Frozen Buffalo Cauliflower in Air Fryer

Air fried frozen cauliflower with buffalo sauce in a bowl.

Frozen Buffalo Cauliflower in Air Fryer

Frozen cauliflower in the air fryer has never tasted so good! With an easy buffalo sauce and a few minutes you'll have yourself an incredibly flavorful side dish or snack. It's perfect for busy weeknights yet fancy enough to impress guests and serve for a party or potluck!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 3

Cook Time 15

Total Time 18

Servings

Calories 47kcal

Author Rachel

Equipment

air fryer

Ingredients

12 oz frozen cauliflower
½ cup hot sauce I used Frank's Hot Sauce
½ cup nutritional yeast or whole wheat breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
½ teaspoon onion powder optional
salt and black pepper optional, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by preheating your air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 400°F.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the frozen cauliflower and choice of hot sauce. Toss to coat evenly.
12 oz frozen cauliflower, 1/2 cup hot sauce
Add the nutritional yeast or breadcrumbs to the bowl along with andy additional seasonings if desired; toss to combine. Place the buffalo cauliflower in the air fryer basket or tray (depending on type of air fryer), and cook frozen cauliflower for 10 minutes. Careful not to overfill the air fryer. If you have a smaller air fryer you may need to cook in batches.
1/2 cup nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, salt and black pepper
Shake or stir the cauliflower to redistribute, then continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes until desired crispiness is reached.
Cooking time may vary depending on the model of air fryer and size of cauliflower florets. Smaller florets will cook faster. Mine was perfect after 15 minutes but yours might need more or less time so I recommend checking on it every couple minutes after the initial 10.

Notes

For best texture: Do not allow the cauliflower to thaw before air frying. Work quickly to coat the cauliflower in the buffalo sauce so that it is not sitting outside the freezer for more than a few minutes. Frozen cauliflower won't get as crispy as it would if cooking from fresh due to the moisture content. If yours is not crisping up at all, you'll need to add more cooking time.

Serving: Can be served as an appetizer with dipping sauce or as a side dish.

Storage: Store leftover cauliflower in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to retain crispiness or reheat in a microwave.

Flavor Variations: See post above for additional flavoring ideas including savory, smoky, zesty, or curry or feel free to use BBQ sauce in place of hot sauce.

Nutrition