Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings are perfect if you love that tangy buffalo flavor. They’re saucy, spicy and tender on the inside, yet crispy on the outside. Try this recipe when you’re looking for a 30 minute game day appetizer.
Cauliflower doesn’t have to be boring. My family loves my cheesy baked cauliflower and my baked cauliflower steaks.
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Why this Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings Recipe is a Keeper
I love this air fryer roasted cauliflower recipe because not only is it quick and easy, it’s also incredibly delicious. It’s a great recipe to make when you’re craving spicy wings.
- Healthier Alternative: Compared to traditional deep fryer wings, crispy air fryer cauliflower wings offer a significantly lower-fat option without sacrificing that satisfying crispy exterior.
- Deliciously Versatile: Cauliflower’s mild flavor makes it a fantastic canvas for a wide range of sauces and seasonings, allowing for endless flavor possibilities.
- Quick and Easy: The air fryer cooks these up much faster than a conventional oven, making them a great option for a quick appetizer, snack, or even a light meal.
- Amazing Texture: When cooked properly in the air fryer, the cauliflower florets achieve a beautifully crispy outside and a tender inside, mimicking the texture of real wings.
- Appeals to Vegans and Vegetarians: It’s a fantastic plant alternative to chicken wings that everyone can enjoy.
- Fun and Shareable: They’re perfect for parties, game nights, or any gathering where finger foods are a hit.
Do I Need to Boil or Steam the Cauliflower First?
No, the cauliflower does not need to be pre-cooked. The ai fryer will cook the crispy cauliflower to perfection.
Pro Tip for this Air Fryer Recipe
Toss with Sauce After Cooking: For the best results, cook the cauliflower until crispy and then toss it with your desired sauce. This helps maintain the crispiness better than coating in sauce before air frying.
Cauliflower Recipe Ingredient Notes and Variation Suggestions for Vegan Buffalo Wings
This air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings recipe is easy to customize to your liking. I like to take it to the next level by using different ingredients or trying different flavors.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower: A fresh head of cauliflower is best for making this air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe.
- Broccoli Florets: Can be prepare and cook similarly. Try broccoli with or instead of cauliflower.
- Brussels Sprouts: Halve or quarter, they offer a different flavor profile.
- Mushroom “Wings”: Large oyster mushrooms can be torn into strips.
- Hot Sauce: I like to use either Frank’s red hot sauce or a homemade buffalo hot sauce.
- Spice It Up: Add cayenne pepper or chili flakes to the coating or sauce for extra heat.
- Smoked Paprika: Provides a smoky depth of flavor.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: Enhance the savory notes with salt and black pepper.
- Dipping Sauces: Offer a variety of dipping sauces like ranch, blue cheese, vegan aioli, or extra sauce on the side.
Special Equipment Needed to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
For this air fryer cauliflower recipes, all that’s needed is an air fryer.
- Air Fryer: An air fryer will give you super crispy cauliflower bites.
How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Make this recipe in just 5 easy steps. This cauliflower wings in the air fryer is so good, I’ve been making it a lot during football and grilling season.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Preheat Fryer and Prep Breading: Preheat the air-fryer to 400℉. in a large bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the water and mix to form a batter to coat your cauliflower.
- Bread the Cauliflower: Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter and then shake off the excess batter. Add the cauliflower florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
3. Air Fry the Cauliflower: Add the oil to your air-fryer and air fry for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4. Make the Sauce: Add the buffalo sauce, butter and honey to a saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir occasionally, heating just until the butter and honey are incorporated into the sauce.
5.Coat the Cauliflower Wings: Brush the buffalo sauce mixture over each cauliflower floret and then air-fry for another 5 minutes.
Prep Ahead Suggestions to Air Fry Cauliflower Recipe
Preparing ingredients ahead of time can help to save me time and kitchen space when it comes time to make these cauliflower wings.
- Cut the Cauliflower: You can wash and cut the cauliflower into florets a day or two in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the Dry Coating: If your recipe uses a dry coating (like flour, breadcrumbs, and spices), you can mix this together in a bowl or zip-top bag and store it at room temperature for a day.
- Make the Wet Batter (with a caveat): If your recipe includes a wet batter, it’s generally best to prepare this just before you’re ready to cook. Letting it sit for too long can change its consistency. However, you could whisk the dry ingredients for the batter together ahead of time and then add the wet ingredients right before coating.
- Prepare the Sauce: Most sauces can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can then reheat them gently before tossing with the cooked cauliflower.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers of this Appetizer
- Storing: Store any leftover air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat crispy air fryer cauliflower bites in the oven or air fryer to maintain it’s crispy exterior.
- Using Leftovers: Air fried buffalo cauliflower wings are best served with Buffalo Ranch Sauce or as spicy cauliflower tacos.
Common Questions About This Cauliflower in Buffalo Sauce Recipe
I do not recommend using frozen cauliflower as it can lead to soggy wings.
The cauliflower may not be crispy if there was overcrowding the air fryer. Cauliflower buffalo wings may also become soggy if they’re left in sauce for too long. Toss them back into the fryer to crispen up.
The best way to prevent the coating from falling off is to pat the cauliflower dry before breading.
Yes, feel free to try an egg and panko bread crumbs breading for a different level of crisp.
Expert Tips to Love This Recipe
- Don’t Overcrowd: Cook the cauliflower in batches to ensure each floret has enough space for the hot air to circulate and create that crispy exterior. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: Just like an oven, preheating your air fryer helps ensure even cooking and better crisping.
- Use Enough Oil or Cooking Spray: A light coating of oil or cooking spray is crucial for achieving a crispy texture.
- Flip or Toss During Cooking: Flipping or tossing the cauliflower halfway through the cooking time helps ensure even browning and crisping on all sides.
- Adjust Cooking Time and Temperature: Air fryers can vary, so you might need to adjust the cooking time and temperature slightly based on your specific model and the size of your cauliflower florets.
- Pat the Cauliflower Dry: Excess moisture will hinder crisping. After washing, make sure the florets are thoroughly dried.
- Consider a Double Coating: For extra crispiness, you can try a double coating method: dredge in dry, then wet, then dry again.
- Serve Immediately: Air fryer cauliflower wings are at their peak crispiness right out of the air fryer.
- Serve this Recipe: Serve with veggies and Sour Cream Ranch Dip, Pan Fried Ravioli or Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers.
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt, to taste`
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 head Cauliflower, cut into 2 inch florets
- Oil, as needed
- ½ cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 teaspoon Honey, optional
Instructions
- Preheat air-fryer to 400℉.
- Place flour in a large bowl and season well with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the water and stir to form a batter to coat your cauliflower.
- Dip each cauliflower floret into the batter and then shake off the excess batter before placing the coated cauliflower floret into the air fryer. Repeat with all cauliflower florets.
- Add the oil to your air-fryer, however your model requires. Air fry the cauliflower for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce, butter and honey together in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir occasionally, warming just until the butter and honey are melted and incorporated into the sauce, about 4 minutes.
- Brush the buffalo sauce mixture over each cauliflower floret and then air-fry for an additional 5 minutes.
Christina’s Notes
- Don’t Overcrowd: Cook the cauliflower in batches to ensure each floret has enough space for the hot air to circulate and create that crispy exterior. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: Just like an oven, preheating your air fryer helps ensure even cooking and better crisping.
- Use Enough Oil or Cooking Spray: A light coating of oil or cooking spray is crucial for achieving a crispy texture.
- Flip or Toss During Cooking: Flipping or tossing the cauliflower halfway through the cooking time helps ensure even browning and crisping on all sides.
- Adjust Cooking Time and Temperature: Air fryers can vary, so you might need to adjust the cooking time and temperature slightly based on your specific model and the size of your cauliflower florets.
- Pat the Cauliflower Dry: Excess moisture will hinder crisping. After washing, make sure the florets are thoroughly dried.
- Consider a Double Coating: For extra crispiness, you can try a double coating method: dredge in dry, then wet, then dry again.
- Serve Immediately: Air fryer cauliflower wings are at their peak crispiness right out of the air fryer.
- Serve this Recipe: Serve with veggies and Sour Cream Ranch Dip, Pan Fried Ravioli or Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.