If you're craving a savory side dish or snack, make this air fryer cauliflower recipe! Spices like smoked paprika and cayenne fill it with bold flavor.
This air fryer cauliflower recipe is about to become your new favorite veggie side dish! It’s crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and seasoned to perfection with a blend of savory spices. I love regular roasted cauliflower, but I have to admit—this air fryer cauliflower recipe is on another level.
What makes it so delicious? Before I cook the cauliflower florets, I dredge them in a quick panko coating. It crisps up beautifully in the air fryer, giving the cauliflower an irresistible crunchy texture.
I love this cauliflower on its own as a side dish or snack, but it stands up well to dipping sauces too. Break out the tartar sauce, chipotle sauce, or vegan ranch… You really can’t go wrong!
Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients to make this recipe:
- Cauliflower, of course! Break it into small to medium-sized florets. If they’re too large, the florets will burn on the outside before they’re tender inside.
- Panko bread crumbs – They create the crispy coating.
- Spices – Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt add smoky, savory flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It supplies richness and helps the cauliflower crisp up in the air fryer.
- Egg – The binder! It helps the crispy coating stick to the florets.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Cut Cauliflower
The first step in this recipe is cutting the cauliflower.
- Start by removing the coarse leaves from the base of the head.
- Next, use a sharp knife to cut the cauliflower in half vertically.
- From there, use your hands to break apart the florets.
Aim for small to medium pieces so that the cauliflower cooks evenly.
How to Air Fry Cauliflower
Once you’ve broken apart the florets, it’s easy to cook cauliflower in the air fryer!
First, make the seasoning blend. Whisk together the panko, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and salt in a shallow dish. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg.
Next, bread the florets. Dip each one in the egg, then roll it in the panko mixture to coat. Repeat until all the florets are breaded.
Then, air fry! Drizzle the cauliflower florets with olive oil, and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Work in batches if necessary. If the basket is too crowded, the cauliflower won’t get crispy.
Air fry at 370°F for 9 to 12 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower, season to taste, and enjoy!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Tips
- Have a wet hand and a dry hand. If you’ve made my eggplant Parmesan or air fryer zucchini chips, you know that things can get messy when you’re dredging veggies. I recommend having a wet hand and a dry hand to control the chaos. Use the wet hand to dunk the cauliflower in the egg wash and transfer it to the panko mixture. Then, use the dry hand to sprinkle it with the crispy coating. It doesn’t hurt to have kitchen towels or paper towels handy to wipe off your fingers, either.
- Don’t skip the olive oil. Without it, the vegetables won’t get nearly as brown and crispy! Keep in mind that even with the oil, this air fried cauliflower is heads and shoulders lighter than regular fried cauliflower.
- Work in batches. Make sure to arrange the cauliflower florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one. If they’re too crowded, they’ll steam as they cook, and they won’t crisp up. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you’ll likely need to work in batches.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Cauliflower
This crispy air fryer cauliflower is a fun, easy side dish for veggie burgers or sandwiches. It’d be fantastic with any of these recipes:
- Best Veggie Burger
- Easy Black Bean Burger
- Portobello Mushroom Burger
- Quinoa Burger
- BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
You could also enjoy the cauliflower on its own as a snack or appetizer. Whether you’re making it part of a larger meal or not, finish it with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve it with a tasty dipping sauce on the side. I especially love my air fryer cauliflower with tartar sauce, but it’s also yummy with vegan ranch dressing or chipotle sauce. Pick just one, or try a few!
More Favorite Air Fryer Recipes
If you love this crispy cauliflower, try one of these easy air fryer recipes next:
- Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Best Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
- Air Fryer Eggplant
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Chips
Air Fryer Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ heaping teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups small cauliflower florets
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Tartar Sauce, for serving
Instructions
- On a rimmed tray, mix the panko, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and salt. In a small shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370°F.
- Dip each cauliflower floret into the egg, coat with the panko mixture, then place onto a large plate. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil and place into the air fryer basket in a single layer with a little space between each floret. Don’t overcrowd the basket. Work in batches if necessary. Air fry for 9 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. The exact timing will depend on your air fryer. Repeat with any remaining cauliflower.
- Season to taste and serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.
Notes
can you spray with a canned cannola oil spray
Just made this for lunch, had it with a chipotle mayo from costco.
Cauliflower was amazing!!
I didn’t use olive oil, instead a sprayed with non stick olive oil spray. Super crunchy and awesome.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Absolutely delicious!!! I wouldn’t change a thing. I served it with romesco sauce and it was wonderful.
I want to suggest to use plain yogurt for sauce. Drizzle little bit of salt and dried or fresh mint leaves in the yogurt.
These are great! Timing worked well & it was the first thing we cooked in our new air fryer. Will definitely be making these again!
Has anyone tried this with frozen cauliflower? Would you thaw them first or start from frozen and increase the cooking time?
Looks delicious!
Hi Michael, I haven’t tried but I worry that it would be too watery and that the frozen florets would be too small.
Thanks for your thoughts — and the quick reply — they were helpful. I was determined to make this with what I had on hand (frozen) so I decided to thaw, drain and pat dry the cauliflower. I kept the air-fry to 9 minutes since, as you pointed out, the frozen florets are rather small, but they would have benefited with another couple of minutes. The end result was still quite good.
Overall, I don’t think the extra moisture was a problem. The main issue is that the coating-to-cauliflower ratio is higher on the smaller florets so the flavor balance is changed. Even though I only used half the called for cayenne, that was still the dominant flavor.
I’ll have to try this again with fresh cauliflower, but I think a couple of small tweaks work for frozen as well. It was still delicious!
This was incredible! Crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked inside. Loved the tarter sauce. I am going to try and make it again without the mayo.
so glad you loved it!
What is the air fryer temp foe cauliflower recipe
Hi Marjorie, 370°F, it’s listed with the full recipe at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Is there a way to make this gluten free if you don’t have GF panko bread crumbs? Do you have suggestions of other substitutes?
Hi Leah, if you have some type of GF bread, you can make your own bread crumbs. I think GF panko would be the best bet for a crispy coating though.
I think a nutty coating also might work (ie, almonds pulsed in the food processor), but I haven’t tried so I’m not sure of the results.
Crushed up Rice Chex make a pretty good GF panko substitute and are way cheaper than the stuff from GF specialty grocery companies.
Omg these were delicious. Never know what else to do with Riverford cauliflower – other than cheese it. Not anymore since coming to your amazing website ! Oven baked florets as don’t have air fryer. Worked perfectly. Tartar sauce was also divine. Jarred the surplus sauce which lasted about a week in fridge.
Do you by chance have the nutritional value for this recipe?
Apologies, I don’t calculate nutritional info.
The outside was super crispy and the cauliflower was cooked through inside. Next time, I might try generous cooking spray instead of drizzling oil as someone else recommended just to make the oil distribution more even. But still delicious with the oil drizzle
I’m glad you loved it!
omg, can I do the same with broccoli?
Hi Nicholas, I haven’t tried but I think it would be just fine. You may have to adjust the cooking time, broccoli may cook faster.
my kids like the cauliflower soft…does this turn out soft?
The coating makes it crispy, not soft.
My actual cauliflower was soft and cooked through inside the breading and then the outside/breading was super crispy.
Do you keep the cauliflower warm in the oven while cooking the other batches?
I don’t usually but if you wanted to, that would be a great idea.
These look delicious! Would this work with a flax egg? If not, do you have another suggestion for an egg substitute?
Thank you.
Hi Andrea, I do 1 tablespoon flax mixed with 1/4 cup almond milk. Hope that helps!
wow, this looks so yummy. Very curious about it’s taste.
Looks so tasty. And tempting me to get an air fryer! Could you spray them with olive oil before drizzling them instead? Would it be enough? I like the “evenness” of using the spray. Thanks!
Hi, yes, you can spray – that would work out great. Just give it a generous spray 🙂
Can these be baked in a regular oven and turn out as well? They sound delicious but I don’t have an air fryer.
Hi Bridget, yep they can – bake them in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes.
Any particular air fryer or oven/air fryer you recommend?
Hi Karen, we have the Skinnytaste air fryer and its great! https://amzn.to/3iBSt7v