Air Fryer Cauliflower
When you see how easy it is to make Air Fryer Cauliflower, you’ll never want to heat up your oven again to make roasted veggies. It turns out perfectly crispy on the edges, but tender inside, and a simple blend of common pantry seasonings makes it extra flavorful. And the only thing faster than making it is how quickly the family will devour it.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Air Fryer
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option, Low-carb
- Skill Level: Easy
If you know anything about me, you know I am all about cauliflower. Yes, I make cauliflower tots and cauliflower bread sticks. But most often, I just make basic roasted cauliflower. That is until I got my air fryer.
Now it’s all about air-fried cauliflower. Well, actually, it’s all about air-fried everything, but I am partial to the cauliflower. The air fryer heats up in minutes, compared to waiting for the oven to get hot enough for roasting. And you end up with those perfectly charred, crispy bits that make roasted veggies so amazing.
Air Fryer Cauliflower is Crispy and Delicious!
Here’s why you’ll love it…
- So quick and easy. From prep time to cooking, you can have everything done in under 15 minutes. It takes my oven that long to preheat!
- Incredible flavor from staples. With a few seasonings from your pantry, you can turn simple cauliflower into something spectacular.
- Incredibly versatile. And the best part is that once you’ve mastered the technique, you can change up the herbs and spices to match whatever you are serving with it.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a brief rundown of what you’ll need to make air fryer crispy cauliflower, plus a few notes and some tips further down. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with the full amounts.
- Cauliflower: You’ll need one medium head. When you cut it, you should end up with about 5-6 cups of florets.
- Oil: Make sure you use enough to fully coat the florets. I recommend an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil. You can use vegetable oil as well, but note that olive oil can leave a residue on your air fryer.
- Italian seasoning: A common dried herb blend that contains some combination of oregano, marjoram, basil, thyme, rosemary, and savory.
- Paprika: Adds a hint of sweet smokiness and nice color. You can omit it if you like.
- Garlic powder: For a stronger garlic flavor, you can use 1 clove of minced garlic instead.
- Onion powder
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
- Optional garnish: You can also give your finished air fryer cauliflower a sprinkle of parsley, parmesan cheese, or both.
How to Make Air Fried Crispy Cauliflower
- Prep the cauliflower. Wash and dry your head of cauliflower thoroughly. Start trimming the cauliflower head by removing the leaves and cutting out the thick stem. Use a paring knife or kitchen knife to cut it off the stem and into bite-size florets.
- Preheat the air fryer. Follow the instructions for your air fryer model to preheat it to 400°F.
- Season the cauliflower. In a large bowl or zip-lock bag, combine the cauliflower florets, oil, and spices. Toss everything around until the cauliflower is coated nicely. Transfer it to the air fryer basket.
- Air fry the cauliflower. Air fry at 400°F for 7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even frying. The cauliflower should be crisp-tender and slightly charred but not too dark all over. If you want it more charred, give it another 2 or 3 minutes.
Tips for Success
- Make sure it’s dry. If you don’t dry the cauliflower well, it will steam instead of roasting.
- Coat it well with oil. This helps you end up with nice, crisp air fryer cauliflower. But feel free to use more or less, depending on your needs. Just make sure you coat it well. If you want to use less oil, you can try a spritzer bottle.
- Give it a shake. Shaking the basket two or three times while it cooks ensures that it browns evenly.
- Use the oven if you prefer. You can season the cauliflower and roast it in the oven at 450°F for 35-40 minutes, flipping 2 or 3 times. I like to cover it with foil for the first 15-20 minutes to get it nice and tender before uncovering to get a nice char on the edges. See all of my tips in
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
While air fried cauliflower is best eaten right away, you can keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. If you just want to warm it up, the microwave is fine, but it will lose its crispy texture. If you want to crisp it up a bit, pop it back into the air fryer at 400°F for several minutes.
Variations
There are lots of different ways to season and flavor your air fryer cauliflower:
- Keep it simple with just salt and pepper.
- Try chili powder and cumin, then give it a squeeze of lime or a sprinkle of cilantro.
- Add Everything Bagel seasoning and try adding some cheddar cheese.
- Omit the paprika and drizzle on some balsamic reduction.
- Swap the Italian seasoning for individual dried herbs, like oregano, thyme, or sage.
- For a fresh herb swap, instead of parsley, try basil, mint, oregano, or dill.
Then serve with dips that complement the flavor:
Make it a Meal
This crispy air fried cauliflower is so quick that you can serve it with all of your favorite weeknight meals. Here are some serving suggestions:
- Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
- Honey Balsamic Steak Bites
- Air Fryer Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken
- Baked BBQ Chicken Breasts
- Mexican Hot Dogs
More Air Fryer Vegetables
- Air Fryer Green Beans – season with salt and pepper or add sliced almonds and lemon.
- Air Fryer Asparagus – season with salt and pepper or add a parmesan crust.
- Caprese Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters – with an easy tomato topping.
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts – made even better with bacon.
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob – dressed up with delicious herb butter.
Air Fryer Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower (about 5-6 cups in florets)
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil or more if needed (depending on the size of your cauliflower you may need another 2 or 3 Tablespoons to coat it thoroughly)
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (for stronger flavor, use 1 medium garlic clove, minced)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly parsley or parmesan cheese for garnish if desired
- ketchup, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce if desired
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F according to manufacturer instructions.
- Trim 1 medium head cauliflower by cutting out the thick stem and removing the leaves. Cut into bite-size florets.
- In a large bowl or zip-lock bag, combine cauliflower, 2 Tablespoons avocado oil, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 ½ teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything around to make sure the cauliflower is coated thoroughly.
- Once the air fryer is preheated, transfer the cauliflower florets into the basket and air fry at 400°F for 7 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through a couple of times to ensure even frying. The cauliflower should be crisp-tender and slightly charred, but not overly darkened. If you want more charred, air fry for another 2 or 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle with freshly parsley or parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired. Serve on its own or with ketchup, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce.
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