Crispy • Healthy • Easy
Air frying gives cauliflower a golden, crunchy texture without deep frying or excess oil. Perfect for dipping or adding to bowls.
🧾 Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (or almond flour for low-carb)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan (optional for extra flavor)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Optional: ½ tsp cayenne pepper for a little heat
🔥 Instructions
- Prep cauliflower
- Wash and cut cauliflower into small florets.
- Pat dry with paper towels.
- Coat cauliflower
- In a large bowl, toss florets with olive oil.
- In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Toss the cauliflower in the breadcrumb mixture until well coated.
- Preheat air fryer
- Set to 400°F (200°C) for 3–5 minutes.
- Air-fry cauliflower
- Place florets in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve
- Enjoy immediately with dipping sauce (ranch, buffalo, or yogurt dip) or add to salads/bowls.
💡 Tips for Maximum Crispiness
- Make sure cauliflower florets are dry before coating.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket—cook in batches if needed.
- For extra crunch, lightly spray with oil halfway through cooking.
🔁 Variations
- Buffalo Cauliflower: Toss hot cauliflower in buffalo sauce after air-frying
- Garlic Parmesan: Add extra garlic powder and Parmesan on top after cooking
- Low-Carb: Use almond flour instead of panko for coating
📊 Nutrition (per serving, 4 servings)
- Calories: 120–150 kcal
- Protein: 5–6g (with Parmesan)
- Carbs: 10–12g (with panko)
- Fat: 6–8g
