This crispy fried cauliflower is simply next-level. The florets are dipped in a simple potato starch batter and fried till golden brown with a perfect crunch. While I’ve always been a huge fan of Baked Cauliflower Wings, sometimes you just need to pull out all the stops and fry ’em up! It’s the surefire way to achieve that restaurant-caliber crunch that’s light and addictive.
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What Sets this Fried Cauliflower Apart
Frying the cauliflower in oil allows us to use an extra thin, drippy batter that cooks up extra light and crisp. The texture of the fried batter is almost reminiscent of tempura batter; it almost “shatters” when you bite into it.
An extra step I prefer to take is to steam the cauliflower florets for just a few minutes prior to battering and frying. Cauliflower is hearty, and I find giving it a head start yields a perfectly tender bite once fried. If you don’t mind a little extra crispiness in your fried cauliflower, feel free to skip this step.
Ingredients for Crispy Fried Cauliflower
- Cauliflower. Pick one that’s nice and heavy, with minimal brown/yellow spots.
- All-purpose flour. For the batter.
- Potato starch. You can also use another starch like corn or tapioca. Potato is just my personal favorite!
- Baking powder. Keeps the batter light and crispy when fried.
- Salt.
- Garlic powder. Optional, but always a good addition.
- Oil. For deep frying. Pick something neutral with a high smoke point. My go-to is peanut oil for the best combination of high smoke point, neutral flavor, and affordability.
How to Make Crispy Fried Cauliflower
Step 1 – Make the Batter
Whisk all of the batter ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Add cold water slowly until you reach the right consistency. The batter should be thing – this is what gives the cauliflower a light exterior.
Step 2 – Preheat the Oil
Pour your oil into a heavy pot for frying. Heat to 375°F. I highly recommend using a thermometer to ensure your oil is at the right temperature.
Step 3 – Prep Holding Area
I like to set up a little draining station when I fry things. Place a wire rack on a large baking sheet that you can transfer the cauliflower to when it comes out of the oil.
Optionally, if you’re not planning on serving right away, you can set your oven to 200°F to keep your cauliflower warm and crisp after it comes out of the oil.
Step 4 – Batter and Fry Cauliflower
Dump your cauliflower florets into the mixing bowl with the batter and toss to coat. Transfer the battered florets into the preheated oil in batches, being sure to not overcrowd the pot.
Step 5 – Drain and Season
When the cauliflower is crisp and golden brown, remove it from the oil and transfer to your draining station. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt if you’d like!
Step 6 – Serve
You can serve this cauliflower as is or toss in your favorite sauce.
👩🍳 Sarah’s Recipe Tips 📝
Like most fried foods, this cauliflower is best served hot and fresh. For extra insurance against sogginess, I like to keep it in a low oven (~200°F) until I’m finished frying.
If you want to prep ahead for parties, I would recommend re-heating the fried cauliflower in an oven or air fryer to crisp them back up prior to serving. Toss them with sauce at the last minute to keep them crispy, or just serve the sauce on the side.
Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your oil! If it’s too hot, your florets will burn. If it’s too cool, they’ll come out soggy. I use a Thermapen One and it’s legit.
Serving Suggestions
You can totally serve this cauliflower plain, but I love to toss it in a sauce. Buffalo, BBQ, or hot maple are all good choices! Honestly, any sauce you like is the right choice.
Regardless, I highly recommend making a batch of my Creamy Vegan Ranch for dipping! It’s an unreal combination, trust me.
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Crispy Fried Cauliflower (Restaurant-Style)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into medium-sized florets
Batter
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 3/4 cup cold water
For Frying
- 4-6 cups neutral oil e.g. peanut, avocado, canola
Instructions
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together potato starch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Slowly whisk in the cold water to form a thin batter. It should be thinner than the consistency of pancake batter, and only lightly coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in extra water as needed to adjust the consistency.
- Preheat the oil: Pour the frying oil into a heavy pan and begin heating it to 375°F. I highly recommend monitoring with a fry thermometer for the best texture.
- Set up holding area: Prepare a large baking sheet with a wire rack where you can place the cauliflower once fried. (A paper towel lined baking sheet will also work but it will trap more moisture, which can make the cauliflower less crisp.) Preheat the oven to 200°F if you want to keep the cauliflower extra hot and crispy till ready to serve.
- Batter and fry cauliflower: Dump all the cauliflower florets into the batter and toss gently to coat. Working in batches, transfer cauliflower into the hot oil (making sure to let excess batter drip off first). Fry until golden and crisp, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Avoid over-crowding the pot to help the oil maintain its temperature.
- Drain and season: When the cauliflower is crisp, use tongs or a stainless spider to transfer the cauliflower to the prepared wire rack. Season immediately with extra salt if you like. You can keep the tray of cooked cauliflower in the 200°F oven while you fry the rest of the batches.
- Serve: Fried cauliflower can be served as-is, or tossed with sauce while still hot. If you want to keep it as crisp as possible, I recommend serving with sauce on the side. The batter can lose some of its crunch if it sits in the sauce for a long time.
Notes
- Serve with our homemade vegan ranch!
