Air Fryer Cauliflower

Air fryer cauliflower is easy, quick and delicious. Make it as a side dish, to enjoy with a range of meals, or serve as a tasty snack along with a yogurt dip.

Reasons to Love Air Fryer Cauliflower

• EASY – Minimal preparation needed and quick to make.
• TASTY – Air frying, similar to roasted cauliflower, mellows the flavour in vegetables and helps to release the natural sugars, making them more appealing to kids.
• ADAPTABLE – This recipe uses parmesan cheese to flavour, but the options are endless. (Suggestions given below)
• NUTRITIOUS - Cauliflower is packed with vitamin C (great for iron absorption), and is a fantastic source of vitamin K and B vitamins.

Watch How to Make It (Video)

Ingredient Information (with alternative suggestions)

• CAULIFLOWER
• OLIVE OIL -  Helps the cauliflower to crisp up. You can make it without the oil, but it won’t brown as nicely and won’t taste as good.
• GARLIC - For flavour, can be skipped or replaced with ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
• GRATED PARMESAN - You want to use freshly grated (sandy variety). Buy it from the refrigerated area, the ambient parmesan has a very different flavour. Cheese can really help mask the bitterness of cauliflower, making it more appealing to kids.
• SALT - Skip if making for a baby or young child, however, if you are cooking for older kids, I do recommend adding a little salt. Just like the parmesan, it can really help supress the bitterness of the vegetable.
• PEPPER - Optional, for flavour.

Want to try some other ways to flavour air-fried cauliflower? Why not try…

• CURRIED: Add a teaspoon of curry powder to the olive oil before coating.
• RED PEPPER: Make as per recipe and toss with red pepper flakes after cooking
• TURMERIC & SMOKED PAPRIKA: Skip the parmesan and replace with ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and ¼ teaspoon turmeric.
• LEMON & PARMESAN - Make as per recipe and add a squeeze of lemon after cooking
• CHEDDAR - Skip the parmesan and replace with grated cheddar, adding when the cauliflower is just cooked.

Process Shots and Cooking Tips

• CUT CAULIFLOWER & BREAK INTO FLORETS
  Aim for small uniform pieces, cut the bigger florets in halves / quarters.

• COMBINE INGREDIENTS
  Add the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl, along with the oil, salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan. Gently toss to thoroughly coat.
  TIP: Make sure the cauliflower is fully coated.

• AIR FRY FOR 8-15 MINS
  This was the timings that worked best for my air fryer, cooking times may vary depending on the make and model of air fryer used.
• TIP: Do not overcrowd the air fryer. You want the cauliflower to fit in a single layer. If you have too much, cook in batches - you will find the second batch cooks quicker.
  TIP: Make sure to check the cauliflower 4 mins into the cooking time and give the cauliflower a stir / air fryer basket a shake. This makes sure that the cauliflower evenly cooks and doesn't burn. Check every couple of mins after until done.

Serving Suggestions

Air-fried cauliflower is best served straight out of the air fryer. It makes a great side dish to accompany many meals. You can also serve it as a snack with a dip of choice (we love yogurt mixed with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.)

If you want to prepare in advance then I suggest chopping and coating in the morning and cooking when needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Air-Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Carrots
• Air Fryer Broccoli