• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Domestic Superhero

Simple recipes packing a PUNCH of flavor that any home cook can recreate!

  • Home
  • About Me
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy
    • Featured On
  • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Crock Pot
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
      • Mexican Inpired
      • Take Out Inspired
    • Dips & Sauces
    • Drinks
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Healthy
      • Low Calorie
      • Low Carbs
      • Weight Watchers
    • Instant Pot
    • Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Fish
      • Pork
    • Mexican Inspired
    • One Pot Meals
    • Pizza
    • Recipe Roundups
    • Salads
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Take Out Inspired
    • Vegetarian
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • DIY Furniture
    • Project Gallery
    • FREE Printables
  • Travel
    • Guides
    • Travel

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites (No Oil)

August 28, 2019 By Allyson 32 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

6.4Kshares

These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they’re easy and guilt-free.

Making these Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower bites could not be easier! You will forget they are vegetarian because the coating, sauce, and dip is the perfect combo! They come together in no time, without having to dredge in flour (hello, easy!), and cook in less than 15 minutes! Healthy and majorly delicious much like Air Fryer Green Bean Fries, Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli, or Air Fryer Avocado Fries. 

These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free. Also find baking directions on the page if you don't have an air fryer!

You do need an Air Fryer (see below for recommendations) for this recipe, but you could also bake them. See below for directions on that.

These vegetarian buffalo cauliflower bites are so delicious and easy, they will be your new go-to snack or appetizer. You don’t miss the meat AT ALL, and they are perfect for vegetarians or non-vegetarians alike! Everyone will be begging you for this recipe!

How to make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites:

**scroll all the way down for full ingredient list and step by step printable directions**

  • Prep the cauliflower by trimming off of the head, and into bite sized pieces. Do not make them too small or they will fall apart. Rinse and dry, set aside in large bowl.
  • Make the buffalo sauce: Melt 8 TBS butter and combine with 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot (not buffalo wing sauce). Whisk to combine and set aside. If it thickens too much, microwave for 30 seconds and whisk again. Set aside.
  • In the large bowl with the trimmed cauliflower, pour the buffalo sauce over the top. Toss gently to completely coat cauliflower; set aside.

Buffalo Cauliflower in bowl

  • Using a zip lock bag, add 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, 1/2 cup regular bread crumbs, and seasonings (see below for exact amounts). Shake to combine. Add about half of the coated cauliflower to the bag and toss/shake to coat the cauliflower. Using tongs, remove from the bag and place into the air fryer in a single layer. Repeat for the rest of the cauliflower.
    • Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in 2 batches – do not overcrowd the bites!

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites inside air fryer up close

  • Cook at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove tray and gently flip or shake. Place tray back into unit and cook at 400 degrees for 5 more minutes. Remove and set aside, cook second batch if needed. 
  • Serve immediately with The Best Ever Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, Chipotle Ranch Dip, or Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites dipped in blue cheese dressing

How to BAKE Buffalo Cauliflower Bites:

  • Use the same directions in terms of prepping and coating the cauliflower. Set the oven to 400 degrees F. Place bites on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip over. Cook 5-7 more minutes or until crispy. To crisp coating further, turn oven to broil on HIGH and broil for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Serve hot!

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites served on tray

What type of Air Fryer should I use?

There are many Air Fryers to choose from, but I love my OMORC Air Fryer XL, 5.8QT Air fryer! Here are some great options:

  • Air Fryer XL Touchscreen by Cozyna (5.7QT) is a large air fryer that looks to cook evenly!
  • OMORC Air Fryer XL, 5.8QT Air fryer Oven Oilless Cooker with Hot Air Circulation Tech for Fast Healthier Food
  • Tidylife Air Fryer XL, 1700W 5.8 QT 8-in-1 Digital Touch Screen Oilless Air Fryer
  • GoWISE USA 5.8-Quarts 8-in-1 Electric Air Fryer – this one includes a recipe book with over 50 recipes!! 

Best dips for Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites:

I love a great sauce or dip with my bites, and these are ALL great options as the coolness of the dip balances out the spice of the cauliflower bites:

  • The Best Ever Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
  • Chipotle Ranch Dip
  • Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

If you like nutritious side dishes, you have to see these other recipes from Domestic Superhero:

  • Air Fryer Crispy Parmesan Brussels Sprouts are going to be your new go-to side dish. Only a handful of ingredients and only 132 calories per serving!
  • Air Fryer Avocado Fries are creamy and crunchy without any oily mess! With only a handful of ingredients, these are the perfect healthy snack or appetizer!
  • Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli is an incredibly easy, quick, and delicious side dish. This lower calorie air fryer option will become a staple side dish!
  • Asian Glazed Brussels Sprouts – perfect dinner companion! Roasted with a delicious spicy sweet glaze that everyone will love!
  • Instant Pot Garlic Hummus Recipe only has a handful of ingredients; Save money and know exactly what’s in your food with this recipe !
  • Air Fryer Roasted Asparagus has only 2 ingredients and takes a fraction of the typical time, this will be your favorite way to cook asparagus!

Make sure you don’t miss a thing! Follow Domestic Superhero on:

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Email

For NEW RECIPES delivered straight to your inbox, signup for our email list! 

5 from 13 votes
Print
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
12 mins
Total Time
22 mins
 
These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free.
Ingredients
  • 1 head fresh cauliflower, florets trimmed, rinsed and dried
  • 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce (NOT buffalo wing sauce)
  • 8 TBS butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup panko (japanese) bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup regular bread crumbs
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • dressing to dip
Instructions
  1. Make the buffalo sauce: Add melted butter and Franks Red Hot Sauce to a small bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside. If it thickens too much, microwave for 30 seconds and whisk again. Set aside.

  2. In the large bowl, add the cauliflower and pour the buffalo sauce over the top. Toss gently to completely coat cauliflower; set aside.

  3. Using a zip lock bag, panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, and all seasonings; Shake to combine. Add about half of the coated cauliflower to the bag and toss/shake to coat the cauliflower. Using tongs, remove from the bag and place into the air fryer in a single layer. Repeat for the rest of the cauliflower. **Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook in 2 batches - do not overcrowd the bites!**

  4. Cook at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove tray and gently flip cauliflower or shake. Place tray back into unit and cook at 400 degrees for 5 more minutes. Remove and set aside. Cook second batch if needed.

  5. Serve immediately with The Best Ever Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, Chipotle Ranch Dip, or Creamy Jalapeno Ranch Dressing.

Recipe Notes

How to BAKE Buffalo Cauliflower Bites:
* Use the same directions in terms of prepping and coating the cauliflower. Set the oven to 400 degrees F. Place bites on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip over. Cook 5-7 more minutes or until crispy. To crisp coating further, turn oven to broil on HIGH and broil for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Serve hot!

 

These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free. Also find baking directions on the page if you don't have an air fryer!
These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free. Also find baking directions on the page if you don't have an air fryer!
These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free. Also find baking directions on the page if you don't have an air fryer!
These Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are the perfect appetizer! With no oil and only a handful of ingredients, they're easy and guilt-free. Also find baking directions on the page if you don't have an air fryer!
6.4Kshares

Related

Previous Post: « Caprese Grilled Cheese
Next Post: Bang Bang Shrimp Rice Bowls (Bonefish Grill copycat) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna says

    August 28, 2019 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    This cauliflower is crazy delicious! Perfect appetizer for a party!

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      August 29, 2019 at 11:56 am

      Yes it really is so tasty! Happy you loved it!!!!

      Reply
  2. Taylor says

    August 28, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    5 stars
    Seriously so yummy! One of my favorite air fryer recipes!

    Reply
  3. Suzy says

    August 28, 2019 at 4:15 pm

    5 stars
    I am obsessed with these! They are so easy to make and taste SO GOOD!

    Reply
  4. Dorothy Reinhold says

    August 28, 2019 at 8:46 pm

    Anohter win for the air fryer! I love recipes that give me healthier options like this!

    Reply
  5. wilhelmina says

    August 28, 2019 at 8:48 pm

    5 stars
    This is so good it even had my die-hard meat lovers begging for more!

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      August 29, 2019 at 11:50 am

      YES! You don’t even miss the meat!!!

      Reply
  6. Krissy Allori says

    August 28, 2019 at 9:07 pm

    5 stars
    Yes! We are having people over for the game this weekend. I’ll be adding this to the menu.

    Reply
  7. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    August 29, 2019 at 6:37 am

    5 stars
    This couldn’t look any more perfect!

    Reply
  8. Chrissie Baker says

    August 29, 2019 at 8:12 am

    5 stars
    Yes, Yes, and yes! I am so into that recipe and the air fryer. Can’t wait to make this.

    Reply
  9. Sara Welch says

    August 29, 2019 at 12:18 pm

    5 stars
    Another great recipe for my air fryer! These will be perfect to serve during the next football game! Yum!

    Reply
  10. Alyssa says

    January 17, 2020 at 12:01 pm

    Delicious!! They came out great!

    Reply
  11. Alysa says

    February 3, 2020 at 7:43 pm

    Why can’t you use buffalo sauce. The butter is SO much fat. For somebody watching their weight. Will franks Buffalo make it taste odd?

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      February 5, 2020 at 1:11 pm

      You can use buffalo sauce if you prefer to do that. I haven’t tested it that way, but I can’t image it would be a problem.

      Reply
    • Libbi says

      February 9, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      Did you ever try making them with Franks Buffalo sauce? If so, did they still taste good?

      Reply
      • Allyson says

        February 9, 2020 at 9:08 pm

        yes good!

        Reply
    • Chris says

      February 16, 2020 at 9:10 pm

      i’ve noticed that usually the bottled “buffalo” sauces has more ingredients like sugar, margarine, thickeners, etc as opposed to plain old Franks which is just cayenne, salt, vinegar and garlic. to each their own, but i prefer to start with as few “other” ingredients as possible. i used less butter than the 8 tbsp this recipe called for and it was still good.

      Reply
      • Allyson says

        February 18, 2020 at 12:16 am

        You are right! The less butter you use the more spicy it will be for anyone else who is wondering!

        Reply
  12. Lesa says

    March 25, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    5 stars
    Couldn’t find Frank’s due to Covid19… used Cholula instead was delicious!!!!

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      March 30, 2020 at 11:24 am

      Oh wow!!! Sounds delicious!!!!

      Reply
  13. Brittany Person says

    April 1, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    I only have regular bread crumbs due to COVID-19 will that be fine?

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      April 6, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      Yes, it might just not be quite as crispy but should still be yummy! Stay safe!

      Reply
  14. Kim says

    April 8, 2020 at 11:42 am

    Great recipe ! I made a couple changes to make this dish just a bit healthier. Instead of butter, I used I can’t believe its not butter spray. (About 2 tbps). I only used 1/2 a cup of panko and skipped the bread crumbs all together.
    It turned out really great !

    Reply
  15. Melanie says

    May 2, 2020 at 12:24 am

    5 stars
    Loved these! So delicious I ate a whole plate to myself. I have some (coated but uncooked) that I have put in the freezer for another day. Interested to see how they go cooking from.frozen straight to the air fryer 🙂

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      May 4, 2020 at 11:07 am

      That is great! Let me know how they turn out when you cook those frozen ones!

      Reply
  16. Cyndee Lou says

    June 12, 2020 at 10:47 pm

    5 stars
    This is a really good recipe. I tried a different recipe a couple of weeks ago and they didn’t turn out nearly as well. I didn’t have panko bread crumbs so I substituted seasoned regular bread crumbs and flour. The cooking time was perfect. We ate them with homemade blue cheese dressing. They were a big hit.

    Reply
  17. Kim says

    August 21, 2020 at 11:42 am

    These were delicious! However, mine were only crispy for about a min or two after removing from the air fryer. Any suggestions on how to keep them crispy? I followed the directions exactly. They were starting to char so should I try a lower temp for longer? I’m still a newbie to the air fryer.

    Thanks!!

    Reply
  18. Kelly Ward says

    September 2, 2020 at 6:53 pm

    Great recipe! Some of my cauliflower was still hard when it came out. I didn’t want to leave in longer as they were started to chat. Did I do something wrong?!

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      September 4, 2020 at 11:21 am

      Maybe the cauliflower pieces were bigger…otherwise they should cook pretty evenly!

      Reply
  19. David Coleman says

    October 29, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    This recipe claims to be no oil, yet calls for butter….FYI, butter is oil.

    Reply
  20. Rebeca says

    November 5, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    5 stars
    Sooo good and easy! Made them a few times already. Can you freeze them and re heat?

    Reply
    • Allyson says

      November 6, 2020 at 10:54 am

      I haven’t tried freezing them, but offhand I probably wouldn’t recommend it. Cauliflower is already rich with water and it will likely get soggy when you reheat it from frozen. I am happy you like the recipe as much as we do!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi! I’m Allyson - Welcome to my blog where you will find lots of recipes & food goodness, DIY projects, crafts & a little bit of everything. I’m so happy you stopped by because I have a lot to share with you! Lets connect on social media, and be sure to subscribe to my email so you won’t miss a post!



GET OUR FREE GUIDE – 5 SECRETS TO HEALTHIER AIR FRYER COOKING!

    Popular Posts

    Air Fryer Roasted Asparagus (2 ingredients)
    Big Mac Sauce (Copycat Recipe)
    The Best Homemade Playdough Recipe
    Air Fryer Fried Pickles
    One Pot Spicy Thai Noodles
    Air Fryer Zucchini Fries (no oil)

    Footer

    Disclaimer

    Domestic Superhero is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

    Recent Posts

    • DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs (step by step directions with photos)
    • Chick-fil-A Sauce (copycat recipe)
    • The Best Egg Salad Recipe
    • Air Fryer Potato Skins
    • Microwave Bacon (how to cook)
    • Hamburger Casserole (one skillet)
    • Air Fryer Baked Potatoes (easiest method)
    Privacy

    Copyright © 2020 Domestic Superhero