Perfect air fryer cauliflower wings with a soft center and crispy crust ready to be dipped in our garlicky vegan aioli. Easy to make, no breading, no batter, no butter needed, naturally gluten free, these cauliflower bites are not to be missed!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword air fryer, cauliflower wings, plant based, vegan,
Lemon or lime wedges, vegan aioli, cashew queso, chimichurri sauce.
Instructions
Cut or tear the cauliflower head into florets. Place them in a large bowl. (make decent size florets not baby ones).
Use an olive oil spray and give the cauliflower a quick spray all over. Alternatively use about one tablespoon of olive oil. (for WFPB & Plantricious diets omit oil and use a drizzle of tahini or water instead).
Sprinkle with the paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper and chili powder if using. Toss to coat well all over.
Preheat your air fryer to 450”F. (NOTE: I'm using the Breville Smart Oven Air-Fryer, if you are using a different model or brand you need to keep a close eye on it, check for doneness halfway, it might cook quicker or might need extra time).
Spread the seasoned cauliflower florets in the air fryer basket/ tray without touching each other. Air fry for 25-30 minutes shaking the tray/ basket half way or carefully flip them using a pair of kitchen tongs. (Note: I used my Breville air fryer / toaster oven so the tray fit all my pieces perfectly. If using a different model with a small basket make sure to work in batches so your cauliflower wings crisp up nicely and not steam.)
Serve with this vegan aioli, cashew queso or chimichurri sauce.
WFPB + Plantricious
To make this recipe WFPB + Plantricious compliant make sure to omit all oil and replace with a splash of water or a drizzle of tahini instead.
Notes
Which air fryer do you use? For this recipe I used my Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. If you are using a different air fryer model or brand, you need to keep a close eye on your cauliflower, check halfway, it might cook quicker or might need extra time. Adjust accordingly, the cauliflower success is all on you, do it right baby ;-)
Can I use batter in the air fryer ? Yes but Don’t do it! I specifically created this recipe without a batter so it is perfect for the air fryer. If you want to use batter i suggest baking that batch or line your air fryer basket with parchment paper before adding the florets. However, having the parchment paper there will sort of defeat the purpose of air frying because the air can’t circulate through the parchment paper for that crispy crust finish. All that being said, If you have the toaster oven air fryer you could place a catch all tray on the bottom and do a batter.
Oven Method: Don’t have an air fryer? No problem, you can use this exact recipe and bake them in the oven making sure to flip them half way and check for doneness.