Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower wings will be your new favorite snack! Easy to make in under 30 minutes they come out spicy, crispy and totally addictive. A healthy-ish snack or meal that's best served with a blue cheese dip.
Mix flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and milk in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower and mix well, making sure the pieces get well covered.
½ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ cup milk
Add half of the panko breadcrumbs to the bowl, and mix well. Then add the rest and mix again. Make sure the cauliflower pieces get well covered with breadcrumbs as well.
⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
Preheat the air fryer by running it for 5 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Spread out the cauliflower pieces in the preheated air fryer basket, in a single layer. If they don't all fit you will need to air fry in batches. Air fry for 14 minutes, bringing out the basket once halfway and shaking to turn them. They are done when they are slightly browned at the edges and fork tender but still with some resistance.
While the cauliflower is air frying you can prepare the buffalo sauce. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium, then mix in the hot sauce with the melted butter. Mix well to an even consistency.
3 tablespoon salted butter, ½ cup hot sauce
Place air fried cauliflower in a large bowl and pour over the buffalo sauce. Toss, making sure to cover the cauliflower well, and then return to the air fryer basket.
Air fry for 5 more minutes.
Serve immediately with blue cheese sauce or ranch dressing.
Cauliflower: You can cut the cauliflower any size you like, just adjust the cook time accordingly. Depending on your air fryer basket you might not want to make the pieces too small, or they will fall through the bottom.
Hot sauce: I love Cholula Hot Sauce and Frank's Red Hot Sauce, but you can use any similar type sauce you have. I have even known friends to use Tabasco and Sriracha with great results!
Flour: I use all-purpose flour
Ingredient substitutions
Milk can be switched for a non-dairy alternative
Flour can be substituted for a gluten-free version - use less milk if you make this switch
Panko breadcrumbs can be swapped for regular or gluten-free breadcrumbs
Salted butter can be switched for unsalted and a pinch of salt
Butter can be swapped for a non-dairy alternative like vegetable oil in the same volume amount
Tips & tricks
Cut cauliflower into similar size pieces for an even cook
Make it less spicy by using less hot sauce - this version is pretty spicy
Make it gluten free by using gluten free flour (I like almond flour), a little less milk, and gluten free breadcrumbs
Make it vegan by using a dairy free milk (I like almond milk) and vegetable oil instead of butter
Preheat your air fryer for the quickest cook and best results
Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket - while you can add them in multiple layers, they will not come out as crispy if you do. If your air fryer is on the smaller side this means you might need to cook them in batches.
Adjust the cook time depending on size - 14 minutes is for pretty large pieces
Prep ahead by cutting and breading the cauliflower, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge until you want to cook it. Bring it to room temperature before cooking or add a few minutes to the cook time.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days - they will loose in texture, but not in flavor
Reheat leftoversin the air fryer at 350°F (180°C), start with 2 minutes
Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments