Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers
This one’s for the cheese lovers! It’s tough to improve upon cauliflower cheese…unless it’s coated in a cheesy crust, air-fried to perfection and served with a gooey dip, of course! Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle, we’ve made the slimming-friendly coating for our scrummy dippers using a blend of tangy Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs. They’re almost as fun to make as they are to eat…
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories192
- Carbs18g
- Protein13g
- Fat7.2g
- Saturates3.2g
- Sugars4.8g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
Get gorgeously crispy Cauliflower Cheese Dippers every time with the magic of your air fryer. You’ll want to make sure you spray your dippers with the low-calorie cooking spray (NOT your air fryer basket), to avoid running the risk of damaging its non-stick coating.
You’ll crisp them up until the Parmesan breadcrumb on the outside is golden, and the florets in the middle are cooked through and tender. As well as tangy Parmesan, we’ve also stirred in paprika, garlic and mustard powder, so there’s no shortage of punchy deliciousness.
Once they’re crunchy and irresistible, that’s your cue to serve your florets with a bowl full of homemade cheesy dip. We’ve rustled ours up in the microwave, but there’s nothing to stop you using a saucepan if you’d prefer – we’ve put the instructions in the ‘tips’ section of this page.
Isn’t it amazing how versatile cauliflower is? You can tap here for even more floret-based inspiration.
What diets are these Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers suitable for?
Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers can be enjoyed on vegetarian diets, as long as you use a vegetarian alternative for Parmesan cheese.
Take extra care when cooking for people with allergies and be sure to use different utensils, cookware and preparation areas.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers?
We’ve used panko breadcrumbs to create our crunchy coating, and they should be easy to find in the baking section of most supermarkets.
Bear in mind that a little goes a long way with panko, since they’re larger than typical flour breadcrumbs.
It’s no secret that we absolutely love using our air fryer to crisp up these cheese dippers, and so many other slimming-friendly creations.
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Panko breadcrumbs are larger than flour-based versions, so a little goes a long way!
Durable mixing bowls are always useful for sweet and savoury bakes.
How many calories are in these Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers?
Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers are included in our Everyday Light category because they contain just 192 calories per portion. For more delicious dishes all under 400 calories, take a look at other Everyday Light recipes!
Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers are ideal when following any of the larger diet plans such as Weight Watchers or counting calories.
The average woman needs around 2000kcal per day to maintain a healthy body weight, and men typically need slightly more at 2,500kcals, but you may want to reduce these if you are aiming to lose weight. You can find more information on the NHS website.
Step 1
In a bowl, combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic granules, smoked paprika and mustard powder. Mix and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to another bowl.
Step 2
Dip a cauliflower floret into the egg allowing any excess to drip off. Then dip into the breadcrumb mixture, coating on all sides. Place into the air fryer basket and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.
Step 3
Spray with low-calorie cooking spray and air-fry at 180°C for 10 minutes. Flip the cauliflower over and cook for a further 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs should be crispy and cauliflower cooked through. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
Step 4
When you’ve turned the cauliflower over, make the cheese dipping sauce. Add the flour to a microwavable bowl or jug and pour in the milk, mix with a balloon whisk until smooth. Pop into the microwave in 1 minute bursts until the milk and flour have thickened. Ours took about 2 minutes but this will depend on the wattage of your microwave.
Step 5
Add the cheese, mustard powder and Sriracha and mix, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Remove the cauliflower from the air fryer and serve alongside the dipping sauce.
What could I serve with these Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers?
These Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers include a delicious cheese sauce for dipping. You can enjoy them as they are as a light snack, or add them to the side of any of these slimming-friendly dishes:
How do you know when Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers are cooked?
You’ll know these dippers are ready when they’re golden and crispy, and the cauliflower florets are thoroughly cooked through. This will take around 20 minutes in the air fryer.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can you keep Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers in the fridge?
These Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers are best served and enjoyed immediately. Once you’ve served this recipe, you’ll ideally need to eat it within 4 hours.
You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure that you allow them to cool before putting them into an airtight container.
Can I freeze Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers?
Because this recipe is made with fresh veggies, we don’t recommend that you freeze it. This dish tastes best when it’s freshly made as it could go soggy if frozen and reheated.
How do I reheat Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers?
These Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers can be reheated from chilled. Simply pop them onto an oven tray and reheat in the oven until they are piping hot and crispy.
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers
It’s tough to improve upon cauliflower cheese…unless you're serving these slimming-friendly Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese Dippers!
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Prep Time
15 MINS
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Cook Time
20 MINS
- KCals 192
- Carbs 18G
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, garlic granules, smoked paprika and mustard powder. Mix and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to another bowl.
- Dip a cauliflower floret into the egg allowing any excess to drip off. Then dip into the breadcrumb mixture, coating on all sides. Place into the air fryer basket and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.
- Spray with low-calorie cooking spray and air-fry at 180°C for 10 minutes. Flip the cauliflower over and cook for a further 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs should be crispy and cauliflower cooked through. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- When you've turned the cauliflower over, make the cheese dipping sauce. Add the flour to a microwavable bowl or jug and pour in the milk, mix with a balloon whisk until smooth. Pop into the microwave in 1 minute bursts until the milk and flour have thickened. Ours took about 2 minutes but this will depend on the wattage of your microwave.
- Add the cheese, mustard powder and Sriracha and mix, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove the cauliflower from the air fryer and serve alongside the dipping sauce.
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