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These delicious Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings are a perfect vegetarian party snack, drenched in Buffalo or BBQ sauce, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside.

A female hand holding a cauliflower wing coated in BBQ sauce next to a white bowl filled with more wings

This Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings recipe is the perfect vegetarian alternative to Air Fryer chicken wings. Made with simple ingredients you will have in your pantry, you can easily make them with BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce and add your favorite dipping sauce!

They are simple and easy to make in the air fryer and take less than 25 minutes to cook. I love air fryer recipes because of how much they cut down on cooking time, create delicious crispy results, and use minimal oil.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Perfect party snack or appetizer 
  • Swap out chicken for delicious vegetarian cauliflower florets
  • It’s a low carb option if you’re craving wings
  • They are perfectly tender and crispy with a flavorful sauce

Ingredient Notes

Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Cauliflower wings in small bowls
  • Cauliflower – The main ingredient in this recipe! The florets should be about 1.5” wide for the best result.
  • Rice flour – Rice flour helps get the cauliflower wings really crispy. It acts as a mock tempura batter and makes them crispier than if you were to use a typical flour batter. If you don’t have rice flour, a gluten-free flour substitute will work as well. 
  • All-purpose flour – A bit of all-purpose flour helps thicken the batter so it will stick to the cauliflower well.
  • Cornstarch – This will help get the cauliflower wings even crispier because it will absorb extra moisture.
  • Baking powder – A little baking powder will create a fluffy and light batter.
  • Club soda – Club soda is an important ingredient in tempura batter. Make sure it is very cold!
  • Sauce – I’m using Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce but homemade or store-bought will work. Instead of BBQ sauce, you can also use the same amount of Frank’s hot sauce to make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower.
  • Butter – Helps thin the BBQ sauce so it isn’t too thick on the wings. You can also use non-dairy butter. 
  • Red pepper flakes – Add a little kick to the cauliflower wings!

How to make this recipe 

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.

Steps for making Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
  1. Prep: Preheat your Air Fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
  2. Combine: Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Pour in the club soda and whisk until no large lumps remain.
  3. Mix: Spray the preheated air fryer basket with oil spray. Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, let drip off any excess batter, then place them in the air fryer basket, a fork or tongs work well for this step. Don’t overcrowd the basket, work in batches if necessary!
  4. Bake: Air fry for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F. Then carefully flip the cauliflower and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Place air fried cauliflower on a cooling rack while cooking the other cauliflower wings.
  5. Make the sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sauce, butter, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30-50 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Whisk to combine.
  6. Finish and serve: Toss the air-fried cauliflower wings in the sauce and then return them to the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees F for an additional 3 minutes until the sauce has set. Serve immediately garnished with chopped green onion or parsley.

Expert Tips

  • Work in batches: Depending on your Air Fryer you will need to work in batches! Repeat with as many florets as will fit, but make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer. Be careful– the air fryer is hot.
  • To cool: Between batches, keep the cauliflower on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet– this will help keep it crispy until you’re ready to sauce it.
  • Sauce: You can use BBQ sauce to coat the wings, but you can also make Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings using a mixture of Frank’s hot sauce and butter. Garlic Parmesan sauce also goes perfectly with these vegetarian wings.
  • Dipping sauces: If you decide to make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, ranch dressing or blue cheese sauce will go great with those. If you make BBQ Cauliflower Wings you could try a garlic parmesan sauce or smoked paprika aioli.

Recipe FAQs

What do cauliflower wings taste like?

When cauliflower wings are done right and cooked in an air fryer they get nice and crispy on the outside. They taste amazing and are a great vegetarian substitute for chicken wings. You can add all different sauces to them, and the cauliflower is a great base for any flavors added.

Are cauliflower wings better for you?

If you are a vegetarian or looking to lower your meat consumption these Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings are a great alternative. Cauliflower has a lot of antioxidants and fiber, and it is low in fat and saturated fat and free of cholesterol.

Do air fryers really crisp up food?

Air fryers are great for using to crisp up food with the rapid circulation of hot air. They use less oil than a deep fryer and create a golden color and crispy texture in the food cooked in them. They are quick, simple, and create a minimal mess to clean!

Cauliflower wings in a serving dish on a wooden board, next to it are some sliced vegetables in a small bowl and some BBQ sauce

What to serve with Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings

Just as you would with Air Fryer Chicken Wings, you can serve these with blue cheese or ranch sauce, cut-up celery sticks, and carrots. If you would like to make a nice spread of appetizers, try my Feta Cheese Dip with bread or veggies.

Leftovers

If you have any leftovers cauliflower bites, you can put them in an airtight bag and put them in the fridge. Pop them back in the air fryer for 5 minutes to heat them up and enjoy.

A wooden board with a bowl of cauliflower wings and some carrots

More air fryer recipes to try

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5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings

Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings are a perfect vegetarian snack, drenched in Buffalo or BBQ sauce. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ cups club soda, cold
  • oil spray, for example light olive oil
  • 4 cups cauliflower florets, 1 head of cauliflower
  • cup BBQ sauce, or Frank's hot sauce
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional / to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat your Air Fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and kosher salt. Pour in the club soda and whisk until no large lumps remain.
  • Spray the preheated air fryer basket with oil spray. Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter then place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer, a fork or tongs work well for this step. Don't overcrowd the basket, work in batches if necessary!
  • Air fry for 12 minutes at 400 degrees F. Then carefully flip the cauliflower and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Place air fried cauliflower on a cooling rack while cooking the other batches.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sauce, butter, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30-50 seconds, or until the butter is melted. Whisk to combine.
  • Toss the air-fried cauliflower wings in the sauce and then return them to the air fryer. Cook at 400 degrees F for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce has set.
  • Serve immediately garnished with chopped green onion or parsley.

Notes

  • Work in batches: Depending on your Air Fryer you will need to work in batches! Repeat with as many florets as will fit, but make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer. Be careful– the air fryer is hot.
  • To cool: Between batches, keep the cauliflower on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet– this will help keep it crispy until you’re ready to sauce it.
  • Sauce: You can use BBQ sauce to coat the wings, but you can also make Buffalo Wings using a mixture of Frank’s hot sauce and butter. Garlic Parmesan sauce also goes perfectly with these vegetarian wings.
  • Dipping sauces: If you decide to make Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, ranch or blue cheese dressing will go great with those. If you make BBQ Cauliflower Wings you could try a garlic parmesan sauce or smoked paprika aioli.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 952mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 390IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 2mg
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About Julia Foerster

Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch, with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions.

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