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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites (No Oil)

    Published Aug 28, 2019 by Allyson · 39 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    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! Using this Homemade Buffalo Sauce recipe makes them perfectly delicious!

    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 ½ 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 ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ½ 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 for this recipe?

    There are many Air Fryers to choose from, but I love my PowerXL Vortex Air fryer! Here are some other great options:

    • OMORC Air Fryer 6QT -1600W Powerful Electric Hot Oven 10 Preset Menus Dual Control System 6-in-1 Function
    • COSORI Air Fryer 5.8QT - Large Hot Electric Oven Oilless Cooker with 8 Quick Setting Recommendation
    • GoWISE USA 7 QT Air Fryer -with Dehydrator & 3 Stackable Racks, Led Digital Touchscreen

    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!

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    4.94 from 16 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
    • ½ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce (NOT buffalo wing sauce)
    • 8 TBS butter, melted
    • ½ cup panko (japanese) bread crumbs
    • ½ cup regular bread crumbs
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon 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 Video

    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!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anna

      August 28, 2019 at 2:36 pm

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

      Reply
      • Allyson

        August 29, 2019 at 11:56 am

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

        Reply
    2. Taylor

      August 28, 2019 at 2:45 pm

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

      Reply
    3. Suzy

      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

      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

      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

        August 29, 2019 at 11:50 am

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

        Reply
    6. Krissy Allori

      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

      August 29, 2019 at 6:37 am

      5 stars
      This couldn't look any more perfect!

      Reply
    8. Chrissie Baker

      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

      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

      January 17, 2020 at 12:01 pm

      Delicious!! They came out great!

      Reply
    11. Alysa

      February 03, 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

        February 05, 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

        February 09, 2020 at 2:41 pm

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

        Reply
        • Allyson

          February 09, 2020 at 9:08 pm

          yes good!

          Reply
      • Chris

        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

          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

      March 25, 2020 at 6:29 pm

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

      Reply
      • Allyson

        March 30, 2020 at 11:24 am

        Oh wow!!! Sounds delicious!!!!

        Reply
    13. Brittany Person

      April 01, 2020 at 4:23 pm

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

      Reply
      • Allyson

        April 06, 2020 at 12:33 pm

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

        Reply
    14. Kim

      April 08, 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

      May 02, 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

        May 04, 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

      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

      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

      September 02, 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

        September 04, 2020 at 11:21 am

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

        Reply
    19. David Coleman

      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

      November 05, 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

        November 06, 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
    21. Andrew

      February 13, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      Have made as instructed and came out good, but crust was tough to keep on. Made the following tweaks and it was unreal.

      - Use franks hot Buffalo sauce to completely coat. No butter/fat in it and deliciously spicy
      -Use House Autry chicken seasoning/breading. Created a sludge that coated the cauliflower and crust browned to perfection

      This was seriously one of the best snacks I have ever had, and only a couple hundred calories.

      Reply
    22. Susan Woods

      May 13, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      Found this recipe through a google search. So glad I did! This was my 1st time making/ having cauliflower wings and OMG they were delicious!!! Thanks so much for the recipe. Can't wait to try more of yours!!

      Reply
      • Allyson

        May 17, 2021 at 1:01 pm

        Susan- I am SO happy you loved them as much as we do! I have TONS of air fryer recipes, so give some a try!

        Reply
    23. Michele

      July 14, 2021 at 11:54 pm

      5 stars
      Good stuff! As prepared, what is the calorie count per serving…and how much constitutes a serving?

      Reply
      • Allyson

        July 15, 2021 at 9:37 am

        Hi Michele, I recommend you calculate the nutrition based off your exact ingredients. I always use myfitnesspal app and it's accurate!

        Reply
    24. joce

      August 21, 2021 at 2:51 am

      4 stars
      really yummy ingredients! however, i couldn't get the breadcrumbs to stick to the cauliflower. when i made it, the crumbs had separated from the florets. delicious nonetheless, but how do i remedy this issue?

      Reply

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