This Air Fryer Cauliflower is crispy, charred, lemony, and ready in 15 minutes! Serve it as a side dish or eat it as a vegan main course. The inspiration behind this recipe comes from the famous Nuba restaurant in Vancouver, which is known for its Lebanese-style cauliflower!
Looking for something else? Try my air fryer broccoli next!
About This Recipe
I remember the first time my wife and I ate at Nuba, we were blown away by their cauliflower. It was perfectly charred, super flavorful, and filled with deliciously bright flavors- I had no idea cauliflower could taste that good! Apparently, they deep-fry their cauliflower, which is why it tastes so good.
I wanted to try replicating it at home, but deep-frying felt a bit excessive to me, so I decided to air-fry them instead. They turned out great! Mine were not as crispy, but they were still super delicious and much better than any other roasted cauliflower I'd made before.
Tips
- Smaller Florets: One important tip is to cut the cauliflower into smaller florets. Initially, I did not do this, but afterward, I realized the smaller pieces turned out much better. Not only is there a higher seasoning to cauliflower ratio, but I noticed the smaller florets get way more charring. I guess because they get hotter faster.
- Use the highest heat: Cauliflower is all about that char so I recommend the highest heat your air fryer can go. I cooked mine at 400ยฐF.
- Coat them well. Try not to leave any bald spots as I found those areas did not brown as well. When I was coating them, I used my hands to really toss the cauliflower with the oil and seasonings.
Key Ingredients
You do not need too many ingredients. All you need is cauliflower, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Make sure the lemon juice is freshly squeezed, and don't be shy about how much you put on the cauliflower. The more, the better. I squeezed about half a large lemon for the entire head of cauliflower.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
STEP 2: Transfer to an air-fryer basket and arrange them in a single layer. Try to have a bit of space between each one so that air circulates around them better.
STEP 3: Air-fry at 400ยฐF for 18-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through to ensure both sides get charred.
STEP 4: Transfer to a serving plate and squeeze on a generous amount of lemon juice. Easy peasy lemon squeezy (literally).
๐ Recipe
Air Fryer Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
- fresh lemon slices
Instructions
- Preheat your air-fryer to 400ยฐF.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Transfer to the air-fryer basket and arrange the pieces in a single layer with some space between each one.
- Air-fry for 18-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the tops are beautifully charred. Transfer to a serving plate and squeeze on as much lemon juice as you like. Pro tip: the cauliflower tastes the best with LOTS of lemon juice. Don't be shy with it.
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