Description
These crispy air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites are ready in under 15 minutes, offering a healthier alternative to deep-fried wings with a shatteringly crispy exterior and tangy buffalo sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-sized florets
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose blend)
- ½ cup water (or buttermilk for extra tang)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup buffalo wing sauce (preferably Frank’s RedHot Original)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (or vegan butter)
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping (optional)
- Fresh celery sticks and carrot sticks for serving (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley or green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the cauliflower: Wash and cut into bite-sized florets (1.5 to 2 inches wide). Pat very dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in water (or buttermilk) while whisking continuously until smooth and thin (consistency of pancake batter).
- Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes.
- Coat the cauliflower: Add dried florets to batter and gently toss until evenly coated. Let excess batter drip off.
- Air fry first round: Arrange battered florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket (work in batches if needed). Spray tops lightly with cooking spray. Cook at 375°F for 8 minutes.
- Flip and continue: Flip each floret with tongs, spray again with cooking spray, and cook for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Make buffalo sauce: While cauliflower cooks, melt butter in a small bowl and whisk in buffalo wing sauce.
- Toss in sauce: Transfer hot cauliflower to a large bowl, pour sauce over, and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately: Transfer to a platter, garnish with parsley or green onions, and serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery/carrot sticks.
Notes
Dry cauliflower thoroughly to avoid sogginess. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Serve immediately for best crispiness. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. For extra spice, add cayenne pepper to batter or sriracha to sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8 florets
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
Keywords: air fryer buffalo cauliflower, crispy cauliflower bites, healthy buffalo wings, vegetarian appetizer, game day snack, 15-minute recipe