Air Fryer Tahini Cauliflower

Cauliflower florets served with an ultra smooth delicious dip. This air fryer tahini cauliflower is definitely one of the most loved appetizer.

A super simple 30-minute recipe that works well for parties, gatherings or for a healthy-ish snack!

Cauliflower has forever been one of the favorite ingredients in the food scene. From using it in a cauliflower based sauce to topping it over pizza or even making the pizza crust with it, cauliflower is everywhere. It is slices, diced, cooked as a steak or roasted whole to make this Gobi Musallam.

A super versatile ingredient, it can be boiled, steamed, stir fried or even fried so well. No wonder it is everywhere. And if you got carried by the trending cauliflower recipes and bought a couple heads but do not know what to do with them, this post is for you.

And today I am sharing a delicious recipe to pair this cauliflower with a creamy sauce. Together the cauliflower florets and sauce make a super flavorful combination as an appetizer.

Jump to:

• What is Air Fryer Cauliflower
• What is Tahini Sauce
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Variations to the Tahini Dip
• How to cut a cauliflower
• Can I use Frozen Cauliflower?
• More Cauliflower Recipes
• Recipe FAQs
• More Air Fryer Recipes
• Air Fryer Tahini Cauliflower

What is Air Fryer Cauliflower

An easy to make appetizer, Air Fried Cauliflower is a favorite in our house. Whether as an appetizer for parties or as a side with soups like Quinoa and Red Lentil Soup for a meal or even as a snack.

One of the easiest ways to cook cauliflower is to air fry it. Crisp outside and super tender inside, these air fried florets are great with a sauce to dip them in. The process is super easy and quick and you have a big batch of crisp cauliflower in no time.

The chief reason to air fry the florets is to get that "fried" texture and taste of cauliflower without actually frying it. This can be done in a fraction of oil and yet there is barely any compromise on the taste.

What is Tahini Sauce

Tahini sauce is a super creamy sauce with a handful of ingredients. While it is creamy, it does not have any cream, mayonnaise etc. This makes it quite a healthy dip for so many recipes.

The sauce is very versatile. Pair it with roasted vegetables, pita bread, chips or even add it on to a bowl, it works brilliantly. And it is a great sauce for this air fryer tahini cauliflower recipe.

We make a big batch of this sauce and enjoy it over the next 3-4 days with so many recipes. It is truly a great blend of ingredients that yields a tangy, creamy and nutty sauce.

Why this recipe works

• A combination of 'fried' cauliflower with a smooth creamy sauce is amazing as an appetizer or snack. These two pair wonderfully.
• We can put everything together in under 30 minutes. From air frying and side by side making the sauce, the entire recipe is quick and easy.
• This recipe lists out all the ingredient I added to the dip and cauliflower. Yet it is possible to make the recipe without a couple of ingredients too. Make it the way you enjoy it.
• The tahini dip in the recipe works really well with a lot of other ingredients too. I have listed it all below.
• The recipe works wonderfully on summer days where you do not need to fire the oven. It comes together with just a bowl, a blender and the air fryer!

Overall, a quick and easy recipe that is super delicious too; this one would definitely be a star through the summer party season!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cauliflower: This being the key ingredient; we use a large cauliflower separated into florets. As long as none of the pieces is super big, we can use the florets directly. Else, chop the super large ones in halves or quarters.
• Tahini Sauce: I like to make a dipping sauce for the cauliflower. This sauce is made with tahini paste, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, some za'atar spice and lemon juice. It is a super versatile sauce that can be used with so many recipes.
• Olive Oil: We add some olive oil before air-frying the cauliflower florets. Do not skimp on this to get the perfect char on the cauliflower and not make it mushy or dry. Any other oil works too, but Olive is the prefered one in Mediterranean cuisine.
• Za'atar Spice: A mix of sumac with a few other spices, Za'atar Spice is easily available in the stores. This blended spice mix makes the cauliflower delicious. However, if you cannot find it mix together dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, sumac and toasted sesame seeds. A lot of recipes lay out the proportions for this one.
• Other Ingredients: Once we have the sauce and the cauliflower ingredients, the only remaining ingredients are the toppings. For this we use cilantro, toasted pine nuts and chili flakes. Pomegranate arils work too, and so does parsley. These make the recipe super fresh and delicious.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- In the bowl add all the ingredients for the sauce; tahini paste, olive oil, za'atar spice, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper and lime juice.

2- Transfer this with some water to a blender jar and blend till smooth. Add more water if required.

3- In a large bowl add the cauliflower florets.

4- Season with Za'atar spice, some salt and pepper.

5- Then drizzle some olive oil and coat all the florets with the seasonings.

6- Preheat the air-fryer to 425 F; arrange the cauliflower florets in the basket and air fry for 15-18 minutes, flipping once mid-way.

7- Remove the air fryer basket. If the florets are still not slightly charred on the outside but fork tender, air fry for another minute and check.

8- Then transfer the florets to a plate and serve with the tahini dipping sauce. Enjoy this easy and delicious air fryer tahini cauliflower.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Do not skimp on the oil required to air fry the cauliflower. Lesser oil will just give it the required char and flavor.
• Preheat the air fryer before adding the cauliflower. Placing it in the basket while the air fryer is cold will result in chewy cauliflower florets.
• Place the florets directly on the basket. Do not line with parchment paper as the results do vary a lot.
• Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Moreover, if making a big batch, air fry the cauliflower in batches for best result.
• When mixing the sauce remember it does does thicken up a little when it sits for a while.
• Adding more herbs to the sauce works well and so does adding more seasoning to the cauliflower.

Variations to the Tahini Dip

This tahini dip is a delicious one. However, adding some herbs like parsley, dill, basil or mint along with cilantro gives the dip a great green color and freshness.

Moreover, to get a milder garlic flavor; use minced garlic available in bottles. Or add fresh garlic to lemon juice and let it stand for 10 minutes to mellow down the garlic flavor.

Here are some great ways to enjoy the tahini dip:

• With fresh vegetable slices as a dip.
• With regular falafel or beetroot falafel as a dipping sauce.
• With pita bread and vegetables to make a sandwich or wrap.
• With chips as a dipping sauce.
• Over flatbread or toasted pita chips.

How to cut a cauliflower

Remove all the leaves and the thick bottom stalk first. Wash the remaining cauliflower well and pat dry.

Now all you have is a large white ball of florets. Either separate the florets by hand and chop them into halves or simply halve the entire cauliflower.

Place the cut side on a chopping board and remove the core of the cauliflower. Then cut into sections and separate the florets.

Can I use Frozen Cauliflower?

While frozen cauliflower can be used in he recipe, it often does not thaw very well. And if there is leftover water or ice in the cauliflower it does turn the entire thing mushy instead of crisp.

I would recommend fresh cauliflower for the recipe. However, frozen cauliflower if used; should be completely thawed and patted dry with kitchen towels before using.

More Cauliflower Recipes

Recipe FAQs

More Air Fryer Recipes

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