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Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower - No Breading

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This crispy Air fryer cauliflower recipe with no breading is easy and quick to make. Served with a dipping sauce it's so delicious you'll be going for seconds!

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air fryer cauliflower in a plate with dip

Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Without Breading

This roasted cauliflower recipe in the Air fryer is absolutely delicious! Served with a dipping sauce, it tastes so good you'll be going for more. If you love cauliflower you need to make this!

Air fried cauliflower requires only a few ingredients and is so simple to make. Cauliflower florets are tossed in a seasoning blend, parmesan cheese, and coated with olive oil generously. That and air frying makes a nice crispy coating without the need for bread crumbs. If you're looking to omit the bread crumbs or looking for an Air fryer cauliflower keto recipe or low carb recipe, this is ideal for you!

Air fryer cauliflower is a delicious appetizer or side dish! My family loves it. I serve it with a spicy mayo dipping sauce and it's finished off and the plates are licked clean. We also love Air Fryer Broccoli and Air Fryer Brussel sprouts as side dishes or snacks.

Why we love Air fryer Cauliflower Recipe:

  • Tastes so good
  • So quick to make
  • Few ingredients
  • Delicious side dish or an appetizer

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower florets - from a medium-sized head
  • Olive oil - avocado oil or vegetable oil
  • Smoked paprika - if you want more heat use chili powder
  • Turmeric - gives a nice golden color to the roasted cauliflower
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese - I use the Kraft grated cheese from the bottle. Use that or freshly grated.

Step-By-Step Process

cauliflower cut into florets
Cut a head of cauliflower into florets.
spice mix for the cauliflower
For the seasoning blend, whisk garlic powder, paprika, turmeric powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
cauliflower mixed with spices
Add the florets and the seasoning blend together and toss to coat the cauliflower.

adding oil to cauliflower
Add olive oil and toss so they're evenly coated.

cauliflower in the air fryer
Preheat the Air fryer and place the florets in a single layer in the Air fryer basket.
baked cauliflower in the air fryer
Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

How To Cut Cauliflower

Cutting cauliflower into florets is a breeze. Here's how to do it:

removing the outer leaves of cauliflower
Remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower with a sharp knife.
cutting the cauliflower into quarters
Cut the cauliflower into quarters.
removing the stem of the cauliflower
Cut the hard stem off of each quarter.
cauliflower cut into florets
Separate into florets. If the florets are too big, cut them in half so they're similar in size.

How To Make Crispy Cauliflower in Air Fryer

Making crispy air fryer cauliflower is so easy. Here's how to do it:

  1. Cut the cauliflower into even sized florets.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk in smoked paprika, turmeric powder, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper together.
  3. In a large bowl, add the florets and seasoning and toss the cauliflower to coat.
  4. Add olive oil and toss so they're evenly coated.
  5. Preheat Air fryer at 380F for 5 minutes.
  6. Place cauliflower in a single layer in Air fryer basket.
  7. Cook cauliflower for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Serve immediately with on it's own a with a dipping sauce.

Best Tips

  • Preheat the Air fryer to cook faster and for crispy air fryer cauliflower.
  • Cut the cauliflower in to even sized florets.
  • Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Place cauliflower in a single layer.
  • Cook in batches if needed.
  • When the last batch is done, add the first batch to the Air fryer basket and air fryer for one more minute to keep everything warm.

What Air Fryer to Use

Best Basket Type Air Fryer:  Cosori 5.8 quart

Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer: Power Air Fryer

Recipe Variations

This Air fryer cauliflower recipe is so versatile and can be easily adjusted to your favorite flavor combinations. Here are a few of my favorites:

Panko - If you want more of a crunch, add 2 tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs to your cauliflower.

Parmesan - Add extra parmesan if you want a bold flavor.

Indian - Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, and ¼ teaspoon garam masala to the cauliflower.

What To Serve Air Fryer Cauliflower With

I like to serve them with a jalapeno garlic aioli or a spicy mayo dipping sauce.

To make the spicy mayo dipping sauce, combine ¼ cup of sour cream, ¼ cup of mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons of hot sauce.

They'll be amazing with a ranch dressing or if you're making the Indian Air fryer cauliflower serve it with yogurt.

.

air fried cauliflower dipped in sauce

Can You Cook Frozen Cauliflower In Air Fryer

To cook frozen cauliflower in the Air fryer, follow the same recipe as above. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

How To Store and Reheat

Store air-fried cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

Reheat them in the microwave or in the Air fryer at 370F for 2 to 3 minutes.

More Air Fryer Recipes You Might Enjoy:

If you like this recipe, I’d love it if you can give me a rating and comment! Share it with your family and friends! ❤️

Recipe

Crispy Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Without Breading

air fried cauliflower with dipping sauce
The crispy Air fryer cauliflower with no breading is easy and quick to make! Served with a dipping sauce it's so delicious you'll be going for seconds! With a few simple ingredients you"ll have an amazing side dish!
4.62 from 36 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 114 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Cut the cauliflower into even sized florets.
  • In a small bowl, whisk in smoked paprika, turmeric powder, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper together.
  • In a large bowl, add the florets and seasoning and toss the cauliflower to coat. Add olive oil and toss the florets so the spices are evenly coated.
  • Preheat Air fryer at 380F for 5 minutes. Place cauliflower in a single layer in Air fryer basket. Cook cauliflower for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Serve it Spicy Mayo Dipping Sauce: To make, combine ¼ cup of sour cream, ¼ cup of mayonnaise, and 2 tablespoons of hot sauce.
  • Store - the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
  • Reheat - in the Air fryer or microwave until warm.
  • To Cook from Frozen - add an additional 4 to 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Nutrition

Calories: 114 kcalTotal Carbs: 8.8 gProtein: 3.9 gFat: 8.1 gSaturated Fat: 1.6 gFiber: 3.1 g
Keyword air fryer, easy, quick, roasted vegetables, vegetables
Tried this recipe?If you like this recipe, I’d love if you can give me a rating and comment! Share this with your family and friends!
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Comments

  1. Kathie says

    Any ideas on what might be good to replace the cheese? I cant do dairy and am keto. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Farwin says

      Hi Kathie, you can omit the cheese. If you still want that crisp coating you can use about 2 tablespoons of almond flour.

      Reply

  2. Kim says

    Please send me your crispy cauliflower and more recipes

    Reply

    • Farwin says

      Hi Kim, you can subscribe to our newsletter on the home page or in the sidebar. Thank you!

      Reply

  3. Tonya says

    I didn't see recipe for dipping sauce. Looks wonderful going to try.

    Reply

    • Farwin says

      Thank you Tonya! I've added the instructions to make spicy mayo dipping sauce in the recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply

  4. Trina Allen says

    4 stars
    This was very good but didn't come out crispy. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • Farwin says

      Hi Trina, it becomes crisp but not crispy like fries. You may need to reduce the heat and cook for a few minutes longer. Let me know if it works out.

      Reply

  5. Lucy says

    5 stars
    This turned out delicious! I had smaller flowerettes so I checked the air fryer several times and 7 minutes was perfect. They were crispy and I used your suggestion for seasoning without any changes. I liked that they were not breaded but very tasty. And you can't get it any easier. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Farwin says

      Hi Lucy, I'm glad you like it. This is one of our favorites. 🙂

      Reply

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