Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

• 1 headcauliflower — large, cut into 2-inch florets
• 3/4 cuprice flour — keeps the batter gluten-free — check the bag
• 3/4 cupwater — cold
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• 1/2 tspsmoked paprika
• 1/2 tspfine sea salt
• 1/2 cupcayenne hot sauce — Frank's RedHot is the classic and is gluten-free
• 3 tbspbutter — the dairy in this recipe — no honest substitute for the real thing
• 1 tspwhite vinegar
• 2 tbspchopped parsley — to finish

Method

1. 01

   Whisk the rice flour, water, garlic powder, paprika, and salt into a batter the texture of thin pancake mix — it should coat a floret and drip off in a slow ribbon. Too thick and it steams gummy; add water a teaspoon at a time.

2. 02

   Dunk the florets, let the excess drain off well (this matters most), and set them on a rack for 5 minutes so the coating sets slightly.

3. 03

   Line the basket with a perforated liner. Arrange the florets with air between them and air fry at 380°F for 15 minutes, flipping gently with tongs at 8 minutes, until the batter is dry, blistered, and browning at the edges. Two batches beats one crowded one.

4. 04

   Meanwhile, melt the butter with the hot sauce and vinegar over low heat and whisk until glossy. This is real buffalo sauce — hot sauce alone is just hot sauce.

5. 05

   Toss the crisped florets in the warm sauce, return them to the basket, and air fry 4–6 more minutes to bake the sauce on. This second pass is the difference between glazed and soggy.

6. 06

   Pile into a bowl, scatter with parsley, and serve hot with something cool alongside. They hold their crunch for about twenty minutes — plan the kickoff accordingly.