Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower (Print version)
Crispy cauliflower florets coated in seasoned batter, air-fried to golden perfection and tossed with tangy buffalo sauce.
# What you need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
→ Batter
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - ½ cup water
04 - 1 tsp garlic powder
05 - 1 tsp onion powder
06 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
07 - ½ tsp salt
08 - ¼ tsp ground black pepper
→ Buffalo Sauce
09 - ¼ cup hot sauce
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
→ For Serving
12 - Celery sticks
13 - Blue cheese or ranch dressing
# Directions:
01 - Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, water, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth batter forms.
03 - Add cauliflower florets to batter, tossing until evenly coated. Shake off excess batter.
04 - Arrange florets in single layer in air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, shaking basket halfway through, until golden and crisp. Work in batches if necessary.
05 - In small bowl, mix hot sauce, melted butter, and honey or maple syrup if using.
06 - Transfer cooked cauliflower to clean bowl, drizzle with buffalo sauce, and toss to coat evenly.
07 - Return sauced cauliflower to air fryer for 3-5 minutes to set sauce and crisp further.
08 - Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing if desired.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The cauliflower gets incredibly crispy in the air fryer, almost like fried food but without all the oil
- That spicy tangy buffalo sauce clinging to every bite is just impossible to resist
02 -
- Overcrowding the air fryer is the fastest way to soggy cauliflower, work in batches if needed
- Letting excess batter drip off is crucial, too much coating and they will steam instead of crisp
03 -
- A light spray of oil on battered florets before air frying takes the crispiness to another level
- Let the cooked cauliflower rest for just a minute after saucing so the coating sets