This Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower has only 3 ingredients and is ready in no time! It’s a healthy alternative to traditional chicken wings and makes quite a statement on a plate as a whole head. It has the most perfectly crisp outer edges and tender insides. I serve it with a squeeze of fresh lime and our Creamy Dill Dressing for dipping. I also love this Taco Cauliflower and Avocado Lime Crema.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This air fryer buffalo cauliflower is flavor-packed. It is a vegetarian, and nutrient-dense alternative to meat.
Budget-Friendly: Buying a whole head of cauliflower is much cheaper and fresher than purchasing pre-cut florets.
Customizable Spice: You can control exactly how spicy, buttery, or tangy your sauce is, using classics like Frank’s RedHot or your favorite local hot sauce.
It’s Paleo and Whole30: Having no gluten, grains, or dairy, it is the perfect dish if you need to keep it Paleo or Whole30 friendly.
Ingredients You Will Need
Cauliflower: is a cruciferous vegetable that is nutrient-dense, high in fiber and vitamins.
Avocado oil spray: has a neutral flavor that can be used for baking, high-heat cooking, sautéing and frying. I like Chosen Foods avocado oil spray.
Buffalo sauce: is a hot sauce enhanced with ingredients to make it richer and smoother than regular hot sauce.
Lime: are a small, green citrus fruit know for its sour taste and high vitamin C content and add a little tang to the spicy sauce.
Instructions
Rinse and dry: the cauliflower head really well with paper towels.
Place head of cauliflower in a large bowl: and spray the bottom with avocado oil.
Flip the cauliflower over: and spray again and then pour Buffalo sauce over top and brush to cover whole head.
Move to air fryer: and cook at 400F degrees for 20 minutes. Depending on the size of your cauliflower it may take a few minutes more or less to cook.
Spray with oil: and cook 5 minutes more.
Squeeze the lime juice: all over the head prior to serving.
Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Dry the cauliflower head: really well before spraying with oil and adding the sauce. Excess moisture creates steam, which will make your cauliflower soggy instead of crispy.
Garnish with cilantro: chopped cilantro adds a nice fresh herby bite!
Recipe Variations
Hot sauce: like Frank’s is a great alternative for Buffalo sauce. Just be sure to check the ingredients for sugar if you want to keep the recipe Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
Olive oil spray: is a good choice if you don’t have avocado oil spray on hand.
Dipping sauce: we love to serve this with our Creamy Dill Dressing.
Storage Tips
You can store this air fryer Buffalo cauliflower in the fridge for up to 4 days when placed in an airtight glass container.
FAQ’s About Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
How do I make the buffalo sauce stick?
Be sure to spray the whole head with oil. This creates a dry, tacky surface that allows the buffalo sauce to adhere perfectly when air fried.
Can I cut up the cauliflower into florets?
Yes you absolutely can. A whole head yields roughly 4 to 6 cups of chopped florets. Air fryers only hold 1 to 2 layers comfortably. You will need to cook the whole head in a few batches.
Is it better to bake or air fry cauliflower?
Air frying is the best choice if you want maximum crispy edges in a fraction of the time.
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse and dry the cauliflower head well with paper towels.
- Place the head of cauliflower in a large bowl and spray the bottom with avocado oil.
- Flip the cauliflower over and spray with oil and then pour the Buffalo sauce over the top and brush to cover the whole head.
- Move to the air fryer basket and cook at 400˚ for 20 minutes. Depending on the size of your cauliflower it may take a few minutes more or less to cook.
- Spray with oil again and cook another 5 minutes. This helps the sauce get crispy.
- Squeeze the lime juice over the entire head prior to serving.
- Enjoy!
