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Every time I make this Air Fryer Cauliflower recipe, it comes out crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. Made with fresh cauliflower florets, a bit of olive oil, and an easy seasoning blend, it’s a quick side dish to add to your dinner rotation.
Whether you’re serving it as a snack, a side dish, or even a low-carb alternative to fries, this easy recipe is a must-try! For more delicious air fryer cauliflower recipes, try this spicy version, air fryer buffalo cauliflower, and these air fryer cauliflower steaks.
There’s just something about roasted cauliflower with its crispy edges, and the air fryer might just be the easiest way to get the best results. No matter how you make it, air fryer cauliflower is an easy side dish that pairs with almost every meal! My family loves it with everything from air fryer turkey meatloaf to air fryer salmon.
Quick Look At This Recipe
✨ Flavor: Simply seasoned with a crispy texture.
⏱️ Prep time: 5 minutes to chop and season.
🔥 Cook time: 10 minutes, but longer if you need to cook in batches or larger-sized florets.
⏲️ Total time: Roughly 15 minutes.
👥 Servings: 4
🥄 Tools: Air fryer, medium bowl, cutting board and knife.
❄️ Freezer friendly: Not preferred.
👩🏻🍳 Tip: Cut cauliflower into even-sized pieces for even cooking and the best results.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick side dish option. It’s a simple way for roasting cauliflower, without a lot of prep or cooking time.
- Healthier: The air fryer it a perfectly crispy texture without needing a lot of extra oil.
- Versatile: One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s easy to switch up seasoning flavors for variety. It’s perfect for picky eaters, and of course, it’s yummy to serve with ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.
- So many uses: There are so many things you can do with this cauliflower besides serving it as a side dish or appetizer. You can use it in a stir fry or hearty vegetable soup. You can puree it and make soup or baby food. The options are endless.
Ingredients You Need
- Cauliflower: Fresh cauliflower florets, cut into similar-sized pieces.
- Olive oil: Aids in crisping up the florets while cooking. The key to those delicious crispy bits.
- Simple seasoning blend: A handful of pantry staples makes an easy way to season the cauliflower. I recommend smoked paprika for a mild smoky flavor, and garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to enhance the natural flavors of the dish.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy Cauliflower: Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili powder for extra heat.
- Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower: Skip the smoked paprika and add a ¼ teaspoon of Italian seasoning. After cooking, toss the hot air fryer cauliflower with a ¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese before serving.
- Ranch Packet Hack: Replace the seasoning mixture with 1 ½ teaspoons dry ranch seasoning. Sprinkle the air fryer roasted cauliflower with chopped chives. Try these ranch breadsticks in the air fryer next!
- Change the Flavor: You don’t have to stick to paprika and garlic—this recipe works with just about any seasoning blend you love. Try classics like Italian seasoning, Cajun spice, taco seasoning, or a simple lemon pepper blend. Feeling a bit more adventurous, try Za’atar, curry powder, or everything bagel seasoning. Just swap in 1–2 teaspoons of your favorite mix for an easy flavor twist.
- Add broccoli: Love air fried broccoli and cauliflower? Simply swap half the cauliflower for broccoli.
How to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower
To get started, rinse and pat the cauliflower dry. Use a sharp knife to cut the head into 1-inch bite-sized florets. Be sure to remove all of the leaves. To cook, I am using my favorite air fryer, the 5.8-qt Cosori air fryer. It’s a basket air fryer and is large enough to cook a full recipe in one go.
- Toss the cauliflower florets in a large bowl with the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Make sure the florets are evenly coated.
- Place the seasoned cauliflower in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 380°F (193° F) for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even cooking. Remove from the air fryer once the cauliflower is golden and crispy. Serve with a side dish like these air fryer country ribs!
Expert Tips
- Avoid overcrowding: Allow space between the pieces of cauliflower. For smaller air fryers, you may need to cook in batches to ensure even crispiness.
- Shake halfway through: This helps achieve an evenly golden texture on each piece of cauliflower.
- Same size pieces: For even cooking, it’s essential to aim for the same size pieces of cauliflower. Smaller one-inch pieces will cook more quickly than larger 1 ½-2-inch pieces.
- Preheat your air fryer: An important step to ensuring crispy cauliflower. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating setting, you can allow it to heat for five minutes prior to filling the air fryer basket. If you prefer to skip it, extend the cooking time by about two minutes.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing leftovers, as they may be quite soft when thawed.
- Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer at 350° F for 3-5 minutes until it’s crispy again. You can reheat it in the microwave, but sometimes that takes the crispness out of the leftovers.
Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe FAQ’S
Yes! Defrost the cauliflower and pat it dry before seasoning it to remove any excess moisture. You will also need to increase the cook time by 3-4 minutes.
You can, but the oil helps the seasonings stick to the pieces and ensures a golden brown finish and crisper cauliflower. You can also use melted butter if you prefer to skip the olive oil. To use less oil, you can also use a spray bottle of oil or cooking spray.
Try ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, homemade cheese sauce, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for extra flavor.
Sure! You may not get the same results unless you have a convection oven, but it’s a handy alternative if you don’t have access to an air fryer. Prep the cauliflower as directed and then cook in a 425°F oven for 18–22 minutes. Flip the cauliflower at least once halfway through cooking.
More Air Fryer Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Green Beans
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Squash
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Mushrooms
Side Dishes
Air Fryer Carrots
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Air Fryer Cauliflower
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, about 3 cups of florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife cut to remove the stem and then cut into bite size cauliflower florets. You can also start with 3 cups of fresh cauliflower already cut.
- Place the florets into a medium mixing bowl. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and other seasonings, until fully coated.
- Place seasoned cauliflower into air fryer basket. Air fry at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through the air frying process, until cauliflower reaches your desired crispness.
- Remove cauliflower from air fryer and serve while hot. If you wanted to make these cheesy add cheese as soon as it's done air frying so it will melt evenly over cauliflower.
Notes
- Do not overload your air fryer basket. You should be able to shake it halfway through the cooking process, so work in batches if necessary.
- For even cooking, it’s essential to aim for the same size pieces of cauliflower. The timing in this recipe is based on one-inch pieces will cook more quickly than larger 1 ½-2-inch pieces.
- Preheat your air fryer. If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating setting, you can allow it to heat for five minutes prior to filling the air fryer basket. If you prefer to skip it, extend the cooking time by about two minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
