Sesame Cauliflower in Air Fryer - battered Cauliflower are fried in an Air Fryer and then a sticky Asian Sauce is poured on top. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word, Sesame Cauliflower?

It reminds you of Chinese Takeaway right? It's one of our favorite Easy dinners. We love to make this for summer nights. Gets prepared in a jiffy and tastes sooo good!!!
I just love Cauliflower so much that you can find so many of those recipes in my blog.
Have you tried my
Cauliflower Wings in Air Fryer with Zero Oil
or Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos in Air Fryer?
These are a classic Game Day Snack that is surely gonna please the crowd. Talking about Game Day,
Have you tried -
Firecracker Chicken Meatballs,
Ranch Cheddar Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels?
Jump to:
I know some of you might say, "I don't like Cauliflower, I like Chicken more". You might go for Sesame Chicken instead of Sesame Cauliflower, but trust me, once you've tasted it, you are gonna forget about Sesame Chicken. You are gonna love this so so so much.
Making Sesame Cauliflower bites in Air Fryer is way easier than in the oven. And it takes less time than it would in an oven.
More importantly, it less way less in terms of calories when you compare it to the one fried in the oven.
Time and again I have realized that Air Fryer is a super-important tool for your kitchen and if you haven't already purchased one, then you must own an Air Fryer.
Fortunately for me, my brother gifted it to me and it was also a surprise. When we got to know that I have started food blogging, he sent it to my home from amazon. It was the best day.
That very day, I made Sweet Potato fries in Air Fryer. In my first attempt, it got burnt.
But, I tried again. Similarly, I have made so many recipes in my Air Fryer to date.
Starting from - Spinach Stuffed Chicken,
Crispy Carrot Fries in Air Fryer,
Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken,
Air Fryer Donuts and many more.
🥘 Ingredients Needed to Make Sesame Cauliflower:
For Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Head cut into small florets
- Milk - You can use milk of your choice. I have used Whole Milk. You can use 1% or 2% milk. or else, If you want it vegan then you can use Soy Milk or Almond Milk.
- Flour - I have used regular all-purpose flour. But, you can choose your choice of gluten-free & Vegan Flour such as Almond Flour or Buckwheat Flour.
- Seasoning - Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder. If you like it a little spicy then you can add some red chili flakes or smoked paprika.
For Sticky Sesame Sauce

- Sesame Oil: Sesame Oil brings a smoky and sweetish flavor to this Air Fryer Sesame Cauliflower bites. And, since we are making it just like they make it in a Chinese Restaurant, we've used nothing but Sesame Oil. No need to buy toasted sesame oil. Just regular sesame oil will do.
- Soy Sauce: Keep in mind that Soy Sauce contains added salt. So make sure you don't add too much salt while making the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: Vinegar brings that sour touch to your Chinese Sesame Cauliflower. Another reason for using vinegar is to cut out the saltiness of the Sesame Sauce.
- Maple Syrup: To make it healthy I have used Maple Syrup. Maple Syrup can also be replaced with Honey. Many people use Brown Sugar instead. But, I just love Maple Syrup.
- Cornstarch: The Sesame Sauce will be thick. Hence we use cornstarch so that the sauce becomes thick and sticky. Many people use arrowroot as an alternative. But, I don't like arrowroot for its gummy texture. Moreover, cornstarch is more easily available.

👩🍳 How to Make Sesame Cauliflower in Air Fryer?
These bite-sized Cauliflower bites are a perfect Game Day snack. It can be made in minutes and is even low in calories than what you get when fried in an oven.
- Make the Batter: The batter for this Cauliflower is made up of two basic ingredients - Milk & Flour. Besides that, we season it with Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder.
- Coat Cauliflower in Batter: Coat Cauliflower florets individually in the batter. Make sure each Cauliflower floret is evenly coated in the batter.
- Fry in Air Fryer: Fry each Cauliflower floret in Air Fryer. If your Air Fryer needs to be preheated then you can preheat it. Or else just cook at 400F or 200C for 15-minutes.
- Make the Sticky Sesame Sauce: In a pan heat some Sesame Oil. As the oil gets a little hot, add Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, and Maple Syrup. Add Cornstarch and Vegetable Stock. Allow it to come to a slow boil and let it simmer until it thickens.
- Coat Cauliflower in Sesame Sauce: Coat Cauliflower in Sesame Sauce. Garnish with Sesame Seeds and chopped Spring Onions.
💡 Secret Ingredients to Spice up Chinese Sesame Cauliflower Wings:
- Smoked Paprika or Red Chili Flakes: Smoked Paprika or Red Chili Flakes will spice up your Sesame Cauliflower wings. You can use them while making the batter to coat cauliflower.
- Sriracha: If you want you can add some Sriracha while making the Sticky Sesame Sauce. Sriracha adds a lot of spice to this recipe.
- Chipotle Sauce: If you are in real need of some spice, then try spicy Chipotle Sauce.

🥗 Other Cauliflower Recipes you might like:
- Sweet and Sour Teriyaki Cauliflower Chicken Stir Fry
- Keto Cauliflower Rice and Chicken Casserole
- Jalapeño Cheddar Cauliflower Fritters
- Crispy Honey Garlic Cauliflower Bowls
- Cauliflower Tortillas
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
- Parmesan Cauliflower Spinach Pasta
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
If you are making this recipe, then please leave a rating below. Also, take a snap and share it on Instagram with #recipemagik. Tag us @recipemagik.

Sesame Cauliflower in Air Fryer
INGREDIENTS
For the Cauliflower
- 1 Head Cauliflower cut into bite-size florets
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour or any Gluten-Free Flour
- 1 Cup Whole Milk or any milk of your choice
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
For the Sticky Asian Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 4 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 4 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup about 8 Tablespoons
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- ½ Cup Vegetable Stock can replace with Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk All Purpose Flour, Milk, Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder.
- Dip each Cauliflower Floret into the batter. Coat it evenly. Cook in Air Fryer at 400°F OR 200°C for 15-minutes.
- In a pan heat some Sesame Oil. Add Soy Sauce, Rice Vinegar, Maple Syrup, Cornstarch, and Vegetable Stock. Let it come to a slow boil on low heat. The sauce will thicken and will become sticky. Stir often and once it is thick take it off the heat.
- Once Cauliflower is fried take it out of the Air Fryer basket. Coat each Cauliflower in the sticky Sesame Sauce. Garnish with Sesame Seeds and chopped Spring Onions.
Video
Notes
- Check your Air Fryer and then set the time and temperature. If it is 1700 watts then it might need much less time.
Tobe says
Until now I've never seen anyone think about making Sesame Cauliflower in Air Fryer. You nailed it. The cauliflower turned out crispy and the sauce was super-good.
Anjali says
Thanks tobe! I am so glad that you actually liked it.
Mia says
This is seriously so delicious!! One of my favourites 😋😋😋
Alyssa Green says
One of my absolute favourite cauliflower recipes! It's healthy and soooo delicious 😋
Gina Smith says
Just couldn't get any better. I substituted whole milk with buttermilk and they were even better. The asian sauce was so good. I used toasted sesame oil for that sweet nuttiness.
James says
Excellent recipe! One of my favoruites...! Never tasted a better tasting Cauliflower recipe than this one! Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing recipe!!!
Anjali says
thank you!!!!!
Jen says
Swapped in xanthan gum as I didn't have cornstarch on hand. Also added fresh minced garlic, dry ground ginger and a couple teaspoons of Trader Joe's Chile Sesame oil for some heat. The sauce came out sweet, spicy, sticky and delicious. My husband was so impressed he was licking the sauce from the bowl. Great recipe!
Anjali says
Those sound like a lovely variation. Thank you so much! so glad you liked this recipe.