This Cauliflower Wings Air Fryer recipe is a delicious, easy, and healthy side dish or snack that delivers tons of great buffalo wings flavor! Just 4 ingredients and less than 30 minutes are all that’s needed to make these zesty air fryer cauliflower wings.
Suitable for Keto, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, and Vegan diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.
This Cauliflower Wings Air Fryer recipe is so good and so crave-worthy, it’s sure to be a hit as a snack, an appetizer for parties, at your next game day gathering, or anytime you want to please a crowd. Plus, buffalo cauliflower wings also make a delicious side dish for your weeknight dinners.
In my opinion, cauliflower is the MVP of vegetables. Not only is it high in fiber and loaded with vitamins and minerals, but cauliflower is also a true master of disguise. Air fried to crispy perfection and slathered in buffalo sauce, these cauliflower wings are a surprisingly satisfying stand-in for traditional buffalo wings.
Yep, delicious air fryer cauliflower wings are as addictive as these Crispy Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, easy crispy Air Fryer Green Beans Fries, and super tasty Air Fryer Asparagus. #airfryerforthewin
Making buffalo cauliflower wings really couldn’t be quicker or simpler, peeps. They come together with almost no effort at all, and you only need 4 simple ingredients to whip up a batch of totally snackable air fryer cauliflower wings.
And if you don’t have an air fryer or don’t want to use it, you can make these buffalo cauliflower wings in your oven too. Just check out the section for this cooking method below.
Why Make This Recipe
- Quick and easy – minimal prep and one batch is ready in less than 20 minutes.
- Really crispy – cauliflower wings crisp up perfectly in the air fryer.
- Affordable – just a handful of everyday pantry staples are all that’s needed.
- Versatile – there are so many ways to flavor and serve these cauliflower wings.
- Diet Friendly – suitable for Keto, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, and Vegan diets.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few basic ingredients to make this recipe:
- Fresh Cauliflower Florets – make sure to cut your cauliflower into small or medium-sized florets so that the inside cooks before the outside burns. Bite-sized pieces work best.
- Hot sauce – I like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, but you can use your favorite sauce instead.
- Oil – I use olive oil or avocado oil, but rapeseed oil works too.
- Salt – a sprinkle of sea salt adds great flavor.
Are you ready to learn how to make these healthy and crave-worthy buffalo cauliflower wings? Then gather up your ingredients and I will show you…
How To Make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Mix hot sauce, olive oil (or avocado oil), and salt in a large bowl.
- Add fresh cauliflower florets to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.
- Place half the cauliflower in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fry for 12-15 minutes (or until it reaches your desired doneness).
- Make sure to open the air fryer and shake the frying basket 2-3 times to turn the cauliflower. Remove and set aside.
- Repeat with remaining cauliflower, but cook it for 2-3 minutes less.
- Serve with extra buffalo sauce for dipping, if desired.
How To Make Oven Baked Cauliflower Wings
No air fryer? No problem. Here’s how to make your buffalo cauliflower wings in the oven…
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C / gas 6.
- Coat the cauliflower florets in buffalo sauce and oil mixture.
- Place it on a lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Cook for 35-40 minutes, turning a couple of times during baking.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the cauliflower to the same size so they cook at an even rate.
- Shake the air fryer basket halfway through cooking so that they crisp up on all sides.
- Pat cauliflower florets dry with paper towels before adding any seasoning so the seasoning sticks.
- Make sure the cauliflower wings are not touching inside the air fryer basket. This allows maximum air circulation inside the fryer, so your cauliflower bites will cook evenly and turn out nicely crispy.
- Start with a milder hot sauce and use just a couple of tablespoons if you are worried about it being too hot.
- But if you really want to bring the heat, go ahead and add extra buffalo sauce.
- Keep a close eye on these, as they can burn easily if cooked too long.
Delicious Variations
- Vary the sauces – swap the buffalo sauce for BBQ sauce, Korean barbecue sauce, or Jerk sauce.
- Add seasoning – can also make this dish using Creole Seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning. Alternatively, you can season simply with salt and pepper.
- Add protein – mix in almond flour with the hot sauce for some extra protein.
- Make it spicy – feel free to add chipotle or red pepper flakes to your taste.
- Add zing – a squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice will add the perfect zing.
- Top with cheese – top your buffalo cauliflower with a heaping of Parmesan cheese.
- Optional toppings – include fresh parsley, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, etc.
Prep Ahead and Storage
- Prep Ahead – cut fresh cauliflower florets in advance, then keep in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the fridge until needed.
- Store – refrigerate leftover cauliflower wings in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat – reheat in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through and crunchy.
FAQs
One serving of traditional Buffalo chicken wings can contain 430 calories and as much as 29 grams of fat. But a 1-cup serving of these Buffalo cauliflower wings has just 150 calories. Yay!
It is entirely possible to make these Buffalo cauliflower wings using frozen cauliflower. You just need to let them cook a few minutes longer. Plus, because of the excess water, they will not crisp up, but they are still delicious
Don’t be afraid to open the air fryer basket and check on your cauliflower bites. You will want the outside to be golden and crispy and the inside to be tender.
Remove the outer leaves and then cut the whole cauliflower in half. Cut the halves again to make four quarters. Remove the core from each bit and then either cut into florets using a knife or break off the florets by hand.
Certainly, but again they will not crisp up as much. You may need to line the air fryer basket with parchment paper so the veggie bites don’t stick on.
More Recipes You May Like
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash.
- Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts.
- Air Fryer Mushroom Steaks.
- Air Fryer Beets.
- Air Fryer Chickpeas.
- Air Fryer Potato Chips.
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips.
- Air Fryer Plantains.
Serving Suggestions
Wondering what to serve with Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings?
These can be an appetizer or a snack paired with your favorite dipping sauce. I love to dunk them into my 5 Minute Yum Yum Sauce or Chipotle Aioli. And of course, you can’t go wrong with the classic buffalo wings combination of blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Serve your cauliflower buffalo wings as a low-calorie side dish option alongside some Air fryer Frozen Burgers and Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. You can also use leftover cauliflower wings to make salads, vegan tacos, and wraps.
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup.
- Easy One Pan Cauliflower Curry made in the Air Fryer.
- Roasted Cauliflower Salad.
Weight Watchers Points
There are 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this. Yeap, zero!
Tools Needed
- An Air Fryer.
- A sharp knife.
- A cutting board.
- Handy mixing bowls.
Thank you for reading my vegan Cauliflower Wings recipe post. Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, Crockpot Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
Ingredients
- 3-4 tablespoons hot sauce such as Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- salt to taste
- 1 medium head of cauliflower washed, patted dry and cut into bite-size florets
Instructions
Cauliflower Wings Air Fryer
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
- Mix together hot sauce, avocado oil and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the cauliflower florets and toss to coat.
- Add half the cauliflower into the air fryer basket in a single layer, and fry for 12-15 minutes (or it reaches your desired doneness).
- Make sure to open the air fryer and shake the frying basket 2-3 times during the cooking process.
- Add in second batch, but air fry for 2-3 minutes less.
Oven Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C / gas 6.
- Coat the cauliflower with the buffalo sauce mixture and place in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes (until done and is crisp at the edges with a little bite still or until it reaches your desired doneness) turning a couple of times during baking.
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Notes
- Cut the cauliflower to the same size so they cook at an even rate.
- Shake the air fryer basket halfway through cooking so that they crisp up on all sides.
- Pat cauliflower florets dry with paper towels before adding any seasoning so the seasoning sticks.
- Make sure the cauliflower wings are not touching inside the air fryer basket. This allows maximum air circulation inside the fryer, so your cauliflower bites will cook evenly and turn out nicely crispy.
- Start with a milder hot sauce and use just a couple of tablespoons if you are worried about it being too hot.
- But if you really want to bring the heat, go ahead and add extra buffalo sauce.
- Keep a close eye on these, as they can burn easily if cooked too long.
- Storage – keep in an airtight container inside the fridge for 4 days.
- There are 0 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
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How much almond flour?!
How much almond flour? Does it do anything for crispness? Why do you say calories are 150 calories per serving and then lost 48 calories per serving on the recipe card?
Can I use chick pea flour instead of almond flour?
Yum love these!! Just a note that almond flour not listed in ingredients
These cauliflower bites turned out perfect. I will be making them again for sure!
These are such a great way to make healthy snacks fast! Will definitely make it again. Love this recipe!
I love cooking veggies in my air fryer and this cauliflower recipe looks perfect. Thanks for all the wonderful tips.