Keto Frozen Cauliflower in Air Fryer

Frozen cauliflower in the air fryer is a quick and easy recipe to make any day of the week! This veggie-based recipe is keto-friendly, packed full of flavorful seasonings, and ready in just 20 minutes.

Why you'll love this recipe

Cauliflower is a keto power-veggie! It's low-carb, full of vitamins and other nutrients, and super versatile to cook with. This air fryer frozen cauliflower is the perfect example.

Cooking frozen cauliflower in the air fryer is a quick way to get flavorful, crunchy vegetables. If you have no meal prep time, this is the recipe for you, with only five minutes of prep and 15 minutes for cooking.

Beyond convenience, this recipe has yummy seasonings and healthy fats, all while boosting your daily veggie count!

Ingredients needed

Air fry frozen cauliflower is made with super simple ingredients that you likely already have at home.

If you have frozen cauliflower florets on hand, you can make this recipe work for you, no matter what kind of oils or seasonings you have.

Here are all the ingredients I like to use in my air fryer frozen cauliflower recipe:

Frozen cauliflower

The main ingredient in this air fryer frozen cauliflower recipe is, of course, cauliflower!

A great way to up your daily nutrients is to eat cauliflower on keto. Cauliflower is low in carbs but packed with vitamins for a nutrient-dense staple.

For this recipe, we use frozen cauliflower florets both for convenience and texture.

Seasonings

To truly make this air fryer frozen cauliflower taste amazing, our seasonings do a lot of heavy lifting.

I season my cauliflower with:

• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper

These seasonings give a good depth of flavor while keeping things neutral enough that these cauliflower florets could pair with anything.

You can also feel free to get creative with your seasonings depending on your preferences.

Oil

A bit of oil goes a long way! In this recipe, I use two tablespoon of olive oil. This is going to keep your frozen cauliflower florets from sticking to the air fryer basket.

Olive oil will also help up the fat content in this recipe and ensure your air fryer frozen cauliflower gets perfectly golden brown.

Cooking tips

Here are a few pro tips to help you cook frozen cauliflower in the air fryer.

• If your cauliflower is sticking to the air fryer basket, try spraying your florets with a bit of cooking oil spray halfway through the cooking time and shake the basket thoroughly.
• Cook your cauliflower right from frozen for a great crunchy texture!
• Make sure your cauliflower is in a single layer for even cooking.
• Turn your cauliflower halfway through for a perfectly roasted meal.

Instructions

This air fryer frozen cauliflower recipe couldn't be more simple! With just 5 minutes of prep and easy-to-follow steps, you'll have delicious, crispy cauliflower in no time.

Here's how I prep my frozen cauliflower in the air fryer.

Prepare the air fryer

Like an oven, your air fryer should be preheated before you add your cauliflower.

Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F.

Because an air fryer is so much smaller than a traditional oven, it preheats really quickly! It should be heated in the five minutes it takes for you to prep your cauliflower.

Coat your cauliflower

Because we are using frozen cauliflower florets in this recipe, no cutting is required.

Simply pour your frozen cauliflower into a large mixing bowl and drizzle olive oil on top, tossing to coat.

Next, sprinkle your seasonings (paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper) over your frozen cauliflower florets. Toss your bowl again to combine.

Cook your cauliflower

Now that your prep work is done, all that is left to do is to cook and enjoy your air fryer frozen cauliflower!

Add the cauliflower to the air fryer basket, ensuring it's spread in a single layer. You can alternatively use a small baking tray or some parchment paper in your air fryer to reduce clean-up.

Cook your cauliflower for 15 minutes, flipping your florets once at the halfway mark. If you are cooking directly in the air fryer basket, all you have to do is shake it!

What to serve with air-fried cauliflower

Air fryer cauliflower is the perfect vegetable side to your weekday dinners. Eat it alongside keto-friendly proteins like lemon caper chicken, beef tenderloin with herb garlic butter, or pulled pork melts.

You can also use leftover cauliflower in your weekday lunches! This recipe would work well in a buddha bowl or salad like my baby kale salad with avocado or my southwest steak salad.

If you're eating this air fryer frozen cauliflower as a snack, dipping sauces are a must! Try my creamy blue cheese dressing, jalapeno ranch dip, or my keto queso cheese dip.

Variations

Though this air fryer frozen cauliflower is delicious as is, there are some ways you can jazz it up! Here are a few variation ideas:

• Get creative with spices like cayenne, smoked paprika, and more!
• Make buffalo cauliflower wings by coating cauliflower with a mixture of hot sauce and melted butter mid-way through the cooking time.
• Use fresh cauliflower if you have it on hand.
• Get saucy with a fun dipping sauce like keto-friendly blue cheese or ranch!
• Substitute cooking oil; you can use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or any type of cooking oil spray you prefer.
• Make air fryer frozen broccoli using the same method.

Looking for a store-bought buffalo sauce? Noble Made makes a buffalo sauce that is sugar-free and keto-approved!

FAQs

Here are a few common questions I get about my air fryer frozen cauliflower recipe. If you don't see your question answered, please leave it for me in the comments down below.

Are frozen veggies good in the air fryer?

In general, frozen vegetables cook really well in an air fryer.

Cooking frozen vegetables is also really easy in an air fryer because it's quick and ultra-convenient without missing out on any flavor.

Should I thaw frozen cauliflower before cooking?

Thawing your frozen cauliflower florets isn't necessary before cooking. In fact, I prefer to cook frozen cauliflower!

Cooking vegetables from frozen actually does wonders for the texture; instead of getting limp or soggy, they get nice and crunchy.

How long does frozen veg take in the air fryer?

The cook time for frozen vegetables can vary depending on your vegetable of choice.

For the purpose of this frozen cauliflower recipe, I like to cook my vegetables for fifteen minutes for a nice golden brown.

Related recipes

Looking for more air fryer recipes? Check out these recipes:

• Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin makes for a quick and easy, protein-packed dinner. Cook and eat it alongside your air fryer cauliflower!
• Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers are the perfect appetizer or game-day snack. Make sure to make a few trays because they go fast.
• Air Fryer Turnips have a subtly sweet flavor that makes them a welcome potato alternative (you might even prefer them).
• Keto Air Fryer Fried Pickles are to be enjoyed anytime the craving hits (and oh, will it hit!).
• Air Fryer Hamburgers will help you cook up juicy, keto-friendly burgers in just minutes! This is one recipe you'll keep coming back to.

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