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My Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Is Even Better Than Roasted
This air fryer cauliflower is one of my favorite ways to use this little appliance — which is saying a lot, as I use it almost daily! I’ve been roasting cauliflower in the oven for over a decade, but when I tried cooking cauliflower in the air fryer a few years ago, I was delighted to find that it cooked in just minutes. Here’s why I love it:
- Perfect flavor and texture – This is such a quick and easy, healthy side dish, and it’s got all of the flavor of roasted cauliflower — but with better browning and in a fraction of the time. It’s just the right level of tender, with crispy, slightly caramelized edges. I need those crispy edges!
- Super fast – Air fried cauliflower takes just around 15 minutes, including the prep time. That’s one of the reasons I make it so often.
- Simple ingredients – In fact, you need just 5 ingredients (plus salt and pepper), which you probably have in your pantry already.
If you’re looking for an easier, crispier way to enjoy this vegetable, this is it. It’s now one of my favorite cauliflower recipes. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my air fryer cauliflower recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cauliflower – I prefer to use a whole head of cauliflower so that it’s more fresh, but you can also buy a bag of florets for convenience. You can air fry the stems, too. Just make sure to remove the leaves.
- Olive Oil – Helps the cauliflower crisp up. Avocado oil works as well.
- Lemon Juice – I recommend fresh lemon for best flavor, but bottled is okay for convenience. Feel free to skip this if you like; I just think it adds a nice, bright flavor.
- Spices – My go-to blend is smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. See my variations below for other combinations!
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How To Cook Cauliflower In The Air Fryer
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Preheat. Heat your air fryer (this one is my favorite) first to ensure even cooking.
- Season. Place cauliflower in a large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the florets in the seasoning mixture.
- Air fry. Place the cauliflower in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook, shaking the basket half way through, until tender and browned on the edges. I like to garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
My Recipe Tips
- Cut all the florets the same size. This ensures that they will cook at the same rate. If I ever get bagged florets, I always check if some of them need to be cut in half.
- Smaller florets will get you more crispy edges. Cut them small if that’s your jam (like me!), or larger if you like the tender inside more.
- The size of your florets will impact cook time. Smaller florets = faster air fryer cauliflower!
- Don’t crowd the basket. To get nice browning and caramelization, your cauliflower needs breathing room. Make sure the florets are in a single layer, preferably with a little space between them, but it’s okay if they are touching. Cook in batches if necessary.
Air Fryer Cauliflower (Crispy, Easy Recipe)
By
My easy air fryer cauliflower recipe tastes roasted, but is ready in just minutes. It's perfectly tender inside, with perfect crispy edges!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F (193 degrees C).
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Place the cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat.
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Add cauliflower to the air fryer basket in a single layer (cook in batches if needed – don’t crowd the basket). Cook cauliflower in the air fryer for 7-10 minutes (depending on the size of your florets), shaking the basket halfway through, until browned on the edges.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get evenly cooked cauliflower with crispy edges.
- Variations: See my flavor variations for other seasoning combinations.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. While you can certainly reheat later, I like to repurpose them for other dishes. Throw extras into my roasted cauliflower salad, mix with stir fry vegetables, whip up my cauliflower soup, or swap the broccoli in my chicken bacon ranch casserole.
- Reheat: I recommend reheating cauliflower in the air fryer again, this time for 2 minutes at 320-350 degrees F. The microwave is okay, but the texture will be more mushy.
- Freeze: You can keep air fried cauliflower in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to spread it on a parchment paper lined sheet pan first and freeze until solid before transfering to a zip lock bag, so that it doesn’t stick together. You can reheat right from frozen, too!
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Air Fryer Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Air Fryer Cauliflower
Flavor Variations
My classic version on the recipe card is the simplest, but you can totally change it up! Here are some other ways I’ve tried making air fryer cauliflower, and they were all delicious:
- Garlic Parmesan – Halfway through cooking, add 1-2 cloves minced garlic (or just add extra garlic powder in the beginning), and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Shake the basket and finish cooking.
- Curry Spiced – Add 1 teaspoon of curry powder with the other seasonings.
- Chili Lime – Swap out lemon juice for lime juice and add 1/4 teaspoon chili powder to the spices.
- Sauces – Cook the cauliflower in the air fryer, then coat in your favorite sauce! Try tossing buffalo sauce (like my air fryer buffalo cauliflower) and serve with ranch dressing, or make it cheesy by using the cheese sauce from my cauliflower mac and cheese recipe.
Serving Ideas
I like to serve air fried cauliflower with garlic aioli as a dipping sauce (pictured above), especially when I enjoy it as a snack. Here are some main courses to pair with it for dinner:
- Chicken – When I want to just re-use the same basket, my go-to options are air fryer chicken breast or air fryer chicken legs. If you prefer to make your main dish and side dish in parallel, make my lemon garlic chicken, crispy chicken legs, Mediterranean chicken, or whole chicken wings while you have the cauliflower in the air fryer.
- Beef – My most popular recipe is sirloin steak, but air fryer steak or burgers are great, too.
- Seafood – You can’t go wrong with my 10-minute air fryer salmon. I’ve also served air fryer cauliflower with other fish, like pan fried tilapia and baked haddock. For date night, try my butter poached lobster tails.
- Pork – My juicy air fryer pork chops are super quick, or if you plan ahead, Crock Pot pork tenderloin is amazing.
More Air Fryer Veggie Recipes
I’m kind of obsessed with air fryer recipes for different vegetables! You might also like some of my others:
81 Comments
Stacey
1This was super easy and the result is really delicious. I thought the lemon would make it weird but is very subtle and gives it dimension. Will definitely make again.
Wholesome Yum D
1Stacey, that’s awesome to hear! The lemon really does add just the right touch without being overpowering. So happy you enjoyed it!
A.J, Cresswell
0Dear Maya, I love your recipes! I bought a number of your cookbooks and use them all the time. The directions are clear and easy to follow. I bought an air fryer and love it but would like to learn how to prepare more recipes using it. Do you sell an air fryer recipe book that I might purchase? Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you love my recipes, A.J, thank you! I have an Air Fryer Cookbook Bundle here that sounds like exactly what you’re looking for!
Areli
0Delicious and super simple to make!
Wholesome Yum D
0Areli, I love to hear that! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Diane
0It didn’t turn out right. I cooked for the allowed time. Not cooked enough. I cooked longer and looked blackened. I added Parm and butter at the end. Next time I’m lowering temp. to 375…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Diane! It sounds like your florets were too large, which would increase the cook time to get tender, and yes, make the cauliflower too dark by then. If you prefer your florets that big, I agree it’s a good idea to lower the temperature next time, or you can follow my temp and timing if you cut the florets a bit smaller. Hope this helps.
David
0recipe was great just the way it is.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, David!
Alice
0Came out great! Couldn’t be easier and my son’s loved it and had second helps. Of Cauliflower!
Wholesome Yum D
0So glad to hear that, Alice! Love that your sons went back for seconds, especially for cauliflower. That’s always a win!
Matt
0Recipe went Awesome with our Chicken Picatta yummmm
Wholesome Yum D
1That sounds like a perfect pairing, Matt! So glad it turned out great with the chicken piccata!
AlwaysaDayLate
0was looking for a quick side with my air fryer chicken. This was great! Cooked alongside chicken (I have the flat, oven shaped air fryer). Taste had the right kick and some tang from the lemon.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked this cauliflower! That’s awesome that your air fryer has room to cook both the chicken and veggies together.
Linda Purcell
0I don’t know if I did something wrong, but this recipe was awful. Followed the recipe, but the cauliflower turned out soggy and mushy.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry to hear that, Linda. It sounds like your cauliflower was too crowded in the air fryer, which would make it turn out soggy. Also, make sure to dry very well after washing, before seasoning. Hope this helps.
Sean O'brien
0My first time making this, wife said I need to make it 2,3 times a week. Going to have to look up your other recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Sean! I’m so happy you and your wife liked this recipe. Please let me know how it goes if you try others!
Aurelia
0Was very delicious!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Aurelia! Enjoy!
Patricia Brill
0I’m happy with my first try. How can I keep this warm and crispy to take to a pot luck dinner?
Loretta
0I love this quick and easy recipe. I have always roasted mine in the oven, but the air fryer can’t be beat!! I know I will cook it more often now.
Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you love it, Loretta! Yes, I used to always use the oven too but now think the air fryer is even better (unless you need a big batch). Enjoy!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad it turned out well on your first try, Patricia! You can keep it warm, but the texture won’t be as crispy as fresh. If the place you are going has an oven, you may want to bring it there seasoned and uncooked, and place in the oven there. Otherwise the best option to reheat in terms of texture is an air fryer, but that’s pretty bulky to bring somewhere.
Cathy
0You can put it in a crockpot on warm
Luana
0Very delicious. I also sprinkled nooch on top after it was cooked, for extra flavor.
Joanna
0I just made this recipe and it was delicious. I mixed the air-fried cauliflower with some couscous and moroccan spices too. Thank you for the recipe.
Debbie
0Love this! Was really quick and very tasty.
Christina Farrell
0It was the first time I ever did roasted cauliflower and it was delish. I used your recipe except lemon plus little shake of chili yum.
Tree
0I love cauliflower and use it in many different ways. The Air Fryer Cauliflower was great. I did cut the pieces in smaller pieces as I love the crispy parts. I used fresh garlic and garlic infused olive oil to give it a more powerful flavor.
Prue
0Recipe using panko crumbs
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Prue, I don’t use panko bread crumbs in this recipe. You could use an egg wash and coat in them if you like.
Joyce
0Made this for dinner last night, and it was delicious! Everyone loved it including my husband that claims he doesn’t eat cauliflower! I followed the recipe, added fresh thyme & parsley, sooo good.
Sheryll
0Can you make ahead of time and reheat?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sheryll, The best way to reheat is to use the air fryer again for 2-3 minutes at 320-350 degrees F. The microwave is okay, but the texture will be more mushy.
Cindy
0Made the cauliflower in air fryer. Delicious! My husband finally liked cooked cauliflower.