Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

This recipe for Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower is so easy to make and is the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish. It’s low in carbs and high in protein when you use nutritional yeast as breading. Even those who don’t love vegetables will eat these up–I’ve seen it happen in my own kitchen.

If you think this vegetarian snack looks delicious, you should also try our Vegetable Spring Rolls Recipe, this Elote Dip Recipe, or this Black Bean and Corn Salsa.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

• Cauliflower florets: You can use fresh cauliflower, but I actually prefer frozen. The moisture seems to help the batter stick, and I can always count on finding it in my freezer. I tend to leave out the smaller florets that would probably just fall through my air fryer basket, and just use the large pieces.
• Hot sauce: My go to is Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (not buffalo sauce and not wing sauce, because the ingredients in the Original version are better), but any hot sauce you prefer works.  
• Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast with a cheesy and nutty flavor that is common in vegan recipes. 

How to make Buffalo Cauliflower in the Air Fryer

These take about 25 minutes to make, but the cooking time will change depending on if you use fresh or frozen cauliflower and how many batches you make.

Step 1: Set your air fryer to 400 degrees F or medium high heat.

Pour 2 cups of cauliflower florets into a large mixing bowl. Spray liberally with cooking spray or toss with melted butter, shaking to coat the cauliflower on all sides.

Step 2: Add Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

Toss and stir until all of your cauliflower is coated with hot sauce.

Step 3: Add nutritional yeast and toss one last time. You can also use panko, bread crumbs or crushed crackers.

Add the cauliflower in a single layer to the air fryer basket – don’t overpack the air fryer, as the hot air has to travel around the cauliflower to cook it.

The cauliflower can take anywhere from 10-25 minutes to cook depending on if you use fresh or frozen cauliflower.

Step 4: Gently toss your cauliflower every 5 minutes to promote even cooking and browning.

Your cauliflower should be nicely browned and crispy when it’s ready to eat. If it seems soggy, continue cooking in 5 minute increments. Different air fryers yield different results, so yours might take more or less time.

Use tongs to carefully remove the cauliflower when it’s lightly browned and crispy.

Recipe Tips

• If your cauliflower was cooked from frozen and seems soggy, it needs to cook longer. This is a normal part of the cooking process when you use frozen veggies. 
• Want even more flavor? You can sprinkle some garlic powder or try this homemade ranch seasoning recipe on top of your cauliflower before cooking if you’d like something extra. Also add salt and pepper to taste, if you feel it needs it. 
• I usually serve this just as I’d serve traditional chicken wings, with celery sticks, carrots, and my favorite dipping sauces: BBQ sauce, creamy blue cheese dressing, or this homemade Ranch Dip Recipe.
• For breaded cauliflower, if you don’t have nutritional yeast you can use panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, or crushed crackers in its place. But, I have to mention that I highly recommend the nutritional yeast flakes. It gives it that authentic melted butter buffalo taste that we all love in classic wings.

Buffalo Cauliflower FAQs

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! Try air frying your favorite veggies today!

Can I make Buffalo Cauliflower with no breading?

These are delicious with or without breading. I love that the nutritional yeast adds some cheesy flavor as well as protein, so I typically use that. Making frozen breaded cauliflower with nutritional yeast is one of my favorite snacks.

Is this Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Vegan?

It is! Always double check the hot sauce you use, but the rest of the ingredients are Vegan. I find that this recipe is a great way to satisfy my craving for hot wings without the chicken.

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers Points

The entire recipe is 1 2025 Point

21 Day Fix Containers 

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 red container. 

2B Mindset

This recipe is a delicious side dish for a veggies most diet!