Breaded Cauliflower [Baked + Air Fried]

5 from 14 votes

Breaded Cauliflower [Baked + Air Fried]

Make crispy Panko Breaded Cauliflower without deep-frying it! All you need are 5 ingredients and an oven or air fryer for this versatile, 100% plant-based appetizer, snack, or side!

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: - 4

Calories: 388kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

½ cup of all-purpose flour
½ cup of plant-based milk
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 medium head of cauliflower, washed and thoroughly dried
1 ½ cups of panko breadcrumbs
spray oil

Instructions

Mix the flour, plant-based milk, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until a thick consistency is achieved.
Using your hands, break the cauliflower into bite-size florets and add them all into the bowl with the batter. Using a spatula mix to coat all of the florets with the batter. Set aside for the cauliflower to absorb some of the flavors of the batter.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Put 1 cup of panko in a small deep bowl. Give one more mix to the bowl with the cauliflower and batter. Grab 1 floret and place it in the middle of the bowl with the stem pointing up. With your fingers, sprinkle the panko over and around the cauliflower floret. Do not move the floret around or the batter will fall out. Grab the cauliflower floret by the stem and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat the process until all of the cauliflower florets are covered with panko.
Once all the cauliflower florets are covered with panko and are on the baking sheet, thoroughly spray them with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and bake for another 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. If you see the smallest florets are perfectly golden, but some of the larger ones are not, remove the small ones and set them on a plate or they might burn.
When all of the florets are golden brown, remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

I recommend using this panko for a good crunch.

Use even-sized florets: This ensures they’ll cook at the same rate.

For the best breading: Sprinkle and/or press the breadcrumbs into the battered cauliflower rather than tossing it around the bowl of crumbs; otherwise, the batter can come off, and it will become a mess.

Spray thoroughly with oil: This will achieve the crispiest panko cauliflower while still only containing a fraction of the fat used if frying.

Don’t overcrowd the tray/basket: Place the cauliflower in a single layer with space between to allow air to circulate for ultra-crispiness.

Nutrition