Spiced Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower
Air fryer frozen cauliflower is given an amazing lift of flavor with vibrant spices and tangy spiced yogurt.
Make frozen cauliflower exciting in this easy air fryer cauliflower recipe. If you’re looking for a way to jazz up frozen florets from the grocery store, here it is! It’s super simple to make with little effort involved. It makes an easy side dish for busy weeknights or a great snack!
Fresh or frozen cauliflower
This recipe is a way to use up frozen cauliflower florets, but you can absolutely use fresh cauliflower florets too
The main difference is that using fresh cauliflower will give the best texture as it will create slightly more crispy cauliflower pieces because there is less moisture content. However, frozen cauliflower will still give excellent results. If you’ve got leftover cauliflower that’s already been cooked, this can be used too.
Smaller florets will cook more quickly than larger florets, but the contrast between some very crispy bits and some not-so-crispy is a good thing. Break very large cauliflower pieces into smaller pieces.
For another delicious cauliflower dish, try these air fryer gochujang cauliflower wings.
Are frozen vegetables healthy?
Yes! Frozen vegetables are mostly frozen at their prime and frozen very soon after harvesting. This means they generally keep many of their nutrients. Frozen cauliflower may be blanched before freezing. This means it’s slightly cooked prior to freezing, and the cauliflower will be softer than fresh.
For this reason in the cooking process, the cauliflower is air fried at a very hot temperature. This is to encourage crisping of the outside, rather than softening the inside.
The spices
This roasted cauliflower recipe uses a mixture of vegetable oil and spices to give both flavor and color. Find the ingredients amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Turmeric
- Smoked paprika
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Red chili powder
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
The spiced yogurt
Serve the cauliflower with a drizzle of spiced yogurt sauce. This is optional but it adds a wonderful freshness to the dish. It’s simply a mixture of natural yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, seasonings, and curry powder.
Equipment
Air fryer – This crispy air fryer cauliflower is made in a 5.8-quart air fryer. Roast the cauliflower in batches if your air fryer is smaller.
Preheat the air fryer before adding in the cauliflower so it can start blowing hot air right away when it’s cooking.
Method
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C.
In a large bowl combine the cauliflower floret, spices, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss it together with your hands to coat. The frozen cauliflower will make the spices and oil freeze too so the coating can be a little trickier. Evenly coat it the best you can.
Lay the cauliflower out in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t cram them in too close together. They need space for the hot air to circulate around each piece.
Fry the cauliflower for around 18-22 minutes in total, removing the basket and giving it a shake at the 10-minute mark.
Fry the cauliflower until the edges are browned and crispy. These edges will give lots of flavors. If using fresh cauliflower, it may need less time as there is less water to evaporate. The cooking time also depends on the different air fryers used and the size of the air fryer.
While the cauliflower is cooking, mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.
Serve the cauliflower hot, drizzled with yogurt sauce and fresh cilantro leaves.
Storing
Store leftover cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F/180°C for 3-4 minutes, shaking the basket regularly.
The leftover cauliflower can also be made into roasted cauliflower soup.
Additions and substitutions
- Swap the spice mix for your own favorite seasonings
- Swap the yogurt drizzle with ranch dressing or buffalo sauce
- Add on shavings of parmesan cheese
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Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower Florets
Air fryer frozen cauliflower is given an amazing lift of flavor with vibrant spices and tangy spiced yogurt.
Ingredients
- 1lb/450g frozen or fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Yogurt sauce
- 1/4 cup natural yogurt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon mild curry powder
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/200°C.
- In a large bowl combine the cauliflower floret, spices, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss it together with your hands to coat. The frozen cauliflower will make the spices and oil freeze too so the coating can be a little trickier. Evenly coat it the best you can.
- Lay the cauliflower out in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t cram them in too close together. They need space for the hot air to circulate around each piece.
- Fry the cauliflower for around 18-22 minutes in total, removing the basket and giving it a shake at the 10-minute mark. If using fresh cauliflower, it will need less time as there is less water to evaporate.
- Fry the cauliflower until the edges are browned and crispy. These edges will give lots of flavors. The cooking time also depends on the different air fryers used and the size of the air fryer.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, mix together the ingredients for the yogurt sauce.
- Serve the cauliflower hot, drizzled with yogurt sauce and fresh cilantro leaves.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 172Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 5mgSodium 319mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 3g
