Generally, it should take 12 minutes to air fry fresh cauliflower at 380°F or 190°C. Adjust the time as needed to get your cauliflower perfectly tender and crispy.
Pro Tips
More Air Fryer Vegetable Recipes
Do you love eggplant? You’ll love Air Fryer Eggplant even more! You can also make crispy breaded eggplant in the air fryer, and turn it into the most amazing Eggplant Parmesan.
Asparagus in the Air Fryer is another panko-breaded crispy treat! I love eating this dish as a snack, or enjoying it with a perfectly cooked Air Fryer Steak.
Balsamic Air Fryer Mushrooms are another veggie that cooks up perfectly in the air fryer. You can even cook canned mushrooms in the air fryer to make them taste less like they came out of a can!
Air Fryer Cauliflower
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower florets to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika to the bowl. Toss until the cauliflower is completely covered with the oil and spices.
- Place the cauliflower florets in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer. Cook in batches if need be.
- Air fry at 380°F/190°C for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket 1-2 times throughout the cooking process. The cauliflower should be tender and lightly browned on the edges.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- It’s important not to crowd the air fryer with cauliflower. Since the veggies give off moisture as they cook, your cauliflower will steam if there isn’t enough room for air to circulate.
- A smaller head of cauliflower works best for this recipe, but if yours is larger, you can either air fry half of it or cook the veggies in two batches.
- If you cook in batches, just put all of the cauliflower back in the air fryer at the end for 2 minutes to warm everything up.
- Fresh parsley is optional, but it adds a beautiful pop of color to this neutral-colored food!
Absolutely delicious!
I hated cauliflower (and most veggies to be honest!) as a child, because it was just boiled in salted water and was very often overcooked or mushy.
I love the control that the air fryer gives me and I always shoot slightly under the recommended cooking time just to give myself a bit of play room.
Thanks! This is delicious.
Thanks for allowing us to change your mind, Maria! 🙂
I 100% agree with you on the control the air fryer allows us to have. There’s nothing worse than over-boiled food (especially veggies) as there’s no way you can fix it!
Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed the air fryer cauliflower!