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    Home » Air Fryer Vegetables

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    Posted: Jan 4, 2021 · Updated: Jan 6, 2021 by Tonje

    Jump to Recipe

    Crispy, sticky, spicy air fryer buffalo cauliflower is a healthy, vegetarian version of buffalo chicken wings. Perfect as a snack, treat or entree!

    Air fried buffalo cauliflower in a plate with celery and dip.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Top tips
    • Serving suggestions
    • Variations
    • Leftovers
    • Frequently asked questions
    • You might also like these recipes
    • Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read more about it in the privacy policy.

    Buffalo cauliflower bites are essentially the vegetarian version of buffalo chicken wings. Cauliflower is breaded and air fried until crispy, then coated in delicious buffalo sauce. This recipe is great for vegetarians, but they taste so good that anyone would love them.

    Since they are made from cauliflower, they are really healthy, and an excellent way to incorporate more veggies in your diet - in a fun way.

    Ingredients

    For this recipe you will need cauliflower, egg, cornstarch, flour, milk, seasoning and buffalo sauce. For seasoning, I use a combination of garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, parsley and paprika, however you can change these if you prefer.

    I use oat milk as that's my preference, but feel free to use any milk that you like.

    💡 TIP! Cauliflower wings are best made with raw cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower florets are not suitable for this recipe.

    Ingredients required to make air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings.

    Instructions

    1. Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets.
    2. Combine egg and milk in one bowl. Combine flour, cornstarch and the seasoning in another bowl.
    3. Use your fingers or a fork to dip one cauliflower floret into the egg and milk mixture. Make sure that the mixture is distributed evenly in every crease and nook of the cauliflower. Shake off excess liquid.
    4. Dip the wet cauliflower floret into the flour mixture, and turn to coat it evenly. Place the floret on a plate or chopping board, and repeat steps 3 and 4 with every piece of cauliflower.
    5. Preheat your air fryer to 375 F 190 C. Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with olive oil or cooking spray, and gently place each cauliflower florets inside the basket. Be careful not to overcrowd the basket, the pieces should be placed in one layer with a little space between them. You might have to cook it in multiple batches.
    6. Cook the cauliflower for about 15 minutes, or until crispy.
    7. Transfer the air fried cauliflower into a bowl, and pour over the buffalo sauce. Stir to coat evenly.
    8. Move the cauliflower back to the air fryer, and cook for another 5 minutes to re-crisp the surface.
    9. Serve the buffalo cauliflower bites immediately.
    Cauliflower florets, and two bowls of ingredients on a table.

    Top tips

    • Your air fryer might cook slightly different to mine, so make sure to check on the cauliflower during the last few minutes of cooking to ensure that it doesn't burn.
    • You don't have to add any oil to the dish, but I recommend brushing or spraying the air fryer basket with a little oil to prevent the cauliflower from sticking to it.
    • Use your favorite buffalo sauce. Mine is Frank's RedHot Buffalo sauce.
    Battered cauliflower florets.
    Battered cauliflower ready to air fry!

    Serving suggestions

    There is never a wrong time for cauliflower wings! Serve these as a snack for game day, at a BBQ, as a part of a buffet, or as an entree for lunch or dinner. Here are some of my favorite dips and sides that I love to pair them with:

    • Healthy Homemade Ranch Dip - I love serving my buffalo cauliflower with ranch dip, and this is my favorite recipe!
    • Cottage Cheese Dip - This dip is also a phenomenal alternative.
    • Broccoli and Cheese Balls - Create a veggie snack bowl with the cauliflower wings and these broccoli bites.
    • Instant Pot Basmati Rice - Serve the cauliflower with a side of rice for a complete meal.
    A plate with buffalo cauliflower wings, celery and dip.

    Variations

    Egg free: The egg is essential to give the cauliflower a good coating. If you want to make an egg free version, you could try to use an egg replacement or a flax egg. I have not tried this, so if you do, please let me know how it goes!

    Vegan: Use a vegan milk alternative, such as oat milk or soy milk, and see notes above for excluding the egg.

    Gluten free: Substitute the flour with any gluten free flour.

    Low carb: If you want to make low carb buffalo cauliflower bites, you can replace the flour with a low carb flour alternative, such as almond flour. The result will be similar.

    Leftovers

    As the cauliflower rests, it tends to become more soggy and less crispy. Leftovers therefore tend to be quite soft, but still taste great!

    You can store leftover buffalo cauliflower in a sealed container in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in an oven or air fryer to crisp it up slightly before serving. The cauliflower can also be diced and repurposed in other dishes, such as wraps, quesadillas, salads and more.

    Buffalo cauliflower wings served with ranch.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can you make this without buffalo sauce?

    Absolutely. You can recreate the recipe with any sauce, such as BBQ sauce, sweet chili sauce or orange sauce if buffalo sauce isn't your thing.

    You might also like these recipes

    • Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Air Fryer Cauliflower
    • Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
    • Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Legs
    • Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini
    • Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
    • Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
    • Healthy Buffalo Chicken Tacos

    If you make this recipe, make sure to post a photo to Instagram with #hintofhealthy!

    Recipe

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

    These easy air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites are super crispy, sticky and delicious. Perfect as a vegetarian treat, weeknight dinner or simply as a snack. They are healthy, and really easy to make too!
    5 from 1 vote
    Created by: Tonje
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 242 kcal

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer
    • Chopping Board
    • Tongs
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cauliflower
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup buffalo sauce
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup oat milk or any other type of milk
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon parsley
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets.
    • Combine egg and milk in one bowl. Combine flour, cornstarch and the seasoning in another bowl.
    • Use your fingers or a fork to dip one cauliflower floret into the egg and milk mixture. Make sure that the mixture is distributed evenly in every crease and nook of the cauliflower. Shake off excess liquid.
    • Dip the wet cauliflower floret into the flour mixture, and turn to coat it evenly. Place the floret on a plate or chopping board, and repeat steps 3 and 4 with every piece of cauliflower.
    • Preheat your air fryer to 375 F 190 C. Spray the inside of your air fryer basket with olive oil or cooking spray, and gently place each cauliflower florets inside the basket. Be careful not to overcrowd the basket, the pieces should be placed in one layer with a little space between them. You might have to cook it in multiple batches.
    • Cook the cauliflower for about 15 minutes, or until crispy.
    • Transfer the air fried cauliflower into a bowl, and pour over the buffalo sauce. Stir to coat evenly.
    • Move the cauliflower back to the air fryer, and cook for another 5 minutes to re-crisp the surface.
    • Serve the buffalo cauliflower bites immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    • Store leftovers in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in an air fryer and serve them warm.
    • Replace the buffalo sauce with Teriyaki, orange sauce, BBQ sauce or sweet chili sauce for a different twist.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 1572mgPotassium: 497mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 139IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword air fryer, buffalo sauce, cauliflower, easy, egg, healthy, nut free, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @hintofhealthyfood or tag #hintofhealthy!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Desi

      January 09, 2021 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      This Recipe is Look So Fresh, Healthy and Delicious to Prepare. Thank You for Sharing this Recipes. So Yummy !!! I Love it. I'll Definitely Try it. Thank You. Photos are Awesome !!!

      Reply
      • Tonje

        January 10, 2021 at 10:02 am

        Thank you, Desi. Let me know how you like it!

        Reply
    2. Gemma

      January 05, 2023 at 11:05 am

      Hello, does the buffalo sauce go with the wet ingredients (egg, milk) or the dry ingredients? I'm glad to have found your website, the recipes look great.

      Reply
      • Tonje

        March 17, 2023 at 8:18 am

        Hi Gemma! Thank you! The buffalo sauce is added in a later step in the recipe, after the cauliflower is cooked halfway. Hope that helps!

        Reply

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