Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites | Sweet, Sour & Spicy Cauliflower

square image of cauliflower bites with cilantro sprinkled and served on a plate

5 from 3 votes

Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites | Sweet, Sour & Spicy Cauliflower

Learn how to make flourless, eggless irresistible air fryer cauliflower bites. These sweet, sour, & spicy cauliflower bites are the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American, Fusion

Keyword: air fryer cauliflower bites, sweet sour spicy cauliflower

Servings:

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 cauliflower head approx 460 grams, cut into bite-sized florets.
2 tsps peanut oil
3 to 4 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp sriracha or to taste
1 tsp brown sugar
⅛ tsp salt
1 tbsp cilantro chopped, optional to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer as per the manual instructions. I preheated mine for 5 minutes at 350 deg F. Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces like below. Make sure the florets are not super small.
Now drizzle 2 tsps of the peanut oil over the cauliflower florets and rub it in with your hands. Make sure you coat all the florets evenly with the oil.
Place the cauliflower florets in the air fryer basket. Spread them evenly. I did not work in batches this time, as I had only a few florets extra. I just placed it on the top and sides.
Air fry the cauliflower for 8 minutes, tossing them once around 4 minutes at 350 deg F. Here are the florets after initial cooking.
While you are air frying the cauliflower, you can prepare the sauce quickly. In a mixing bowl, add the ketchup, sriracha, sugar, and salt. Mix well.
Add the partially cooked cauliflower florets and toss and stir until all of your cauliflower florets are coated with the sauce.
Now add the cauliflower to the air fryer basket of your air fryer, cook at 370 deg F for 16 minutes, tossing them once in between around 8 minutes.
Here is how it looks after 16 minutes of cooking. If you need crispy cauliflower bites, you can continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes or until you get your desired texture. Garnish it with cilantro and serve warm.

Notes

Make sure to cut the florets into big chunks.
Adjust the ketchup and sriracha amount as per your preference.
You can make these cauliflower bites without any oil also. But we love the flavor of peanut oil, and the oil also helps to absorb the sauce well.

Oven Instructions.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
Bake the cauliflower for 10 minutes. While the baking is happening, prepare the sauce.
Add the partially cooked cauliflower florets and toss and stir until all of your cauliflower florets are coated with the sauce.
Then bake it again for 35 to 40 minutes till they turn light brown and crisp. Make sure to toss them once in between.

Nutrition