Food Recipes Air-Fried Gochujang-Maple Cauliflower Bites 5.0 (1) 1 Review Your tastebuds aren't ready for the deliciousness that’s about to ensue with these crispy sweet-and-spicy bites. By Melissa Gray Melissa Gray Melissa Gray is a Recipe Developer and Food Stylist for Dotdash Meredith. She attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, where she studied Culinary Arts and Culinary Arts Management. She's been working in food publishing since 2015 and joined the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens in 2019. During her career, she has developed over 1,500 original recipes and food styled in hundreds of photoshoots. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 26, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: GREG DUPREE; FOOD STYLING BY EMILY NABORS HALL, PROP STYLING BY CLAIRE SPOLLEN Prep Time: 1 hr 20 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 8 Bring on the sweet heat! Sweet and spicy join forces in this air fryer cauliflower bites recipe. It’s like coconut-fried shrimp married spicy chicken wings and had a vegetarian baby. Cauliflower florets are coated in a gochujang-maple batter and then dipped in a coconut-panko mixture. The air fryer crisps up the cauliflower nuggets to golden perfection before the bites are glazed with a tangy gochujang-maple mixture that locks in the layers of flavor. Tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, the finishing touch to these golden nuggets is a spiked mayo for dipping. As you’ll need to cook the cauliflower in batches, preheat the oven to 200°F to keep the first batches warm. Ingredients 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2/3 cup cornstarch 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 3/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, divided 5 Tbsp. gochujang, divided 2 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1 1/2 cups panko 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut 1 medium (2-lb.) head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets (about 6 cups) 1/3 cup plus 2 tsp. rice vinegar, divided 3/4 cup mayonnaise Cooking spray Sliced scallions, for topping Directions Whisk milk, flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon syrup, 1 tablespoon gochujang, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until smooth. Stir together panko, coconut, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Working in batches, coat cauliflower in milk mixture until fully coated, letting excess drip off. Place in panko mixture, tossing to coat fully. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Whisk 1/3 cup vinegar, 3/4 cup syrup, and 3 tablespoons gochujang in a large bowl. Whisk mayonnaise and remaining 2 tablespoons syrup, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 2 teaspoons vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Working in about 3 batches, coat breaded cauliflower with cooking spray and place in air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook, turning once halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Add fried cauliflower to glaze, tossing to coat evenly. Use a slotted spoon to return to air fryer basket, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl. Cook until glaze is caramelized, about 5 minutes. Place on a wire rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet; cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Repeat frying and tossing process with remaining cauliflower and glaze. Top with scallions, and serve with mayonnaise mixture for dipping. After breading, freeze cauliflower, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe large resealable bag. Keep in freezer for up to 3 months. Cook from frozen. Mayo sauce can stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer. Rate It Print