What Can You Cook in an Air Fryer? Start With Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower

The first thing I ever made in my air fryer was a sad bag of frozen fries, and I remember standing there thinking, that's it? That's the miracle everyone talks about? Then a friend told me to stop babying it and actually cook real food. So I threw a head of cauliflower in there, tossed it in a spicy buffalo glaze, and pulled out something that tasted like it came off a bar menu. Crispy edges, tender middle, zero deep-frying guilt. That was the day the machine earned its spot on my counter.

If you've been wondering what can you cook in an air fryer beyond reheated leftovers, buffalo cauliflower is the dish I hand people first. It shows off exactly what the thing does best: it dries the surface, crisps it fast, and lets you skip the pot of oil. This recipe is my go-to, and below I'll walk you through how to nail it plus a bunch of other things I now cook in there weekly.

Why cauliflower is the perfect air fryer test run

Cauliflower has a lot of surface area and a fair amount of water, which is usually a problem in a regular oven. The air fryer's fan blasts hot air over every floret, so instead of steaming into mush, it browns. You get that roasted, slightly charred flavor in about a third of the time. Coat it in a little batter or just seasoned flour, and the outside crisps up while the buffalo sauce clings to every nook.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

A few things worth knowing before you start:

• The cauliflower: Cut florets roughly the same size, around 1.5 inches, so they cook evenly. Save the tiny crumbs for a soup, they'll just burn in the basket.
• Buffalo sauce: Frank's RedHot is the classic base. If you want it milder, cut the hot sauce with a little extra melted butter. For a vegan version, swap the butter for olive oil or a plant butter and it still tastes great.
• The coating: I use a thin flour-and-water batter for the crispiest result, but you can dredge the florets in seasoned cornstarch instead for a lighter, gluten-adjacent crunch. Cornstarch actually crisps beautifully in an air fryer.
• Panko: Optional, but a light press of panko onto the wet florets gives you an extra crackly shell.

Tips for the best results (and mistakes to skip)

The number one rule: don't crowd the basket. I know it's tempting to dump everything in at once, but the air needs room to move. Pack it tight and you'll steam the florets instead of crisping them. Work in two batches if you have to.

Shake or flip the basket halfway through. The pieces touching the tray brown faster, so a quick toss at the midpoint keeps things even. And here's the big one: sauce it at the end, not the beginning. If you glaze the cauliflower before cooking, the sugars in the sauce scorch and turn bitter. Cook it plain (or battered), then toss in buffalo sauce for the last 2-3 minutes so it sets without burning.

A light spritz of oil on the battered florets before they go in is the difference between pale and golden. Don't skip it.

So what else can you cook in an air fryer?

Once you've got the rhythm down, the machine opens up. Here's what's on regular rotation at my place:

• Chicken wings: Genuinely better than a lot of restaurant wings. The rendered fat drips away and the skin gets shatteringly crisp.
• Salmon fillets: Eight minutes, flaky inside, done. Weeknight hero.
• Roasted chickpeas: Crunchy snack in 15 minutes, way better than the bagged kind.
• Baked potatoes: Crispy skin, fluffy inside, no hour-long oven wait.
• Reheated pizza: Forget the microwave. Three minutes and the crust is crisp again.
• Bacon: No splattered stovetop, and the strips come out flat and even.
• Roasted veggies: Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, all get sweet and caramelized.

Desserts work too. Small batches of cookies, molten chocolate cakes in ramekins, even quick apple hand pies. The air fryer is basically a tiny convection oven that heats up in a flash.

Make-ahead, storage, and reheating

Buffalo cauliflower is best eaten hot and fresh, right when the crunch peaks. If you have leftovers, store them undressed if you can, because sauced florets go soft in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To bring back the crisp, skip the microwave entirely and pop them back in the air fryer at 375F for 3-4 minutes. They won't be quite as good as day one, but they'll be a whole lot better than soggy.

You can prep ahead by cutting the florets and mixing the batter earlier in the day. Keep them separate and combine right before cooking so the coating doesn't turn gummy.

Serving ideas and variations

I serve these with a bowl of ranch or blue cheese for dipping, plus celery and carrot sticks to keep it honest. They make a killer game-day snack, a taco filling (buffalo cauliflower tacos with slaw are unreal), or a topping for a grain bowl. Swap the buffalo for a honey-garlic or teriyaki glaze and you've got a completely different dish from the same base technique.

FAQ

Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

For crispy foods like this, yes. A 3-5 minute preheat means the surface starts crisping the second the food lands, instead of slowly warming up and drying out. It makes a noticeable difference.

Can I make this without any oil at all?

You can, but a light spray helps the batter brown and turn golden. Without it, the florets tend to look pale and cook a touch unevenly. A quick spritz uses far less oil than frying.

Why did my cauliflower come out soggy?

Almost always overcrowding or saucing too early. Give the pieces space, cook in batches, and add the buffalo sauce near the end so it doesn't steam the coating.

What temperature is best for vegetables in an air fryer?

Around 375-400F works for most vegetables. Higher heat crisps faster but watch closely so nothing scorches, especially anything with sugar or sauce on it.