Easy Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower

You’re going to LOVE this air fryer frozen cauliflower side dish. Yes it’s true, you can ACTUALLY enjoy vegetables! You can easily air fry FROZEN cauliflower (or roast in the oven) and have a vegetable side dish SO delicious that it might just steal the show. This roasted frozen cauliflower is hands-down one of my favorite frozen cauliflower recipes.

Frozen vegetables are my favorite way to save time feeding my family. Did you know that frozen vegetables are harvested right at their peak – when they are the MOST nutrient-dense?

My first tip for eating more vegetables is stocking up on bags of frozen veggies when they go on sale. I regularly find frozen cauliflower, corn, mixed vegetables, and even okra selling for $1 a bag at my local grocery store. STOCK UP. They last forever in your freezer.

My second tip for eating more veggies? Make it as easy as possible on yourself. Frozen veggies come washed, trimmed, sliced, and ready-to-go.

Just do me one little favor, ok?

IGNORE THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BACK OF THE BAG.

The ones that tell you to nuke your frozen vegetables into oblivion. There is a better way. Many people know that roasting vegetables really brings out their flavor. But they may not be aware that you can absolutely roast FROZEN cauliflower (or any other vegetable), too. While you can use your oven and make roasted frozen cauliflower, my favorite method is using an air fryer.

Those crunchy, caramelized bits of flavor are everything. I mean, just look:

Roasted Frozen Cauliflower Recipe Notes (Oven Method)

You simply take a bag of frozen cauliflower, dump it into a bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil, a few key spices, and then pop it into the air fryer or oven. I wanted to include instructions for making it in your oven, in addition to making it in the air fryer.

To prepare this in an oven, you’ll want to add your frozen cauliflower to a bowl, drizzle on the olive oil and spices (salt, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne) and give it a good stir.

Spread out frozen cauliflower on a lined baking sheet and put in an oven preheated to 425 degrees.

Roast for 15 minutes, and using tongs, flip each piece of cauliflower. Roast an additional 15 minutes or until cauliflower is caramelized and crunchy around the edges. Serve immediately!

This recipe would make a delicious side dish for my easy skillet pork chops with dijon mustard sauce. Check it out!

FAQ – Air Fryer Frozen Cauliflower

Here are some commonly asked questions about roasting frozen cauliflower or putting frozen cauliflower in an air fryer.

Can you put frozen vegetables in an air fryer?

Absolutely! In fact, it’s my favorite way to cook frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables caramelize beautifully in the air fryer. Do not thaw your frozen vegetables first. Coat in a bit of olive oil and your favorite spices, and air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Shake or use tongs to turn your frozen vegetables and then air fry for an additional 5-10 minutes.

How long does frozen cauliflower take to cook?

If you are roasting frozen cauliflower in an oven, you can roast them at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, use tongs to turn over each piece of cauliflower and then continue to roast for an additional 15 minutes. If you are cooking frozen cauliflower in an air fryer, you’ll want to preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees and air fry for 10 minutes, shake basket, or use tongs to turn over your cauliflower, and then air fry for an additional 10 minutes.

Should I thaw frozen cauliflower before cooking?

No. You do NOT need to thaw frozen cauliflower before roasting or air frying!