This air fryer frozen cauliflower has never been tastier, quicker, and more affordable. With an easy garlic aioli, it makes for a yummy veggie side dish or snack!
Welcome back to part 2 of my frozen vegetables series, where I show you how to make frozen veggies taste great. Don't forget to check out part 1, where I did frozen broccoli.
When I saw the price of a head of cauliflower at the grocery store last week, I knew I had to tackle this veggie next. I'm definitely not paying $5 for one head, and neither are you!
If you didn't already know, frozen vegetables can often be more cost-effective than their fresh counterparts.
They may not seem the most appealing at first, but they just take some love to jazz them up. Plus, they are minimal prep so you can save time in the kitchen.
If you're apprehensive about the whole thing, this air fryer frozen cauliflower is the recipe for you! You only need a few simple ingredients, and you've got an easy side to add to the table.
Ingredients
Cauliflower
- Frozen cauliflower
- Olive oil
- Hot sauce
- Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Easy garlic aioli dipping sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Plain yogurt
- Lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic clove
Instructions
Preheat your air fryer by setting it to 400 and leaving it for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add frozen cauliflower, olive oil, hot sauce and all spices.
Toss to coat.
Arrange cauliflower in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer (or use an air fryer liner). Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes, flipping the cauliflower half way.
Prepare the garlic aioli sauce by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle with garlic aioli sauce and sprinkle with green onions. Use the remainder of the sauce for dipping as desired!
Substitutions and Variations
My favourite way to spice up this dish is by adding 1 teaspoon of honey- this gives it a "hot honey" twist that is absolutely mouth-watering. If you know, you know!
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Mixing bowl
- Air fryer liner (optional)
Storage
Frozen cauliflower in air fryer is best enjoyed fresh, as the crisp doesn't store as well. However, you can store this in the fridge for around 3 days. To reheat, pop it back into the air fryer for a couple minutes until it gets crispy.
Top Tip
Every air fryer is different. For best results, start watching the cauliflower after 6 minutes of baking. You may need to add time or decrease the cook time by a few minutes to get that perfect level of crisp!
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! Like most of my air fryer recipes, you can easily use the oven instead! You have two options:
a) Cook straight from frozen- use a shallow pan (with edges as the cauliflower will defrost while in the oven). Bake at 400 for about 45-50 minutes- flipping halfway through baking (You may need to empty the water halfway through baking to create the nice crispy texture we want)
b) Defrost first- Leave your cauliflower in the fridge overnight or defrost in the microwave prior to baking. Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes (flipping halfway)
*For both methods I recommend broiling for 5 minutes prior to removing from the oven to get the final crispy layer.
Yes you absolutely can, I just suggest depending on your air fryer size to bake in batches as you don’t want to overcrowd your air fryer!
Yes! It absolutely will, You may just need to decrease the temperature to about 380 and decrease the time slightly.
More Air Fryer Veggie Recipes
- Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli (Ready in 10 Minutes)
- Air Fryer Carrot Fries
- The Ultimate 15-Minute Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- The Best Air Fryer Eggplant Parm
P.S. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this air fryer frozen cauliflower, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
Spiced Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
Ingredients
Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
- 500 g frozen cauliflower about 3 cups
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce *see notes
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- Green onions for serving
Easy Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon plain yogurt
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer by setting it to 400 and leaving it for about 5 minutes
- In a large bowl, add frozen cauliflower, olive oil, hot sauce and all spices. Toss to coat.
- Arrange cauliflower in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer (or use an air fryer liner).
- Bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes, flipping the cauliflower half way.
- Prepare the garlic aioli sauce by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl
- Drizzle with garlic aioli sauce and sprinkle with green onions. Use the remainder of the sauce for dipping as desired!
Emily
The ONLY way I eat cauliflower now!