Looking for a delicious and healthy appetizer? Look no further than these buffalo cauliflower bites! They are made in the air fryer, so they are low-fat and gluten-free. Plus, they taste amazing! You will be the hit of any party with these tasty little bites.
Move over, chicken wings. There’s a new appetizer in town and it’s made with cauliflower! These air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites are the perfect party food – they’re tasty and healthy, and everyone will love them. Plus, they’re really easy to make – all you need is a few simple ingredients and your air fryer. So what are you waiting for? Try these delicious buffalo cauliflower bites today!
The Best Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites
Cauliflower bites, also known as cauliflower bites or buffalo cauliflower, are bite-sized pieces of cauliflower coated in a spicy sauce and often served as an appetizer or snack. They are a popular plant-based alternative to traditional chicken wings and can be baked or fried. While they originated as a vegan option, they have gained mainstream popularity and can be found on the menus of both casual restaurants and upscale eateries. To make your own, simply coat cauliflower florets in a mixture of flour, spices, and hot sauce, then bake or fry until crispy. Serve with dipping sauces such as ranch or blue cheese for a delicious and healthy snack.
Why Make Cauliflower Bites In Air Fryer
Cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that can be used in a variety of dishes. However, traditional methods of cooking cauliflower, such as roasting or steaming, can result in a mushy texture. Using an air fryer to cook cauliflower results in crispy, golden-brown bites without the added oil and grease. Plus, it’s a quick and easy way to prepare this healthy vegetable for snacking or adding to meals.
Some recipe ideas for air fryer cauliflower bites include coating them with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese for a tasty twist on traditional buffalo wings or tossing them with your favorite spices for a simple side dish. Experiment with different seasonings and dipping sauces to find your perfect combination. Give these air fryer cauliflower bites a try and discover a new, delicious way to enjoy this nutritious vegetable.
Buttermilk Fried Cauliflower
Buttermilk fried cauliflower is a delicious twist on traditional fried cauliflower. The addition of buttermilk not only adds extra flavor but also helps to tenderize the cauliflower before air frying.
This dish can be served as a side or as a tasty appetizer. I love nothing better than a plate of crispy cauliflower bites! The good news is that you can use your air fryer, for a healthier version of this classic dish!
So, if you have been looking for some tasty recipes for cauliflower, you will soon be a fan of these crazy good air-fried buffalo cauliflower bites! And the good thing is that you can make these in your air fryer, and they are a healthier option than deep frying.
Ingredients Needed For Best Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Air Fryer
To make delicious buffalo cauliflower bites in the air fryer, you will need:
Remember the full instructions and step-by-step instructions below in the printable recipe card.
- Fresh Cauliflower: Use a cauliflower head or cauliflower florets
- Buttermilk: Use homemade or store-bought buttermilk.
- Flour: Use regular, all-purpose flour, almond flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter
- Franks Hot Sauce and Louisiana Hot Sauce
- Seasonings and Spices: White Pepper, Garlic Powder, Ground Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Dry Mustard, Minced Garlic, and Black Pepper.
- Serving: Celery Sticks, Carrot Sticks, Limes, and Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing
How To Cook Buffalo Bites In Air Fryer
STEP 1: Break the head of cauliflower into cauliflower florets. Add white pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dry mustard, and black pepper to a large bowl and mix— Place cauliflower florets in the spices.
STEP 2: Add minced garlic, with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté 30 seconds. Then, melt butter, frank’s red hot sauce Louisiana hot sauce, and juice from lime. Bring to a simmer and lower the heat—Cook for 5 minutes.
STEP 3: In a large mixing bowl, add flour, buttermilk, and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine, then toss the cauliflower until evenly coated, use a slotted spoon.
STEP 4: Spray your air fryer basket with cooking spray. Then place cauliflower (in a single layer) in the air fryer basket. Set to 400 degrees F, air fryer setting, and cook for 7 minutes. Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to cook this recipe in batches
STEP 5: Turn cauliflower over and cook for an additional 5 minutes, cooking until golden brown. Remove cauliflower and toss in the Buffalo sauce.
STEP 6: Serve immediately with your favorite blue cheese sauce, or favorite dipping sauce and celery sticks.
Pro Tip
- Try to cut all of the cauliflower florets into the same size, so they all cook up simultaneously. This is the best way to cut it.
- Do not crowd the air fryer basket. Otherwise, the cauliflower will not get the chance to crisp up. You will probably need a few batches to run a whole cauliflower head through the air fryer, although it will depend on which air fryer you own – for air fryer options check this out.
- If you want more crunch, put them back into the air fryer after you coat them.
- Cook right before serving; there is nothing better than a fresh batch of Air Fryer, The Best Buffalo Cauliflower Bites.
- Seasonings: If you want more flavor add some onion powder, and kosher salt.
- Timing: Since all air fryers are slightly different, for best results it’s a good idea to watch these cauliflower bites as they cook up.
How To Store Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, let them cool to room temperature, place them into an airtight container, and put them into the refrigerator.
To heat any leftovers, heat them in the microwave or heat them in the air fryer.
If you want to freeze the cauliflower bites let the cool, to room temperature, and then place them on a parchment paper baking sheet, freeze them until frozen solid, and then remove and place them into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
FAQs
While there are a lot of similarities between these dishes – the answer, I think, is no. I actually like them more though! They have the same crispy exterior and the buffalo sauce provides the heat and tang that is in the chicken wing dish but I actually think the Cauliflower in this recipe gives a more earthy taste, enriching the punchy flavor of the sauce.
It sounds like they haven’t been cooked for long enough initially, or they have been left in the sauce for too long. Don’t worry – it’s easily solved, just pop your bites back into the air fryer for a few minutes. You can do this after they have been coated in the sauce to give them another crunch.
Cauliflower is such a great vegetable! It’s low in calories, low carb, high in fiber, and full of antioxidants. And of course, the air fryer is a great way to cook it to perfection. The cooking process is easy and takes less time than frying, or baking, and if you are a fan of all things easy you will love air frying your cauliflower recipes!
Check this out if you’re looking for more nutrition information.
What do you Serve with Buffalo Cauliflower?
This dish pairs well as an appetizer, with carrot and celery sticks and a dip. But you can efficiently serve this as part of an Easy Air Fryer Chicken Dinner. It goes great paired with grilled chicken breast.
So, the next time you are looking for an easy Air Fryer Side Dish, this is one of my favorites. This makes for a great game day appetizer or a perfect appetizer for the holiday!
What Buffalo Sauce Should You Use For Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Recipe
When it comes to choosing the best buffalo sauce for your buffalo cauliflower bites recipe, you have a few options. Traditional hot sauce mixture is made with hot sauce (such as frank’s red hot sauce), butter or margarine, and vinegar. However, you can also opt for a vegan option by using hot sauce and vegan butter or even a spicy barbecue sauce.
Dips to Pair with Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
This dish is typically served with a creamy dip which is typical when you do anything with Buffalo sauce (wings, etc.), but there are other great options. Some of my favorites are:
- Ranch
- French Onion Dip
- Maple Syrup
- Cilantro Lemon Dipping Sauce
- Garlic Parmesan
- Aioli
- Blue Cheese Dip or even my recipe for creamy blue cheese dressing
- Sour Cream
More Favorite Air Fryer Recipes
- AIR-FRIED PANZANELLA SALAD
- EASY AIR-FRIED MOZZARELLA STUFFED MUSHROOMS
- AIR FRIED SPINACH AND FETA STROMBOLI
- AIR FRIED BEETROOT
DON’T FORGET TO PIN:
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are one of the best and easiest ways to make spicy, crunchy cauliflower in the air fryer with no breading!
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1/4 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1 cup celery sticks
- 1 cup carrot sticks
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Wash and cut cauliflower into florets.
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Add white pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dry mustard, and black pepper to a bowl and mix.
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Toss cauliflower in the spices.
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Add minced garlic to a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté 30 seconds. Then, add butter, franks red hot, Louisiana hot sauce, and juice from lime. Bring to a simmer and lower heat—Cook for 5 minutes.
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In a medium bowl, add flour, buttermilk, and cayenne pepper. Whisk to combine, then toss the cauliflower until evenly coated.
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Place cauliflower (in a single layer) in the air fryer basket. Set to 400 degrees F, air fryer setting, and cook for 7 minutes.
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Turn cauliflower over and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove cauliflower and toss in the Buffalo sauce.
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Serve immediately with blue cheese dip and celery sticks.
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Plate, serve, and enjoy!
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