I promise it is possible to take cauliflower from frozen to crispy and delicious! All it takes is ten minutes and a few simple seasonings.

air fried cauliflower on black plate with napkin

Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower

Would you believe that cauliflower can be air fried to crispy perfection with a simple package of frozen cauliflower? I’m here to tell you that this garlic paprika air fryer frozen cauliflower is absolutely delicious.

So, grab a few bags of frozen cauliflower next time you’re at the store and you won’t have any excuse not to have a terrific vegetable side dish for your dinner even when the refrigerator’s produce drawers are empty.

Frozen Cauliflower in the Air Fryer

The air fryer can be such a handy appliance to make a quick meal or snack. I say snack because we often think of fresh vegetables as a good afternoon snack. But there are times I go for cooked vegetables instead.

Air-fried or roasted vegetables with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper or even store-bought blend make for a filling treat. You can sprinkle them with taco seasoning or even dip them in ranch. Ranch dip isn’t just for cold vegetable trays my friends. Our favorite is to top the cauliflower with a cheese sauce.

I use the COSORI Air Fryer for all of my air fryer recipes. I’m partial to a square basket air fryer as I find it easier to fit more food into the basket. This is a 5.8QT air fryer, one of the largest machines I’ve found that works effectively.

The machine is a bit retro with simple knob controls. It turns out that I really like the basic settings and ability to set the time and temp like a traditional appliance. I’ve used a few different air fryers with pre-programmed settings and I found I was still tweaking the times.

This air fryer is surprisingly easy to clean and the two-part basket locks together (it’s literally impossible for it to detach the way some do) until you open the latch and then push the button to release it. I simply wipe down the baskets with a sudsy dish scrub brush or sponge, rinse and let them air dry on the counter.

How to Air Fry Frozen Cauliflower

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the cauliflower in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
Place the cauliflower in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your basket you may need to air fry in two batches.
Air fry for 5 minutes. Toss and air fry the cauliflower for 6-8 more minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

How Long to Cook Frozen Cauliflower in Air Fryer

Cooking time in an air fryer always depends on the size, quantity, and spacing of your items. Frozen cauliflower can be a bit tricky as there is no way to control the size of pieces or cut the frozen cauliflower. So just keep checking and adjust as needed.

Smaller-sized cauliflower pieces work best, spread into just one layer. Don’t overfill your basket in an inches-thick layer or you won’t get enough airflow. Doing this will give you a cook time of about 11-13 minutes.

garlic paprika cauliflower on black plate

Frozen Cauliflower Recipes

Frozen cauliflower can be added to so many dishes. I have been known to go rogue and toss them in everything from soups to stir fry whether the recipe calls for it or not.

Don’t tell anyone but you can easily blend small pieces of cauliflower into your Loaded Baked Potato Soup to sneak in a few extra vegetables.

Any baked recipe that calls for fresh cauliflower can likely be swapped for frozen. Like Cauliflower Gratin with a sprinkling of cheese, a light cream sauce, and a crispy buttery bread crumb topping is so so good, I keep dreaming about making it again.

Frozen vegetables are just fine on their own with a little time in the air fryer and light seasoning. Steamer bags are great but the vegetables are just a little more tasty when air fried or roasted. Mixed vegetables, green beans, and broccoli are perfect choices.