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If you are looking for an easy and delicious way to eat your vegetables, you are going to love air fryer buffalo cauliflower! The cauliflower comes out crispy and full of flavor, making them a perfect snack or side dish. 

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Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower on a white plate with a hand holding up a piece to eat.

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Quick and Easy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Recipe

This buffalo cauliflower recipe gives cauliflower a bold flavor that will satisfy even picky eaters. I love making this recipe because it’s so easy and quick, making it a perfect choice for an appetizer for parties or game days. 

I sometimes struggle to eat my veggies, but this recipe makes eating vegetables so much easier! Plus, you can eat this recipe by itself or add it to a main dish to spice things up!

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For more delicious vegetable recipes, try air fryer acorn squash, air fryer stuffed mushrooms, or air fryer okra.

Ingredients needed to make Buffalo Cauliflower in the Air Fryer

Ingredients needed to make buffalo cauliflower bites in the air fryer - set out on a table.
  • Hot Sauce (I like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and Louisiana Hot Sauce)
  • Butter-The butter gives the veggies a delicious buttery undertone flavor.
  • Medium Whole Head of Cauliflower (1 ½ to 2 lbs)
  • All Purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder-baking powder mixed with the flour, helps the bites crisp up during air frying.
  • Garlic Powder-garlic mixed with the butter and hot sauce, adds all the flavor you need to these cauliflower bites.
  • Ground Black Pepper-ground black pepper adds just a touch of heat flavor.
Air fried buffalo cauliflower bites in the basket of the air fryer.

How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower in Air Fryer

1: Preheat the Air Fryer to 400º Fahrenheit.

2: In a microwave safe dish, melt the butter. Then, in a large mixing bowl, whisk the hot sauce and the melted butter together. Set the bowl aside. 

margarine and buffalo sauce combined in a bowl

3: Cut the cauliflower florets into 1 ½-2 inch pieces. Add the pieces to the bowl with the sauce, and then toss the pieces until they are coated with the hot sauce and butter. Once coated, drain any remaining hot sauce mixture.

Cauliflower tossed in the butter and sauce mixture.

4: In a separate medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and black pepper, then stir together.

5: Add the flour mixture to the cauliflower and toss the pieces until they are completely coated with the mixture. 

Cauliflower bites tossed in flour and seasoning mixture.

6: Transfer the coated cauliflower florets into the Air Fryer basket and air fry at 400 degrees F for 16-20 minutes, tossing every 4-5 minutes. 

Buffalo Cauliflower in the air fryer ready to cook.

Serve cooked cauliflower with your favorite blue cheese, ranch dressing, or dips.

    Plate full of air fried buffalo cauliflower ready to eat.

    Tips for making Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    • Use your favorite dipping sauce. You can use a homemade buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, wing sauce, or another favorite creamy dipping sauce.
    • Place cauliflower bites in a single layer. This will ensure that all of the bites will cook evenly and get crispy. Some may cook more or less than others if you stuff too many cauliflower florets into the Air Fryer. You only need a little bit of room in between each bite. Make them in batches if necessary. 
    • Be sure to fully drain the remaining hot sauce mixture. If you don’t drain the extra sauce before coating the cauliflower bites in the flour mixture, they will be too wet and won’t be as crispy after air frying. 

    NOTE: This recipe was made using a 5.8qt basket style Cosori Air Fryer. If you are using a different type of air fryer, you may have to adjust your cooking time s accordingly.

    More Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes

    Plate of air fryer buffalo cauliflower with a side of dipping sauce.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Servings: 4

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    By Jen
    If you are looking for an easy and delicious way to eat your vegetables, you are going to love air fryer buffalo cauliflower! The cauliflower comes out crispy and full of flavor, making them a perfect snack or side dish. 
    Prep: 5 minutes
    Cook: 20 minutes
    Total: 25 minutes
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    Equipment

    • 1 Air Fryer

    Ingredients 

    • 1/3 cup hot sauce
    • 1 1/2 pound cauliflower
    • 2 Tablespoons butter
    • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
    • 1/4 cup baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions 

    • Preheat the Air Fryer to 400º degrees Fahrenheit.
    • In a microwave safe dish, melt the butter. Then in a large bowl, whisk together the hot sauce and melted butter. Set aside.
    • Cut cauliflower florets into 1 1/2-2 inch pieces. Toss the cauliflower florets into the hot sauce mixture. Be sure to completely coat all of the pieces with the sauce. Drain the remaining sauce.
    • In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.
    • Add the flour mixture to the florets, and toss together until they are well coated with the flour and seasoning mixture.
    • Transfer the cauliflower florets into the Air Fryer basket and air fry at 400 degrees F for 16-20 minutes, tossing every 4-5 minutes.
    • Serve cooked cauliflower with your favorite blue cheese or ranch dressing.

    Notes

    This recipe was made using a 5.8qt basket style Cosori Air Fryer. If you are using a different type of air fryer, you may have to adjust your cooking time s accordingly. Oven air fryers, microwave air fryers, and different brands all work differently.
    You can add celery sticks, carrot sticks or pair this recipe with a main dish.
    You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat them, reheat the cauliflower in the Air Fryer at 350ºF for a couple of minutes until heated through.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 89kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 2156mg, Potassium: 571mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 46IU, Vitamin C: 97mg, Calcium: 919mg, Iron: 3mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    Like this? Leave a comment below!

    Jen West

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    4.50 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    1 Comment

    1. Carl says:

      4 stars
      I made according to recipe except I made the executive decision to add only a 1/4 tsp. of baking powder. I have baked may things in my lifetime and have never used more than a few tsp. in a given recipe. Maybe the .25 cup was a mistake or maybe not but the cauliflower was excellent. Maybe better than chicken!

      Reply