Easy Air Fryer Cauliflower
With its crispy texture and its simple flavors, this simple Air Fryer Cauliflower recipe is a total delight. If you’re on the hunt for a healthy vegetable side dish recipe that doesn’t take too long, this recipe is a must try. If you love roasting cauliflower but are looking for a quicker, easier way to whip up this side dish, this is the one.
Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
- Easy: Of all the Air Fryer recipes I’ve tried and experimented with, this Air Fryer roasted cauliflower recipe has to be my favorite.
- Tasty: The simple flavors, the easy customization and the versatile end result is what I love the most about this recipe.
- Fast: I’m amazed at how air frying barely takes any time, and still, gets the perfect crispy air fryer cauliflower every single time!
Recipe Ingredients
To make the cauliflower in the Air Fryer, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients.
- Cauliflower: The main ingredient, ripe and fresh cauliflower is key for optimal flavor and texture.
- Olive oil: Ensures the spices stick to the cauliflower and aids in achieving a crispy exterior.
- Paprika: Adds a warm, slightly sweet flavor to the cauliflower.
- Black Pepper: Provides a hint of heat and complexity to the taste.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the cauliflower and spices.
How to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower
Ready to make this Air Fryer cauliflower from scratch, here’s what you’ll need to do.
Step 1: Place Cauliflower Florets in a Bowl
Snip the cauliflower heads down to bite size pieces using kitchen scissors or a knife. Place them in a large bowl.
Step 2: Coat the Cauliflower Florets in Spices
Drizzle the florets with the oil and cover with the spices. Toss the cauliflower around in the bowl to get a nice and even coating.
Step 3: Add Cauliflower Florets to the Air Fryer Basket and Cook
Place seasoned cauliflower in the air fryer basket evenly. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Toss the cauliflower well and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
Step 4: Serve Immediately
Let them cool and serve.
Expert Tips
Ready to make this Air Fryer cauliflower recipe? Here are some more tips and tricks you might want to take note of.
- You can also try makin this crispy Air Fryer cauliflower with some avocado oil instead of olive oil.
- If you want to make this roasted cauliflower more crispy, you can dip it in some egg wash, coat it with some bread crumbs and then season it with some red pepper flakes before you Air Fry it.
- Make sure you cook cauliflower in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket, and toss the basket halfway through the cooking process. Doing this will ensure that the roasted cauliflower is nice and crispy.
- You can also cook frozen cauliflower in the Air Fryer if you want to. Just remember to preheat Air Fryer, and arrange the frozen cauliflower in a single layer.
- If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for 2-3 days. And then when you want to reheat them, I would recommend you air fry them instead of microwaving them.
Variations
- Based on your personal taste preference, you can try using different seasoning blend mixes of your choice.
- Garlic powder or onion powder can be a great addition to the cauliflower florets, especially in addition to the smoked paprika.
- You can also try an Indian Air Fryer cauliflower recipe by seasoning the cauliflower florets with some curry powder or a bit of chili powder, some turmeric powder and lime juice.
- You can also sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley on top of the crispy cauliflower right before you serve.
- Another great idea is to season the cauliflower with garlic powder and then sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese on the roasted cauliflower to make it a nice Italian roasted cauliflower.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Cool Down: Allow the cooked cauliflower to cool down to room temperature before storing it. Placing hot cauliflower directly into the refrigerator can create condensation, leading to moisture buildup and potential spoilage.
- Airtight Container: Transfer the cooked cauliflower to an airtight container. Make sure the container is clean and dry before adding the cauliflower to prevent any contamination.
- Refrigerate: Place the airtight container of cooked cauliflower in the refrigerator promptly. Cooked cauliflower can typically be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Microwave: Place the desired amount of cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish and heat it in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
What To Serve With This Recipe?
- The best way to serve the roasted cauliflower is to team it up with a tasty dipping sauce of your choice and some lemon wedges on the side.
- I would also recommend drizzling some fresh lemon juice on the top to jazz up the flavors of the seasoned cauliflower.
- Serve with some tasty air fried Sweet Potato Fries or Hasselback Potatoes.
- Cauliflower also goes great with Roast Chicken or Salmon.
Air Fryer Cauliflower
This super simple air fryer cauliflower recipe is easy to cook and tastes amazing with it's teriyaki flavors
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower head
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup milk, of your choosing (I used soy milk)
- ½ cup flour
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 1 Scallion, for garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp corn starch (optional if you want to make the sauce sticky – not used in recipe)
Instructions
Start by cutting the cauliflower into florets. Preheat Air Fryer.
In a large bowl, add the milk, flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
Add your cauliflower florets to the bowl with milk and cover all florets. Then put your cauliflower in the panko crumbs and make sure all florets are covered with the panko.
Place the florets in the Air Fryer in a single layer. Air fry for 20 minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the cauliflower is cooking, make your teriyaki sauce.
Add the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, minced ginger in a sauce pan and cook on medium high heat until the water has evaporated and the sauce becomes thicker.
This can take about 10-15 minutes.
Once the cauliflower florets are cooked, pour the teriyaki sauce over the florets and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Once the cauliflower florets are cooked, pour the teriyaki sauce over the florets and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 295Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 493mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 6gSugar: 9gProtein: 12g
More Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed making this easy side dish and are inspired to try some more such interesting recipes, here are a few good ones to check out.
