Air Fryer Cauliflower

At a glance

What stands out: These crispy air fryer cauliflower bites come out tasting oven-roasted, ready in a fraction of the time. Your air fryer is a fast and straightforward method for evenly “roasted” cauliflower. This is a speedy and straightforward side dish.

How long it takes: a few minutes to prep, 18 minutes to air fry
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, air fryer
Servings: 4

Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe

This recipe for air fryer cauliflower turns out delectably browned and lightly crispy every time! It’s the ultimate side dish that you can have ready and on the table in 30 minutes or less. It goes well with so many dishes, and it’s even great on its own.

If you have a head of cauliflower in your fridge (and even if you don’t), trust us: you need to try this recipe! Run, don’t walk. The air fryer is a straightforward method to make evenly cooked, flavorful cauliflower. Because it doesn’t need a lot of oil, this method is lighter than pan-frying, and faster than oven-roasting.

You’ll Love Air Fried Cauliflower!

Here’s why you’ll never want to cook cauliflower any other way:

Speedy. It takes less than 20 minutes to cook the cauliflower to crispy perfection in your air fryer.

Tender and flavorful. A simple seasoning blend turns your average cauliflower florets into total flavor bombs. Air fryer cauliflower tastes just like oven roasted cauliflower, with deliciously browned, caramelized edges. And you don’t even have to turn on the oven!

Versatile. Air-fried cauliflower makes a lighter side dish, appetizer, or add-on to tons of straightforward meals. This recipe is low in carbs and gluten-free! Any number of sauces or seasonings can be added to the cauliflower. Keep reading for ideas.

What goes in

• Cauliflower: You’ll need one head of cauliflower, or enough to make 4 cups of bite-sized florets once it’s cut up. See below for a speedy guide on how to cut a cauliflower.
• Olive Oil: You don’t need much, but a bit of oil helps the cauliflower crisp up in the air fryer. We recommend a good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Avocado oil or vegetable oil will also work.
• Seasonings: Toss the cauliflower in a simple yet rich blend of garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Fresh chopped parsley also makes a nice garnish. There are many ways to season your florets; don’t forget to scroll for ideas to make this recipe your own!

Picking the Best Cauliflower

When choosing a head of cauliflower from the store, look for one with tightly packed, white florets that are free from dark spots. The cauliflower’s leaves should be crisp and green, and it should feel heavy for its size.

How to Cut Cauliflower

Before you start, you’ll need to separate your head of cauliflower into florets:

Prep the cauliflower. Remove the leaves and stem. Give the cauliflower head a good rinse under cold water, and then pat it dry.

Remove the core. Place the cauliflower upright on a cutting board, then use a sharp knife to cut it vertically down the middle. With the knife at an angle, trim the core away from each half.

Chop off the florets. Finally, use the knife to cut off the florets, or separate them by hand.

Or, Slam Cauliflower on the Counter

If your cauliflower comes wrapped in plastic, another way to “cut” it is to simply slam the wrapped cauliflower against the counter, stem-side-down. It’s a fast and straightforward way to break off the florets.

This method only works if the cauliflower is wrapped, though, and it also can lead to uneven-sized florets. If you’re looking for uniform florets, stick with the method above!

How to Air Fry Cauliflower

Preparing this air fryer cauliflower couldn’t be easier. With your cauliflower florets ready to go, you’ll start with some seasoning.

Season. Combine olive oil with your seasonings in a bowl, then add the cauliflower and toss to coat.

Air fry. Spread the seasoned florets in a single layer inside the basket of your air fryer. You may need to work in batches depending on the size of your florets and your air fryer. Cook at 380ºF for 8 minutes, give the basket a shake, and then cook the cauliflower florets for another 8 to 10 minutes until they’re fork tender and crispy at the edges.

Serve. Dish up your air fryer cauliflower right away with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. See further down for straightforward serving ideas.

Can we Use Frozen Cauliflower Florets?

Certainly! And you don’t even have to thaw frozen cauliflower before air frying. Simply prepare the frozen florets and air fry them as directed, adding an extra minute or two to the cooking time. The texture will be slightly different, as the water content in frozen cauliflower is higher.

Air Fryers

What can we say? We love our air fryer. This model is by far a standby one we've used. It heats evenly and the basket is the reliable size for cooking everything from cauliflower to chicken breasts.

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Tips for Success

Don’t overcrowd the basket. For the crispiest cauliflower, make sure to space out the florets in an even layer inside the air fryer basket. This allows the hot air to circulate.

If you’d rather cook without oil, you can air fry your cauliflower without it. However, the texture won’t be quite the same, and the seasoning won’t coat as well. Consider lining the bottom of your air fryer basket with parchment paper to help with sticking.

Cooking times may vary depending on your air fryer, the freshness of the cauliflower, and the size of the florets. Check the cauliflower after a few minutes, and don’t forget to shake the basket about halfway through to ensure it cooks evenly.

Before you start

Possible Recipe Variations

This recipe is flavorful as is, but there are so many ways that you can change up the seasoning for your air fryer cauliflower. Here are some of our recommendations:

• Parmesan: Sprinkle the finished cauliflower with freshly grated parmesan cheese (see our recipe for parmesan roasted cauliflower).
• Buffalo: Make straightforward air fryer buffalo cauliflower served with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
• Curry: Season your cauliflower with from-scratch curry powder.
• Spicy: For a spicy kick, add cayenne pepper or try our from-scratch chili seasoning.
• Lemon: Toss with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic.
• Chili lime: Borrow the glaze from our chili lime chicken wings and make zesty vegetarian air fryer cauliflower wings.
• Whole roasted cauliflower: If you’re in the mood for something a little different, bake a whole cauliflower in your oven. It turns out so rich!

Ways to serve it

Wherever you need a speedy and lighter side dish to round out a meal, air fryer cauliflower has you covered! Try these straightforward serving ideas:

Burgers: Air fryer cauliflower makes a straightforward low-carb side dish to air fryer hamburgers (or vegetarian black bean burgers).

Protein: Pair with other mains like roasted chicken drumsticks and air fryer pork chops. For a kid-friendly dinner, serve cauliflower alongside crispy chicken nuggets.

Vegetarian: Serve crispy cauliflower next to stuffed portobello mushrooms or Southwestern stuffed peppers.

Sauces: Roasted cauliflower bites are rich on their own as an appetizer or lighter snack! We serve ours with dipping sauces on the side. Try our from-scratch ranch dressing, creamy from-scratch tartar sauce, or fry sauce. We often drizzle sauce over air fryer cauliflower before serving it. Try chimichurri, tahini, from-scratch basil pesto or cilantro pesto.

Storing and Reheating

Fridge: Keep air fryer cauliflower stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It’s straightforward to reheat cauliflower in the air fryer (our preferred method), or in the microwave.

Freezer: Your cooked cauliflower can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.

Leftover Love

Use leftover air fryer cauliflower in Buddha bowls and salads (may we recommend some from-scratch ranch?). We also love to turn this crispy air-fried cauliflower into vegetarian cauliflower tacos or low-carb cauliflower nachos!

• Yield: 4
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 18 minutes
• Total: 28 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Method

1. In a large bowl, add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the cauliflower and stir until the cauliflower is evenly coated.
2. Place the cauliflower in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Do in batches if needed; it should be in a single layer or close to it.
3. Air fry at 380°F for 8 minutes, remove basket and shake, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown, lightly crisp, and tender when poked with a fork.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Storage & reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes before serving, or in the microwave.