• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Dr. Karen S. Lee logo

  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Start Here
    • 5 Reasons to Subscribe
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Cookie Policy
    • Copyright
    • Disclaimer
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
  • RECIPES
  • HEALTH
    • General Health
    • Healthy Eating
      • EWG's Shopper's Guide
    • Natural Living
  • MY BOOKS
    • No Thaw Paleo Instant Pot
    • Keto Instant Pot
    • Paleo Air Fryer
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • COOKBOOKS
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » RECIPES » Airfryer

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

    Published: Oct 10, 2020 / Modified: Dec 1, 2020 by: Dr. Karen Lee / This post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. /

    Jump to Recipe ⬇️

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower bites are spicy, crispy, and easy to make in the air fryer. These are the perfect Whole30, and Keto-friendly snack!

    Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with assorted vegetables around ranch dressing bowl

    Low-Carb Buffalo Snack

    Buffalo is a popular flavor of chicken-wings, but it's often made with tons of sugar. I revamped that recipe and turned it into a low-carb and Whole30-compliant recipe that you can eat guilt-free!

    Jump to:
    • Intro
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Recipe
    • Related recipes

    Intro

    Vegetarian Buffalo "Wings"

    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.

    Paleo Cooking with your Air Fryer cookbook cover with fried chicken and fries on a wooden board

    Ingredients

    All of the exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, I want to share a quick glance at what I used in this recipe so you know what you'll need from the store.

    There are two parts to this recipe - the cauliflower bites and the dairy-free ranch dressing.

    Cauliflower Bites

    For the cauliflower bites, I used the following simple ingredients:

    • Cauliflower
    • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • Cassava Flour
    • Ghee
    • Frank's Hot Sauce

    Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

    Here is what I used to make my dairy-free ranch dressing. It's so good!

    • Mayo
    • Coconut milk yogurt
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Sea salt
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Dill

    Instructions

    Here's a quick overview of how I made these vegetarian buffalo cauliflower bites.

    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 air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe 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!

    Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with assorted vegetables around ranch dressing bowl

    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

    Did you try this recipe? We would love your feedback! Click on the stars on the recipe card below.
    Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with assorted vegetables around ranch dressing bowl
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Buffalo Cauli Bites (Paleo, Whole30, and Keto-Friendly)

    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!
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time17 mins
    Course : Appetizer
    Cuisine : American
    Keyword : Keto, Paleo, Whole30
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 1219kcal
    Author: Dr. Karen Lee

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cauliflower cut into florets
    • 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
    • 2 tablespoon Cassava Flour divided (Omit if Keto)
    • 4 tablespoon ghee
    • 3 tablespoon 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 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon dill
    US Customary - Metric

    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

    To make this recipe keto-friendly, omit the cassava flour. The texture might not be as crispy but the cauliflower will still be a bit crunchy. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1219kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 121g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 139.3mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 2.3mg
    DisclosureThis recipe may contain links that pay commission to this site when you purchase from the links, at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure!
    Tried this recipe? Share your photo and mention @drkarenslee or tag #drkarenslee!

    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, Instagram and say "Hello!" 👋

    💌 I would love to receive more posts like these in my inbox! SIGN ME UP for FREE newsletters!

    More Airfryer

    • Coconut Shrimp Recipe - Air Fryer & Paleo
    • Easy Air Fryer Beef Satay with Nut-Free Dipping Sauce
    • Air Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Butter
    • Air Fried Paleo Korean Chicken Wings

    About Dr. Karen Lee

    I am a food writer, recipe developer, and a cookbook author sharing my family’s favorite simple & easy, allergy-friendly recipes with you! Let's connect on Instagram || Facebook || Pinterest || YouTube Learn more about me on the ABOUT page.

    Primary Sidebar

    Smiling Asian woman wearing pink collared shirt
    Karen Lee

    Hi, I'm Karen! I am a food writer, recipe developer, and a cookbook author sharing my family’s favorite allergy-friendly, simple & easy recipes with you!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Ginger Lemon Honey Immune Booster Syrup
    • Perfect Paleo Pot Roast: Grain-Free & Low-Carb
    • Korean Style Paleo Seafood Pancakes
    • Air Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Butter
    subscribe to newsletter box
    Subscribe for Newsletters HERE

    Footer

    ↑ Back to top

    Need

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility

    Want

    • About
    • Contact

    Wish

    • Newsletter
    • Cookbooks

    AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES

    Copyright © 2022 Karen Lee

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Yummly
    • Email
    • Print