5-ingredient air fryer cauliflower (or oven roasted)

In the air fryer, cauliflower gets wonderfully caramelized and crispy around the edges. The high heat brings out cauliflower’s nutty flavor.

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem! It’s equally easy to roast in the oven instead.

In this post:

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

Cauliflower: Use bagged cauliflower florets or break down a head.

Oil: A little bit of oil helps the cauliflower to brown, as well as helps the salt and sumac (or aleppo pepper) to stick.

Avocado oil is my go-to, but use whatever cooking oil you prefer, like olive oil. (Follow an oil-free diet? Just leave off the oil.)

Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice provides the best flavor.

Seasoning: Complete the roasted or air fried cauliflower with salt and an optional finishing seasoning for color.

Sumac is my favorite option. This Middle Eastern spice has a light, lemony taste that works well in this dish. It comes from the fruit of the sumac, which is a member of the cashew family.

Be aware that most sumac mixes have a little bit of salt in them. So be conscious of that when adding other salt to the dish.

Other seasoning options include aleppo pepper or paprika.

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Put cauliflower florets in an air fryer basket (if air frying) or on a baking sheet (if roasting in the oven). For best roasting, pat the cauliflower dry before cooking.

Tip: If oven roasting, parchment paper makes for easy clean-up.

Toss the florets in oil and sprinkle them with salt.

Tip: Make sure that the baking sheet or air fryer basket aren’t overcrowded, or else the florets won’t brown as well. Use a second baking sheet or air fry in batches, if necessary.

Air fry or roast the cauliflower florets until tender and browned. Stop occasionally to shake the basket (if air frying) or flip with a spatula (if roasting in the oven).

Remember: Depending on the size of your florets, they may cook more quickly or slowly. Keep an eye on them, so that they don’t get too overdone.

Once cooked, move the roasted or air fried cauliflower to a large mixing bowl.

Sprinkle on lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Toss the florets, so that they’re evenly coated.

Then sprinkle on sumac, aleppo pepper, or paprika for a pop of color.

You can make this air fried cauliflower your own by varying the seasonings.

• Replace the sumac, aleppo pepper, and/or salt with your favorite seasoning blend like Slap Ya Mama, Lawry’s, Old Bay, or Italian seasoning.
• For garlicky flavor, add garlic powder or granulated garlic.
• Instead of seasoning with lemon juice & sumac, toss the air fried or roasted cauliflower with store-bought or homemade buffalo sauce. (If making homemade, use non-dairy butter to keep the buffalo sauce vegan.) Serve with vegan ranch dressing on the side as a dipping sauce.

Roasted cauliflower goes well with any main course. It can be enjoyed with a quick weeknight dinner or for holidays like Thanksgiving.

Serve roasted cauliflower with any of the following:

• Baked farro vegan casserole
• Vegetable pot pie
• French lentils with caramelized onions
• Double hummus wraps
• Hummus bowl
• Mediterranean pasta
• Mung bean coconut curry

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for 3 or 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.

📖 Recipe

5-ingredient air fryer cauliflower (or oven roasted)

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 4 votes

This easy roasted cauliflower side dish is wonderful for weeknights or anytime. It can be made in the oven or air fryer. Add a squeeze of lemon juice & pinch of sumac or aleppo pepper to finish it off.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer, easy vegetable dish

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 cups cauliflower florets about one head broken into medium-sized pieces
• ▢ 1 teaspoon avocado oil or a couple spritzes of oil spray
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon sumac or aleppo pepper or paprika, optional

Instructions

• ▢
  TO ROAST IN THE AIR FRYER: Put cauliflower florets in air fryer basket. Toss them with oil or spray them with a couple of oil spritzes. Add a pinch of salt.

  Air fry cauliflower at 400 degrees for 13 minutes, stopping a couple of times to shake the basket, so that the cauliflower can move around and roast in different places.

  Cauliflower floret sizes vary. So if the cauliflower doesn’t look quite done enough, cook for a few minutes longer.
• ▢
  TO ROAST IN THE OVEN: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If you like, line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up. Put cauliflower florets on baking sheet. Toss them in oil and sprinkle them with salt.

  Then scatter them evenly across the baking sheet. If there is too much cauliflower on one sheet or if the florets are touching, they won’t roast as well. You want space between them, so that they can brown.

  Cook in oven for 25 minutes, stopping a couple of times to flip for even roasting.
• ▢
  Once the cauliflower has roasted in the air fryer or oven, move it to a bowl. Sprinkle on lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Toss the cauliflower, so that it’s evenly coated.
• ▢
  For a little added color, sprinkle the cauliflower with sumac or aleppo pepper (optional). If you're using sumac, be aware that most sumac mixes have a little bit of salt in them. So be conscious of that when adding other salt to the dish.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for 3 or 4 days.

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Nutrition

Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 49.2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Updated with new photographs and content February 25, 2024. Originally published October 23, 2018.