Air Fryer Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower

This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!

💭 Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy to make. This recipe is easy to put together. You only need to mix the ingredients together, coat the cauliflower in breading, and then toss it in the air fryer, and you’ll have a delicious snack. The only thing that’s easier are these air fryer frozen French fries!! Want a different spin on spicy cauliflower? Check out this gochujang cauliflower instead. Light and healthy. This perfect appetizer is vegan, low carb, and super light and healthy to eat!Crispy perfection. This recipe cooks evenly in the air fryer each time resulting in crispy and crunchy cauliflower buffalo bites!

📋 Ingredients and notes

To make these air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites, you’ll need cauliflower (cut into bite-sized florets), all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, unsweetened almond milk, and panko breadcrumbs. To make the buffalo sauce from scratch, you’ll need hot sauce, vegan butter, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt.

Notes and variations

Milk substitute. If you don’t have unsweetened almond milk, you can use another non-dairy milk of your choice, such as soy milk or oat milk. Breadcrumbs. If you’re not a fan of panko breadcrumbs, you can try using regular breadcrumbs or cornmeal instead. Gluten-free option. If you want to make the recipe gluten-free, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour or almond flour, and use gluten-free breadcrumbs instead of panko. Level of spiciness. You can adjust the amount of hot sauce and spices in the buffalo sauce to your liking. If you prefer a milder sauce, use less hot sauce, and if you want it spicier, add more. You can even mix in some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to level up the spiciness. Buffalo sauce. If you don’t want to make buffalo sauce from scratch, you can replace it with one cup of store-bought vegan buffalo sauce.

📖 Make air fryer vegan buffalo cauliflower

Make cauliflower bites:

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the almond milk and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower florets to the bowl with the flour mixture and toss until the florets are evenly coated. In another bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Working one at a time, remove a cauliflower floret from the almond milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off, and then coat it in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the floret to ensure it is fully coated. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower florets. Place the coated cauliflower florets in the air fryer basket and arrange them in a single layer, making sure they are not touching or crowded. Air fry for 5 minutes, then shake the basket to move the cauliflower around. Air fry for another 5 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and the coating is golden brown and crispy.

Make the buffalo sauce:

While the cauliflower is cooking, make the buffalo sauce by whisking together the hot sauce, melted vegan butter, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt in a small bowl. When the cauliflower is done, transfer it to a large bowl and pour the buffalo sauce over the top. Toss the cauliflower until it is evenly coated in the sauce.

👩🏽‍🍳 Make the best air fryer vegan buffalo cauliflower!

To make the best crispy air fryer buffalo cauliflower every time, make sure to follow these tips! Fully coat the cauliflower florets with the flour mixture because this is what gives them the crispiness and flavor. Shake the air fryer basket a few times during the cooking process to ensure that the cauliflower is cooking evenly on all sides. Make the cauliflower bites even crispier by spraying them lightly withcooking spray before placing them in the air fryer. Add buffalo sauce while cooking. Double the sauce and double the flavor by coating the florets once halfway through the cooking time, and then after they are finished cooking. Prevent sticking. If your air fryer basket is not non-stick, you may want to spray it lightly with cooking spray to prevent the cauliflower from sticking. You can also place parchment paper or foil. Eat it while hot! These cauliflower bites are best eaten while they are still hot because that is also when they are most crispy. For best results, air fry them just before you are about to serve them.

🍴 How to serve and storage air fryer buffalo cauliflower

Serve the air fryer buffalo cauliflower bites hot with your favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing!
Store them in an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can also freeze them for up to a month in a freezer-safe container. To reheat, simply air fry them again until they are crispy. You can make the buffalo sauce in advance and store it in the refrigerator untilready to use. Simply reheat the sauce in the microwave or on the stove beforetossing it with the cooked cauliflower.