Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower is loaded with incredible flavor, golden and crispy, and can be ready in 15 minutes. It makes the perfect healthy vegetarian snack or appetizer and is a delicious meatless version of traditional buffalo wings.

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower makes a wonderfully crispy, vegetarian game-day appetizer that your family and friends will go crazy for. They are similar to these baked cauliflower bites that are made in the oven but now we are making a buffalo-style version in the air fryer.

The cauliflower is coated in gluten-free breading, cooked until crispy, then tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce, making this buffalo cauliflower recipe a great vegetarian swap for buffalo wings.

You may also love this buffalo shredded chicken and this buffalo chicken dip which are also popular, easy recipes for game day.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• A healthy snack or appetizer you can make in about 15 minutes.
• Perfectly crispy, flavorful vegetarian buffalo wings you will love.
• Great game day recipe that is Vegetarian and Gluten-Free so everyone can enjoy it.
• Makes the perfect healthy meatless snack that pairs so well with a cool, creamy dip.

Buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer becomes perfectly tender with a fantastic crispy crust in minutes. If you prefer crispy cauliflower without breading then check out this easy air fryer cauliflower recipe that is also loaded with flavor and makes a perfect side dish or snack.

Ingredients you will need

• Cauliflower – one head of fresh cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces (florets) that are about 1.5 inches each. You can use store-bought pre-cut cauliflower to save time. You will need about 4-5 cups of cauliflower florets. See below for how to cut cauliflower.
• Almond flour – for the low-carb, gluten-free coating. You can also use regular flour or 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour if you need to keep this recipe nut-free.
• Hot sauce – any kind will work. I really love Cholula hot sauce and used it in this recipe.
• Butter – I used unsalted butter. Ghee or vegan butter would also work for vegan buffalo cauliflower.
• Honey – you can also use maple syrup or agave.
• Herbs and spices – cauliflower is pretty bland on its own so the seasoning in this recipe is key. The combination of garlic powder, paprika, dried chives, dried parsley, salt, and pepper gives these cauliflower wings so much amazing flavor.

How to cut cauliflower into florets

You can easily cut a whole head of cauliflower yourself in minutes using a sharp kitchen knife. Here is how to do it.

1. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the stem off of the cauliflower then remove the leaves. You can discard the leaves or use them in soups and stir-fry.
2. Cut the cauliflower down the center, then cut each half into quarters.
3. Use a sharp knife to remove the core by cutting into it at a slant, then use your hands to carefully separate the cauliflower into florets.

Pro Tip! Make sure to cut the cauliflower into even size pieces so they cook evenly. You don’t want them to be too small but also not too large.

How to make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

You can make this quick and easy buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer in under 15 minutes. Here is a summary of the steps to make this recipe.

Be sure to check out the complete list of recipe ingredients and instructions located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Prep the cauliflower. Trim the leaves off of the cauliflower and cut them into florets that are about the same size (roughly 1.5 inches each). See above for how to cut cauliflower.
2. Mix up the coating. Crack and whisk the eggs in a medium shallow bowl. In a separate bowl mix up the almond flour with the garlic powder, paprika, dried parsley, dried chives, salt, and pepper. Set up a dredging station (cauliflower + egg mixture + breading).
3. Coat. Dip each piece of cauliflower in the egg, then the almond flour mixture, and place the breaded cauliflower onto a clean plate.
4. Cook. Add the coated cauliflower to the air fryer and cook at 370 degrees F for 12 minutes.
5. Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a pot on the stovetop and mix in the hot sauce, honey, and a little bit of salt and pepper.
6. Finish and serve: Add the cauliflower to a large bowl, and lightly toss it in the buffalo sauce. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipe Note: You may need to cook the cauliflower in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.

Time-saving tip! You can skip the step for making the buffalo sauce and just use your favorite store-bought brand. I love Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce.

Creamy dipping sauces that go with air fryer buffalo cauliflower

You must have a dipping sauce for these buffalo cauliflower wings. Some of my favorites are a creamy blue cheese dressing, which is a classic. We also love to serve this with a cool, healthy tzatziki sauce.

To change things up a bit, you can serve these with some avocado ranch dressing which is one of my favorites.

Ways to serve buffalo cauliflower bites

• With a salad. Pair it with a deliciously crisp and fresh salad, like this Easy Kale Salad or this Mediterranean Couscous Salad.
• As an appetizer or snack. Mix it in with some other fun and healthy appetizers, like these No-Oil Sweet Potato Wedges, these Oven Roasted Chickpeas, or these Stuffed Mini Peppers
• Wrap it up. Use it as a filling in a wrap topped with some blue cheese dressing and shredded carrots. So good!

Baked buffalo cauliflower

Don’t have an air fryer? Well, you need to get one, they are amazing! In the meantime, you can make this buffalo cauliflower recipe in the oven. Just follow these simple steps.

• Prepare and dredge the cauliflower as noted in the recipe.
• Place it onto a baking sheet fitted with a rack. For easier cleanup line the baking sheet with foil then put the rack on top.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes. Remove and toss the cauliflower in the buffalo sauce.

Storing and reheating tips

Air fryer buffalo cauliflower stores great in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it right in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for a few minutes until warmed through. Note: these cauliflower wings store best before being tossed in the buffalo sauce.

More game-day appetizers

• Air Fryer Chickpeas
• Gluten-Free Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken
• Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
• Crispy Air Fryer Fries
• Air Fryer Tortilla Chips

Other healthy air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
• Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
• Easy Air Fryer Zucchini Patties
• Delicious Air Fryer Mushrooms

If you like this recipe then check out all of my air fryer recipes on PMG!

I hope you try this air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe. If you do, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out! Enjoy!

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