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Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Cauliflower florets get a thin cornstarch coating, air fry until the edges brown, then toss in buffalo sauce. The coating has to be dry before the sauce or the florets steam.

Prep
10 min
Cook
16 min
Total
26 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Buffalo cauliflower florets with a reddish sauce.

Why you’ll love it

  • It is written for the basket, with a shake halfway.
  • The sauce goes on after the florets brown.
  • Cornstarch browns without a flour dredge.
  • It is a snack that also sits next to dinner.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $6–$9 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Toss the florets with the oil, then with the cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder until the coating looks dry, not pasty.

  2. 2

    Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes.

  3. 3

    Spread the florets in a single layer. Cook in two batches if the basket is full.

  4. 4

    Air fry 8 minutes, shake the basket, and air fry 6 to 8 minutes more, until the edges are browned and the stems are tender when pierced.

  5. 5

    Stir the hot sauce and melted butter. Toss the hot florets in the sauce and serve.

Pro tips

  • Sauce before the air fryer makes a soggy basket. Brown first.
  • Shake at the halfway mark or the bottoms stay pale.
  • A little white at the stem is fine. A raw crunch is not. Pierce one.

Easy substitutions

Butter
Olive oil, and then it can be dairy-free
Hot sauce
A milder chili sauce
Cornstarch
Rice flour

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days. The coating softens.

Reheating

Air fry at 360°F for 4 minutes, then add a fresh spoon of sauce if you want. Do not microwave if you care about the crust.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
140
Protein
3 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
9 g
Fiber
3 g

Budget friendly · Air Fryer · Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients