Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

side view of buffalo cauliflower sprinkled with green onions on teal plate next to bowl of sour cream

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower is a delicious, savory, and low carb snack or appetizer to satisfy your wings craving! Crispy cauliflower florets coated in tangy buffalo sauce pair perfectly with your favorite creamy dip. Enjoy this healthy, guilt-free twist on a game day favorite.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Total Time22

Course: Air Fryer Recipes

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer buffalo cauliflower, buffalo cauliflower bites, buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer

Servings:

Calories: 358kcal

Author: Lisa Childs

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound cauliflower florets washed and cut into large chunks (about the size of a golf ball)

Seasoned Flour

1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Egg Wash

2 eggs
1 tablespoon water

Breadcrumb Mixture

1 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

For Serving

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce*
1-3 tablespoons butter Add butter to taste- less for spicier and more for milder sauce
Ranch or bleu cheese dressing for serving

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F. Get out 3 separate bowls, pie plates, or wide tupperware.
In a medium bowl or tupperware with a lid, combine flour, salt, paprika, garlic, and cayenne.
In a separate medium bowl or tupperware with a lid, whisk eggs and water together until no chunks remain.
In a separate medium bowl or tupperware with a lid, combine breadcrumbs with seasoned salt.
Dip each cauliflower piece in the flour mixture. I place 4-5 cauliflower pieces in a tupperware at a time and shake with the lid on.
Shake off any excess flour and dip each piece into the egg mixture to coat the flour.
Drip off excess egg mixture. Then dip in the breadcrumb mixture. I like to shake cauliflower bites with the lid on, then press the breadcrumbs into the cauliflower pieces.
Repeat these steps until all the cauliflower is coated.
Spread the cauliflower evenly in the air fryer basket, without crowding. It might take two batches to cook all the cauliflower.
Air fry the buffalo cauliflower bites at 400˚F for 12-18 minutes, depending on how large your pieces are. Flip the cauliflower bites halfway through cooking. You’ll know they are done when you can easily pierce a fork through the thickest part of the cauliflower.
While the cauliflower is cooking, combine butter and hot sauce in a large bowl. Microwave until heated through.
Remove the cauliflower from the air fryer and toss in the buffalo sauce mixture.
Serve immediately with a side of celery + carrot sticks and your favorite creamy dressing.

Notes

*I use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, but you can use your favorite buffalo wing sauce.
**Use pre-cut cauliflower for ease, uniform pieces, and less waste! Instead of purchasing a large head of cauliflower, look in your grocery store produce department near the prepared salad kits for pre-packaged bags of pre-cut and prepared cauliflower pieces. These may not be uniform in size, so try to pick pieces that are all about the same size. Pre-cut cauliflower is usually a little bit smaller than the size I cut mine into for this recipe (see photos for reference), so they will cook faster.
Use a light coating of breadcrumbs to ensure that it will stick to the cauliflower. If you use too much coating, it might fall off and burn in the air fryer.
Don’t overcrowd the air fryer pan; otherwise the cauliflower will not cook evenly and properly. It’s better to cook in two batches than overcrowd! This recipe needs enough air flow to go around each cauliflower piece.
After you add the sauce to the crispy cauliflower, the pieces do tend to get soft and soggy if left too long. If you prefer your cauliflower bites to be extra crisp, I recommend serving with the buffalo sauce and any dipping sauces in separate small bowls to dip individual pieces.
You can easily reheat and re-crisp these buffalo cauliflower tenders in the air fryer. I reheated mine at 400º for 2-4 minutes or until crispy.
I tested these cauliflower bites sprayed with oil and not sprayed before air frying. Spraying will ensure an even crisp around the entire piece if there are any exposed pieces of flour or egg. However, once tossed in the sauce, it was impossible to notice a difference.

Nutrition