Air Fryer Spicy Cauliflower Stir-Fry

Air Fryer Spicy Cauliflower Stir-Fry is fast and simple. Tender cauliflower florets soak up plenty of savory spices, then cook up perfectly crisp in the consistent heat of your air fryer. 

Finally! I got an air fryer and I’m diving into creating recipes that are delicious, fast, and lower in fats and oils. I’ll have to chalk this appliance score up to my husband. 

All I said was that “I’d really like to get an Air-Fryer. It’s the new big thing!” So he started the search, eventually settling on one that even has a stirrer paddle in it. Now I don’t even have to shake the bowl halfway through. Talk about low-effort!

This Air Fryer Spicy Cauliflower stir fry was one of the first things I made in it. Often when I create a new recipe, the first round isn’t it. In fact, sometimes it takes two or three tries to get it just right. Not this spicy cauliflower though. It turned out perfectly cooked, with crispy edges and just the right amount of savory-spicy seasoning. 
You’ll love adding this to rice bowls or salads, or as a quick and easy side dish to round out a dinner entree. 

Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower – One of my favorite vegetables! Cauliflower has such a mild flavor that it readily soaks up any flavor you add to it. Plus, its density makes it really filling!
• White onion – Is more tender than yellow onion and stands out well in taste.
• Tamari – Tastes very much like soy sauce but is a bit more mild. If you have soy sauce already, feel free to use that instead. 
• Rice vinegar – A sweet, very mild vinegar that brings a tangy brightness to your air fryer cauliflower. Like I said, cauliflower is very mild so we need to jazz it up with ingredients, and rice vinegar plays a big role in that. 
• Coconut sugar – The deep flavor of coconut sugar adds a warm sweetness to the dish, while the sugar content also helps the surface of the cauliflower to brown and caramelize during air frying. 
• Sriracha – An Asian hot sauce that isn’t quite as hot as something like Tabasco.
• Scallions – When added at the end, the scallions bring a fresh flavor and crispness that contrasts beautifully with the texture of the roasted cauliflower. 

Air Fried Spicy Cauliflower Stir-Fry

Ginny McMeans

4.8900 from 9 votes

Air Fryer Spicy Cauliflower Stir-Fry cooks up perfectly crisp, with tender veggies and a savory, spicy sauce. 

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 Servings

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced white onion
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ Tbsp tamari sauce or soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha (or other sweet chili sauce)
• 2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

 

• Place your cauliflower florets in the air fryer basket. If your air fryer is one that has holes in the bottom, you’ll need to use an air fryer insert to prevent your sauce from falling through later!
• Set the temperature to 350℉ and let the cauliflower cook for 10 minutes.
• Open the air fryer, grab the handle to shake the insert, then stir in the white onion slices. Slide the basket back in the compartment and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Stir in the thinly sliced garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.
• In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, sriracha, and salt.
• Now is the part you needed that air fryer insert for! Add the sauce mixture to the cauliflower and stir, then continue cooking for 5 more minutes. The insert keeps all of the juices inside.
• Transfer your air fryer cauliflower stir fry to a bowl and top with the sliced scallions to serve.

Notes

Spicy Cauliflower Stir Fry without an Air Fryer

1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet.
2. Add cauliflower and cook (stirring) 10 minutes.
3. Add onion and cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, and sriracha together in a small bowl. Add to the skillet and cook and stir for 5 more minutes.
6. Serve hot with scallions as garnish.

Nutrition

Serving:1cup, Calories:62kcal, Carbohydrates:12g, Protein:4g, Fat:0.5g, Saturated Fat:0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat:0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat:0.1g, Sodium:510mg, Potassium:524mg, Fiber:4g, Sugar:5g, Vitamin A:66IU, Vitamin C:76mg, Calcium:51mg, Iron:1mg

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