This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower is an easy snack that even picky kids will love! So crispy and crunchy, plus a gluten free & vegan option!
PIN Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Are you still eating buffalo foods in the Summer?
Please say yes.
I have this feeling that you’re looking at me through the screen, shaking your head and thinking “liiike, have you gone mental Taylor? Why would we eat spicy-mouth-on-fire-food when our bodies are already on fire because – hello- 100-degree weather in JULY?”
I know, I KNOW. We typically eat things like healthy buffalo chicken dip or paleo buffalo chicken casserole around football season, but can we just start a little early with this air fried buffalo cauliflower? Isn’t football season sort of soon?
I truly know nothing of these sporting seasons, so this is really just a hopeful guess.
But, I meannn, they’re just as crispy and crunchy as the crispy breaded air fryer chicken breast or air fryer falafel and they’re spicy and flavorful and they’re the kind of vegetables that both you, your veggie hating husband AND your kids will actually, you know, ENJOY eating sooo I’m pretty sure that they’re good for any time of the year right?
Right. I knew you would come around. <– Just blast your AC and all will be well.
Why you will LOVE This Recipe
On top of this appetizer being absolutely DELICIOUS, it’s also SUCH a healthy choice. Cauliflower is a low carb alternative to ingredients like potatoes and is also SO nutritious and delish! You are going to love jazzing it up a bit with some buffalo goodness, and it is also so simple to throw together. Move over, game day recipes, because buffalo cauliflower in air fryer is coming through!
Is Cauliflower Good for you?
In short, YES! Cauliflower is absolutely good for you. It is loaded with fiber, is a great source of antioxidants, and can help to boost your immune system. It is also low in carbs, making it a keto friendly choice, and has a mild taste and texture which makes it an easy substitute for higher carb foods like potatoes.
Ingredients Needed
Making up a batch of buffalo cauliflower bites air fryer in the comfort of your own home is SO easy and only calls for a handful of simple, healthy ingredients. Here is everything you will need to get started:
- Buffalo Sauce
- Unsalted Butter
- Cauliflower
- Sea Salt
- Panko
- Cooking Spray
How to make air fryer buffalo cauliflower
The air fried cauliflower goes down like this:
- Cut your cauliflower into large florets! We’re trying to make these kind of like fried cauliflower WINGS – so you want them to be good sized, like a chicken wing.
- Melt butter and mix it with buffalo sauce. Pour it all over the cauliflower and refrigerate at least an hour. This sounds silly but I tried making these without doing so and they had a lot less buffalo flavor! It’s all in the marinade.
- Melt the rest of the butter and combine with the hot sauce. Pour over the cauliflower.
- Dip the cauliflower into panko – not breadcrumbs.
- Cook in the air fryer until crispy, about 17-20 minutes!
- Dip into ranch, blue cheese sauce, some buffalo cauliflower dip (if you want more veggie goodness) or just eat them as is!
Just like the cauliflower tater tots, cauliflower mashed potatoes and low carb mock cauliflower potato salad, I am not going to lie to you and tell you that you cannot tell the difference between these air fryer cauliflower buffalo bites and chicken wings.
Let’s be realistic people, shall we? Cauliflower and fried chicken and two VERY different things.
B-U-T they are super satisfying and a great way to get any veggie hating human to not hate veggies just a LITTLE bit less.
Also, if you don’t love buffalo foods, you might RLY RLY like these. Buffalo flavoring using isn’t REALLY my jam, but I actually was not mad about having to test these over and over to figure out the perfect flavor and crispy-crunchiness.
How to make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower gluten free
Just like the oven baked mozzarella sticks recipe, almost everything in this recipe is naturally gluten free, you can use gluten free panko to make these if needed. I will say I have made them both ways and using non gluten free panko is a LITTLE crispier. BUT it’s not that noticeable!
How to make these vegan
You can simple use vegan butter and voila! Vegan cauliflower wings!
Breaded vegetables.
Because what isn’t better with carbs?
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Crock Pot Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Soup
Vegan Buffalo Patties with Avocado Dip
Buffalo Chicken Egg Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 Tbsp Buffalo sauce
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted butter (vegan if needed)
- 3 Cups Cauliflower, cut into 1 1/2 inch thick florets (268g)
- Sea Salt
- 1/4 Cup Panko (GF if needed)
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Melt 1/2 Tbsp of the butter and mix it with 3 Tbsp of the buffalo sauce. Pour over the cauliflower and stir until well covered (I use my hands as it's easier.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- Once marinated, melt the rest of the butter and mix with the buffalo sauce. Pour over the cauliflower and stir until coated. Season with salt.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Spread the panko into a shallow, rimmed plate. Pick each cauliflower up by the steam and rolls the tops of each floret into the panko. Place onto the mesh basket of the air fryer. Repeat with remaining florets.
- Spray the tops of the florets with cooking spray and cook until the cauliflower is fork tender and the tops and crisp and golden, about 17-21 minutes.
- Serve with ranch or bleu cheese dip (or nothing!) and DEVOUR!
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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