Air Fried Buffalo Cauli Bites are spicy, crispy, and easy to make in the air fryer. These are perfect Paleo, Whole30, and Keto-friendly snack!
I went to college for two years in Upstate NY where the “locals” ate Buffalo Chicken Wings by the barrels. I always wondered what happened to the rest of the chicken after making all those wings.
But I digress.
Seriously though, who doesn’t like spicy and crunchy chicken wings even if you don’t live in Upstate NY, ammiright?
That’s why I hacked the iconic Buffalo Chicken Wings for the Instant Pot so we can ALL enjoy them without deep frying them in oil. And the fact that you can make them in one big batch without the big mess, I love making them for my family. And they love eating them!
But for my cookbook, Paleo Cooking with your Air Fryer, I wanted to come up with a vegetarian version using cauliflower for those times when you’d like to change it up a bit or to get more veggies into you or your children’s diet.
✒️ Intro
Buffalo Chicken Wings are usually deep fried until crispy, and then, mixed in hot butter sauce. But who wants to deal with oil splattered counter and all. that. oil?
This Buffalo Cauli Bites calls for air frying the cauliflower florets not just once, but TWICE for better texture and flavor. And you can adjust the amount of hot sauce to your taste!
And of course, you can use this recipe for chicken wings too but you’ll have to fry them longer until the internal temperature is at least 160°F.
Look how gorgeous these are, eh? Serve them up with some homemade Paleo Ranch Dressing and other veggies to complement the heat from the sauce. I guarantee these will be your family’s favorite appetizer or as a game-time snack!
🥣Substitutions
To make this recipe keto-friendly, omit the cassava flour. The texture might not be as crispy but the saucy Buffalo flavor will rock your world!
⭐️ Have you tried this recipe? If you love this recipe, give it “5 star” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card! We appreciate your feedback!
📖 Recipe
Buffalo Cauli Bites (Paleo, Whole30, and Keto-Friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- 2 Tbsp Cassava Flour divided (Omit if Keto)
- 4 Tbsp ghee
- 3 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce
Ranch Dressing
- 1 C mayo homemade or specific diet compliant
- ⅓ C coconut milk yogurt homemade or specific diet compliant
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dill
Instructions
- Cut and discard the outer leaves and cut the cauliflower into florets.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the florets with EVOO and coat them with the cassava flour.
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F
- When the air fryer is ready, shake off any excess flour from the florets, place them in the basket, and set the timer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the excess flour, ghee and Frank’s Hot Sauce in the same mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, make the ranch dressing by mixing all the ingredients, then refrigerate.
- When the timer goes off, transfer the florets to the mixing bowl and coat them well with sauce.
- Put the florets back in the basket and cook for 6 more minutes.
- Take them out when the timer goes off and add more Frank’s Hot Sauce if needed.
- Serve immediately with the ranch dressing.
Notes
Nutrition
📋 Related recipes
- Air Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Butter
- Air Fried Paleo Chicken Wings
- Air Fried Paleo Coconut Shrimp
▶️ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more recipes and tips. And follow @drkarensle on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram (Come and join LIVE cooking demos on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 11AM EST), and say “Hello!” 👋
💌 I would love to receive more posts like these in my inbox! SIGN ME UP for FREE newsletters!
