These healthy air fryer cauliflower bites make an easy and delicious party food appetizer! Whether it’s game day or New Year’s Eve, or you just need a crispy snack, you’re sure to love this healthy take on buffalo wings!
Cauliflower! It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite vegetables. And I have my husband to thank for it. I didn’t make cauliflower all that often until he wanted to try eating low-carb.
As a result, we started using cauliflower in some creative and unexpectedly delicious ways. Of course, one of our favorites is roasted cauliflower, but we’ve also tried cauliflower rice and cauliflower mashed potatoes.
It’s a great vegetable to use when preparing healthy vegetarian or vegan recipes for those who are used to the typical American diet. Cauliflower is hearty, and filling, and can easily take on the flavor of whatever you decide to season it with. I whipped up these air fryer cauliflower bites with buffalo sauce for our Super Bowl get-together, and they were a big hit!
Preparing cauliflower in the air fryer is even easier than making them in the oven. The air fryer creates the perfect crispy texture in no time at all!
I paired them with vegan ranch dressing for a cool and creamy dip to balance the spice. You could also opt to serve it with blue cheese dressing. It makes a great side dish or appetizer!
So, give these air fryer cauliflower bites a try! They are sure to become one of your new favorite appetizers or vegan party snacks!
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Using Cauliflower to Create Meatless Recipes
One of our favorites is my vegan cauliflower soup. It’s thick and creamy, and just the thing to warm you up on a cold winter day. Keep it heated in a crockpot, and serve at your game-day party!
Another one of our simple go-to meals is my vegan cauliflower curry! It’s full of warm spices and loaded with plant protein. I serve it over brown rice or quinoa.
Then there are my super easy vegan cauliflower tacos! The cauliflower is roasted, then served with a fresh pico de gallo, and homemade guacamole! They are always a family favorite!
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites
- Crispy on the outside soft on the inside
- Quick and easy to make in the air fryer
- Simple ingredients
- Perfectly spiced
- Pairs nicely with a cool and creamy dressing
- Adjust the sauce and spice level to your taste
Ingredients and Notes
Head of Cauliflower: You’ll need one whole head of cauliflower. Depending on the size of your cauliflower you may need to add more sauce. Some are bigger than others. I recommend opting for organic cauliflower if possible. I’ve found that it’s not that much more expensive than regular. Cut the cauliflower into small bite-sized florets.
Buffalo Sauce: If you’re following a vegan diet, make sure that you buy a vegan buffalo sauce or make my homemade buffalo sauce. My favorite is made by Primal Kitchen Most buffalo sauces are already vegan. However, some buffalo sauces have butter, margarine, or honey listed as an ingredient. If you’re not vegan, then this is no problem. I recommend looking for a store-bought mixture that has limited ingredients that you can easily read and pronounce and that does not have added preservatives. As an alternative, you can easily make your own buffalo sauce. See the recipe card at the end of this post for ingredients and directions on how to make your own sauce.
Tools and Equipment
Air Fryer: The air fryer is really the perfect kitchen tool to make buffalo cauliflower. Why? It perfectly crisps the outside of the cauliflower, while the inside is cooked until tender. See my tips below for choosing the right air fryer for you if you don’t already have this mind-blowing kitchen tool!
Mixing Bowls: You’ll need a good set of mixing bowls to combine the ingredients. One to whisk together the sauce ingredients, and one to toss the cauliflower and sauce together.
How to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites
Step 1: Cut cauliflower into small florets.
Step 2: In a large bowl combine cauliflower florets, buffalo sauce, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss so that the cauliflower is evenly coated in the sauce.
Step 3: Arrange cauliflower in a single layer in your air fryer. You may need to cook in batches if your air fryer is not big enough to fit all of the pieces. Set the temperature to 375 F. Cook for 12 minutes, tossing at the 6-minute mark.
Step 3: Serve with your favorite creamy vegan ranch dressing and celery sticks.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer! If you put too many pieces in at one time your cauliflower will not be evenly cooked. Some pieces will turn out soggy!
- If your air fryer isn’t big enough to place your cauliflower in a single layer, cook it in 2 or more batches.
- If you like your cauliflower even crunchier and browner, increase your temperature to 400 F.
- Be sure to toss them at the halfway point of cooking. This will ensure an even crisp on all sides.
Make Ahead
Prepare the cauliflower by tossing it in the buffalo sauce. Then cover, and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. When ready to serve, add the cauliflower to the air fryer. It will be done in 12 minutes!
Serve Suggestions
I enjoy serving this spicy air fryer buffalo cauliflower with creamy vegan ranch dressing, and celery sticks!
For an even crispier texture, you could dust these with almond flour which still keeps this recipe gluten-free.
Serve these at your big game day party, tailgates, New Year’s Eve bash, or any casual dinner party! They’re also a great weekend snack!
Storage Instructions
These air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites are best when eaten fresh. However, if you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3-5 days.
When you’re ready to eat them again. Transfer them back to the air fryer, and bake for 5 minutes at 350 F. They should warm and crisp back up nicely!
Recipe FAQS
No, you do not need to precook the cauliflower! In fact, it is best not to use pre-cooked cauliflower. You won’t achieve the same crispiness.
Well, to be honest, they do not taste like buffalo chicken wings. The sauce is the same, and cauliflower has a nice meatiness for a vegetable, but chicken has such a different texture and flavor, that they are do not have the same taste. However, these are still super delicious in their own way, and MUCH healthier than traditional buffalo chicken wings!
If your cauliflower turns out mushy it is probably because your air fryer basket is overcrowded. If there is not enough room in the basket for the air to circulate evenly the cauliflower will not get crispy and instead will become mushy. To avoid this place your cauliflower in a single layer in the air fry basket.
More air fryer recipes!
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Recipe
Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 cup vegan buffalo sauce see directions and ingredients below
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- vegan buffalo sauce
Serving Suggestions
- ranch dressing
- celery sticks
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into small florets.
- In a bowl combine the cauliflower florets with the buffalo sauce, oil, salt and pepper. Toss so that the cauliflower is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer in your air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches if your air fryer is not big enough to fit all of the pieces. Set the temperature to 375 F. Cook for 12 minutes, tossing at the 6 minute mark.
- Serve with your creamy dipping sauce and celery sticks.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer! If you put too many pieces in at one time your cauliflower will not be evenly cooked. Some pieces will turn out soggy!
- If your air fryer isn’t big enough to place your cauliflower in a single layer, cook it in 2 or more batches.
- If you like them even crunchier and browner, increase your temperature to 400 F.
- Be sure to toss them at the halfway point of cooking. This will ensure an even crisp on all sides.
- Store for 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Carrie Robinson
I just love buffalo cauliflower! Genius to make these in the air fryer. 🙂
Suzy
We love our air fryer and are always looking for new recipes to try! This was great!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
Air fryer buffalo cauliflower sounds amazing and so easy. I’m wondering if I will get an air fryer for Christmas. 🙂
Jen
Easy to follow recipe and I especially appreciate the vegan buffalo sauce recipe. Yum!
Charla
This looks like the perfect healthy appetizer that I need in my life right now.