In this vegan frozen cauliflower air fryer recipe, we make use of other antioxidant-rich foods, like garlic, black cumin, and coriander, to create an antihistamine powerhouse you'll enjoy eating anything. This is easily one of my favorite air fryer frozen cauliflower recipes, because it's so simple yet delicious.
If you love this easy cauliflower recipe, check out my Indian-spiced baked cauliflower or air fryer broccoli & cauliflower.
Jump To
About this recipe
Cancer-Fighting Properties: Cauliflower and histamine intolerance actually go very well together, and it's overall a very healthy food. Not only is it high in fiber and antioxidants, but it's also a rich source of nutrients like choline, folate, and sulforaphane, all of which play a role in the body's methylation pathways (essential for proper detox).
Low Histamine Side Dish: This time of year, cauliflower and brussels sprouts are my favorite low histamine vegetables from the organic section of my local supermarket. Combining this frozen cauliflower in air fryer with other veggie side dishes makes for a flavorful vegan sampler platter (my usual dinner).
30-Minute Meal: this whole dish comes together in under half an hour, so it's a great option for masties on the go!
Ingredients
Cauliflower: this cruciferous vegetable combines with the healing powers of spices & herbs to form a delicious spiced side dish for your next evening meal. The basic flavor of cauliflower isn't very strong, so it takes to the spices beautifully.
Sumac: this red-hued spice is actually a ground-up dried berry with strongly antihistamine and acidic properties. It adds tang and a bit of sourness to the florets' simple spice blend; a good alternative is amchur.
Cumin, et. al: I have yet to find any studies that show it to have histamine-releasing qualities, but cumin can be contentious. It adds a delicious toasty, savory flavor to the cauliflower, however, and nigella seeds, fenugreek, and coiander are a great complement.
Lemon Juice: much like with meat, this lemon juice helps to break down the cell walls of the cauliflower and make it even more tender and a bit acidic.
How to make air fryer frozen cauliflower: step-by-step instructions
Step 1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 5 minutes, and while it heats, take your cauliflower from the freezer and place it into your mixing bowl. If using bagged frozen cauliflower in the air fryer, try lightly hitting the bag against the counter to separate the florets before opening. If they're too frozen-together to separate into individual florets, microwave them for 20 seconds or add them to the preheating oven for one minute, then separate them.
Step 2. Combine the garlic powder, salt, hot pepper (if using), sumac, black cumin, cumin, coriander, and fenugreek into a small bowl, and mix well.
Step 3. Toss the cauliflower, spice blend, and oil together in the bowl until each floret has been coated with a thin layer of oil, then arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer. With all the spices now at least partially frozen, you may need to pack a bit onto the cauliflower to make sure it doesn't fall to the bottom of the fryer.
Pro-Tip: Unless you have a large air fryer, you may need to do half the batch first and stick the other half in the freezer until just before you put them in.
Step 4. Air-fry the mixture for 7 minutes, then flip all the florets, and cook them for 3-4 more minutes, until browned and crisp, but not burnt. Check the bottom of the air fryer for any small pieces or spices that may have slipped through, before putting in the second half. Once cooked, toss the florets in lemon juice, if using, and enjoy.
Recipe notes & tips
Lemon Juice. If you can't handle lemon juice, add an extra teaspoon of olive oil and a ½ teaspoon of sumac. It won't taste quite the same, but the olive oil will make up for the lost liquid, the sumac will add some tartness, and using frozen cauliflower ensures that the cell walls are already mostly broken down.
Freezing It. You can freeze this once you've made it, but if you're working from frozen cauliflower initially, then I highly recommend eating all you can of it fresh, because the crispness doesn't translate well after it's been frozen a second time.
What to serve with air fryer frozen cauliflower
- Savory Tahini Squash Soup
- Hearty Low Histamine Lentil Stew
- Low Histamine Chicken Tenders
- Nigella Seed Chicken & Squash Stew
Homemade Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe Card
As always, if you like the recipe, I really appreciate a review or comment!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower (Sumac & Garlic)
Ingredients
- 1 medium head 500g organic cauliflower, (cut into florets)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoons refined coconut oil alt. lard
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black cumin seeds alt. ¼ teaspoon ground black cumin
- ¼ teaspoon hot pepper powder optional, high histamine
- ¼ teaspoon sumac powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
- ⅛ teaspoon ground coriander seed NOT cilantro
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) for 5 minutes, and while it heats, take your cauliflower from the freezer and place it into your mixing bowl. If using bagged frozen cauliflower in the air fryer, try lightly hitting the bag against the counter to separate the florets before opening. If too stuck-together, microwave them for 20 seconds or add them to the oven for one minute, then separate them.
- Combine the garlic powder, salt, hot pepper (if using), sumac, black cumin, cumin, coriander, and fenugreek into a small bowl, and mix well.
- Toss the cauliflower, spice blend, and oil together in the bowl until each floret has been coated with a thin layer of oil, then arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer. With all the spices now at least partially frozen, you may need to pack a bit onto the cauliflower to make sure it doesn’t fall to the bottom of the fryer. You may need to do this in 2 batches.
- Air-fry the mixture for 7 minutes, then flip all the florets, and cook them for 3-4 more minutes, until browned and crisp, but not burnt. Check the bottom of the air fryer for any small pieces or spices that may have slipped through, before putting in the second half. Once cooked, toss the florets in lemon juice, if using, and enjoy.
Notes
Freezing It. You can freeze this once you've made it, but if you're working from frozen cauliflower initially, then I highly recommend eating all you can of it fresh, because the crispness doesn't translate well after it's been frozen a second time.
Comments
No Comments