I am seriously obsessed with these Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. They are so easy to make and are the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish. They are low in carbs and high in protein when you use nutritional yeast as breading! Even the vegetable haters will eat these up.
If you don’t have an air fryer, I’ve got you covered. There are oven directions below as well.
Where’s the recipe?
I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen.
To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts so everyone can cook them–whether you’re a brand new or an advanced chef.
If you’d like to skip over all of the information in this post about cooking from raw, thawed, and frozen, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy printable recipe!
What is an air fryer?
An air fryer is a small kitchen appliance that works similar to a convection oven. It uses rapid moving air to “fry” food without using oil.
Air fryers come in different sizes and price ranges, but I’ve found that this one from Amazon is all I need to make appetizers for my family and friends.
If you haven’t jumped on board the air fryer band wagon yet, I get it. But I have to say, mine has become more and more useful in the kitchen for a variety of appetizers, side dishes, and healthy recipes of all kinds.
Ingredients
- Frozen cauliflower: You can use fresh, but I actually prefer frozen. The moisture seems to help the batter stick, and I can always count on finding it in my freezer.
- Olive oil spray: This helps your batter stick to the cauliflower and not to your air fryer.
- Hot sauce: My go to is Frank’s Hot Sauce (not buffalo sauce, because the ingredients in the Original version are better), but any hot sauce you prefer works.
- Nutritional yeast: An inactive yeast with a cheesy and nutty flavor that is common in vegan recipes. This isn’t required, as you can make your air fryer frozen cauliflower with no breading or breadcrumbs, or with something like panko.
Recipe tips and questions:
- If your cauliflower was cooked from frozen and seems soggy, it needs to cook longer.
- For breaded cauliflower, if you don’t have nutritional yeast you can use panko, or crushed crackers in its place. But, I have to mention that I highly recommend the nutritional yeast. It gives it the authentic melted butter buffalo taste.
- Missing something? You can sprinkle some garlic powder or homemade ranch seasonings (<- like in this pretzel recipe) on top of your cauliflower before cooking if you’d like something extra.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, if you feel it need it.
Do frozen vegetables get soggy in the air fryer?
While they’re cooking, yes. When cooking frozen vegetables in the air fryer, they go from frozen to soggy to cooked to crispy. They take a little longer to cook, but I love that it’s pretty much hands off.
You can use this recipe for any frozen vegetables–not just cauliflower! I’ve pulled together a ton of tips for how to air fry frozen vegetables.
Can I make these with no breading?
Totally! These are delicious with or without breading. I love that the nutritional yeast adds some cheesy flavor as well as protein. Making frozen breaded cauliflower with nutritional yeast is one of my favorite snacks.
Air Fryer Instructions
Time needed: 25 minutes.
This recipe time will change if you use thawed or raw cauliflower. You’re going to love how easy these Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are!
- Preheat
Set your air fryer to 400 degrees F or medium high.
- Prepare your cauliflower
Pour 2 cups of cauliflower florets into a large bowl. Spray liberally with cooking spray or toss with melted butter, shaking to coat the cauliflower on all sides, then add your hot sauce.
- Add hot sauce
Toss and stir until all of your cauliflower is coated with hot sauce.
- Bread the cauliflower, if you’d like
Add your nutritional yeast and toss one last time. As I mentioned above, you can also use bread crumbs or crushed crackers.
- Air fry
Add the cauliflower to the basket of your air fryer, and set the cook timer for 20 minutes. Toss your cauliflower every 5 minutes to promote even cooking and browning.
- For thawed cauliflower:
The cauliflower will probably take 10-15 minutes to cook.
- When is it done?
Your cauliflower should be nicely browned and crispy when it’s ready to eat. If it seems soggy, continue cooking for 5 minute increments. Different air fryers yield different results, so yours might take more or less time.
Need to make these in the oven?
- Turn oven to 400º.
- Follow steps 2-4 above and then place thawed or raw cauliflower on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet or pan.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, then use a set of tongs to turn them over and cook in 5 minute increments until golden brown.
Healthy Eating Plans:
Weight Watchers: The entire recipe is 4 Blue Plan Point | 4 Green Plan Point | 4 Purple Plan Point
Keto: This entire recipe is only 4g of carbohydrates and perfect for Keto.
Whole 30: Be sure and check the ingredients on your hot sauce and oil, but with the right ones these are compliant.
21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: The entire recipe is 2 Green Containers and ½ Red Container. Nutritional yeast is free in small amounts, but for the amount used in this recipe I’d count it towards your daily protein.
Looking for more buffalo recipes?
If you like buffalo wing sauce, you are going to want to save all of these buffalo recipes. There’s more to do with hot sauce than just coating chicken wings!
Need more air fryer recipes?
- Roasted Artichokes with Dipping Sauce
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- How to cook apples in the air fryer
- Ranch Pretzels
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower from Frozen or Thawed!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower frozen florets, thawed, or raw
- olive oil spray or butter
- ½ cup hot sauce I use Frank's regular hot sauce, not buffalo sauce!
- ¾ cup nutritional yeast or panko breadcrumbs (optional)
Instructions
Air Fryer Instructions
- Set your air fryer to 400° F.
- Pour 2 cups of cauliflower into a large bowl. Spray liberally with cooking spray, shaking to make sure it is well coated on all sides, then add your hot sauce. Toss and stir until all of your cauliflower is coated with hot sauce, then add your nutritional yeast and toss one last time.
- Add your cauliflower to the basket of your air fryer, and set the cook timer for 20 minutes.
- Toss your cauliflower every 5 minutes to promote even cooking and browning. Your cauliflower should be nicely browned and crispy when it's done. If cauliflower seems soggy, continue cooking for 5 minute increments.
Oven Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Pour 2 cups of cauliflower into a large bowl. Spray liberally with cooking spray, shaking to make sure it is well coated on all sides, then add your hot sauce. Toss and stir until all of your cauliflower is coated with hot sauce, then add your nutritional yeast and toss one last time.
- Transfer your cauliflower to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, until browned and crispy.
Notes
- Weight Watchers: The entire recipe is 4 Blue Plan Point | 4 Green Plan Point | 4 Purple Plan Point
- Keto: This entire recipe is only 4g of carbohydrates and perfect for Keto.
- Whole 30: Be sure and check the ingredients on your hot sauce and oil, but with the right ones these are compliant.
- 21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: The entire recipe in 2 Green Containers and ½ Red Container. Nutritional yeast is free in small amounts, but for the amount used in this recipe is counted towards your daily protein.
- If your cauliflower was cooked from frozen and seems soggy, it needs to cook longer.
- For breaded cauliflower, if you don’t have nutritional yeast you can use panko, or crushed crackers in its place. But, I have to mention that I highly recommend the nutritional yeast. It gives it the authentic melted butter buffalo taste.
- Missing something? You can sprinkle some garlic powder or homemade ranch seasonings (<- like in this pretzel recipe) on top of your cauliflower before cooking if you’d like something extra.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, if you feel it need it.
I love using my air fryer for recipes like this one. These are great for a party or just to snack on….so yummy!
Thank you for this delicious air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe. Since I received an air fryer this past Christmas, I can’t use it enough. I’m super excited to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
what a fun new way to eat cauliflower! these look so good
Love twists on things and this one is a keeper, even the kids ate it up!
This is a fast and easy recipe. I ran the cauliflower through the microwave and poured off the water, it was frozen and used both crumbs and brewer’s yeast. Will do again.
Brewer’s yeast is not the same things as nutritional yeast… =\
How long did you cook your cauliflower in the microwave?
3-4 minutes? 5-6? Whatever the bag of frozen cauliflower said–I’d have to look and am not home for a few days :)
Seriously one of the best things I’ve made lately! This will definitely be in regular rotation. Thank you for the recipe!
Absolutely amazing. LOVE this recipe