These AIP Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites are a crispy, savory and healthy bite-sized snack, appetizer or vegetable side. They’re paleo and Whole30 compliant and super easy to make.
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These paleo and AIP Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites are so easy, delicious and perfectly crispy. Have them on their own as a snack or appetizer, on a grazing board, or serve them as a vegetable side dish.
Many have asked and this is the air fryer I have. It’s my first air fryer and I’m happy with it so far. I chose this one because I wanted an Instant Pot and love the 11 in 1 functionality. After speaking with the manufacturers online they confirmed that the air fryer basket coating was made of ceramic and did not include PTFE or PFOA chemicals.
Here’s what you need to make these AIP Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites:
- one small head of cauliflower
- cassava flour
- carbonated water
- olive oil
- salt
- garlic powder
- pork panko rinds
Here’s how you make these cauliflower bites:
- Begin by chopping and discarding the leaves and stems of your cauliflower. Chop the cauliflower head into small florets and drizzle with olive oil. Massage the oil into the florets using your hands.
- In a large bowl combine cassava flour, salt, garlic powder and carbonated water. You want the mixture to be pourable and easily coat the cauliflower, so add more bubbly water to achieve this consistency if necessary.
- Place the pork panko rinds into a large bowl.
- Dredge the cauliflower florets into the cassava flour mixture and then immediately dip into the pork panko, coating all sides carefully.
- Cook the cauliflower in two batches so that you don’t crowd the air fryer basket. Place each batch of florets into the air fryer and cook at 400F for 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Serve on their own or with the cilantro lime dipping sauce in the recipe below.
Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites FAQs
Can I make these without pork panko?
The pork panko provides a perfectly light exterior and crunch here. I recommend these as this is what I’ve used here. If you don’t eat pork, you can also try shredded coconut or crushing plantain chips into a very fine powder and coat your cauliflower in these after dipping it into the liquid mixture.
Are there any substitutions for the cassava flour?
I have not had success using any other flour so cannot recommend a substitute.
Can I make these without an air fryer?
I haven’t tried myself but suppose you could make these on the stovetop using some additional oil and frying until crispy on each side.
If you try these Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites I would appreciate it if you would give them a rating and short review. Also, be sure to snap a picture of the finished product and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @healmedelicious.
PrintAir Fryer Cauliflower Bites (AIP, paleo, Whole30)
- Total Time: 44 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1x
Description
These paleo, Whole30 and AIP Air Fryer Cauliflower Bites are a crispy, savory and healthy bite-sized snack, appetizer or vegetable side.
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 cup cassava flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup carbonated water
- 1 – 1.5 cups panko pork rinds
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 TBSP water
- 1.5 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 TBSP olive oil
Instructions
- Remove and discard the leaves and stem of the cauliflower and chop head into small florets.
- Place florets into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, using your hands to massage the oil into the florets.
- In a separate bowl combine cassava flour, salt, garlic powder and carbonated water. You want the mixture to be pourable and easily coat the cauliflower, so add more bubbly water to achieve this consistency if necessary.
- Place the pork panko rinds into a large bowl.
- Dredge the cauliflower florets into the liquid mixture and then immediately dip into the pork panko, coating all sides carefully.
- Cook half the florets in the air fryer at 400F for 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through and then repeat with remaining half.*
- Serve hot on their own, with an AIP compliant ketchup or with the cilantro lime dipping sauce below.
Cilantro Lime Sauce
- In a large bowl or food processor, combine avocado, cilantro, water, freshly squeezed lime juice, crushed garlic, sea salt and olive oil until smooth and well combined. Adjust consistency as desired with more water and/or olive oil.
Notes
* It’s important that you cook the cauliflower in two batches so that you don’t crowd the air fryer basket.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
Hi Nicole, these look delicious! Any suggestions for a pork panko substitution? Thanks!
Hi! Yes I included both in the post – crushed plantain chips or shredded coconut.
I didn’t think I could find better cauliflower wings then a favorite restaurant near me where I would go almost on a weekly basis to have those wings specifically. It was my favorite thing in their menu and I badly wanted a recipe to make cauli wings at home. Now I have this AMAZING recipe and they came out even better than the restaurant ones. They are so light and crispy, they remind me of Japanese tempura. These are incredibly tasty! I added a little ginger powder to the mix and made a sauce of coconut aminos with honey and chopped cilantro. Thank you!
Aw I’m so glad Amy!
These are GREAT! I’ve tried them both in the air fryer and stove top with success. My non-AIP friend couldn’t stop eating them.