This air fryer roasted whole cauliflower is a very easy vegan Thanksgiving dinner recipe for the whole family. Made with a homemade bell pepper basil pesto recipe.
I cooked a whole cauliflower in the air fryer and I LOVED it!!
This cauliflower is all kinds of delicious and almost effortless. The secret to it’s deliciousness is the homemade red bell pepper pesto.
This roasted whole cauliflower can be served for Thanksgiving and all year round!
Tips for making it
- Use a small head of cauliflower. I used a 3lb cauliflower which came out to just a little more than 2.5lbs after I removed all the unwanted parts.
- The Air fryer cook times I mention below are all based on the size of my cauliflower. If your cauliflower is bigger or smaller, please adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- My cauliflower took 50 minutes to make in the air fryer, but, check yours at the 45min mark. Depending on your air fryer model, you may have to stop it sooner.
- Make sure you get the pesto into all the nook and crannies of the cauliflower. This way, your cauliflower has a more of an even taste. Don’t be afraid to use a turkey baster, if you have too!!!
- A radical way to do this would be to submerge the whole cauliflower into a bowl filled with the pesto. Keep it submerged overnight. Cover the top with a plastic wrap and then place the bowl in the refrigerator, overnight.
- I highly, HIGHLY recommend letting the cauliflower marinate overnight in the pesto sauce. It will make sure the sauce gets into most of the cauliflower. If you can’t keep it overnight, try for at least 8hours.
- Tuck tiny butter pieces at the bottom of the cauliflower before you cover it with wrap. When you are ready to cook it, it will melt slowly and give the base a very melt-in-your-mouth texture. Use vegan or regular butter.
- Personally, I have never seen the need to preheat the air fryer. But, if you want to preheat it, you can do it. Just adjust your cook time, because it will be about 30-40 minutes.
- If you don’t want to cook it in the air fryer, you can cook it in your oven. Preheat it to 320°F and then cook the cauliflower for about 1hr 20min. Broil it for about 7min to get that crispy top.
- You can use regular pesto instead of using my red bell pepper pesto. Or try my arugula pesto, scallion pesto or cilantro pesto.
Get a crispy outside!
Do you love the outside to be crispy while the inside be soft and melty?
Then, you are exactly like me and we will get along just fine!!!
After, I had finished cooking the cauliflower, I realized that it needed a crispy outside. Not only did it give this cauliflower textures, it also gave it a very unique look.
It’s the equivalent of broiling in the oven. But, the air fryer does it so much better.
There is almost a smoky flavor to this cauliflower.
I have seen some people boil the whole cauliflower first before oven-roasting it. Try it and let me know in the comments below. I would love to see how it turns out.
Why make it in the air fryer?
- The air fryer cooks the whole cauliflower in a shorter time than the oven. An average cauliflower will take about 85minutes in the oven whereas in the air fryer, it will take about 60 minutes.
- The air fryer uses less oils than when it’s cooked in the air fryer.
- The air fryer will get into more of the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower than the oven can.
- Unlike the oven, there is no need to preheat the air fryer.
- The oven uses more electricity to cook the cauliflower than the air fryer. Besides, why turn on the whole oven for just one small cauliflower, right?
- The air fryer can be put in the garage or the patio while it’s cooking the cauliflower. You can’t put the oven outside, lol!
- You can use your oven to cook other vegan Thanksgiving meals like Blueberry crumble, fingerling potatoes or roasted green beans.
Storing leftovers
This is one of those rare recipes I make that can actually be refrigerated or frozen!
I know, I surprise myself sometimes!
To refrigerate it:
- Pour about 1-2 Tbsp worth of the pesto on top of the leftover cauliflower. The more cauliflower your have left over, the more pesto you will will need
- Wrap the cooked whole cauliflower in a plastic wrap or use a shower cap (shower cap should not have been used before!)
- Place the cauliflower in a glass bowl, preferably, over a plastic bowl
- Close the lid and place in the vegetable crisper
- Use within 7 days of refrigerating.
- Put it in the air fryer (320°F for about 15 minutes)
To freeze it:
- Place the remaining roasted cauliflower in a zip-lock or freezer friendly bag.
- Pour some of the pesto in the bag (1-2 Tbsp)
- Then, press the bag to remove any air in it.
- Seal the bag as tightly as possible with no air in it.
- Lay flat in the freezer
- When you are ready to use it, don’t thaw it. Put it in the air fryer (320°F for about 25 minutes)
- Use it within 3 months of freezing
Answering your questions
Yes, you can use regular basil pesto to cook this whole cauliflower. I like using bell pepper pesto because it adds a unique flavor to it.
It’s not necessary to marinate the cauliflower, but I HIGHLY recommend it. Marinating it gives the pesto a chance to seep into every nook and cranny of the cauliflower. So, when you bite into it, it gives your taste buds dance with joy.
I choose a medium sized cauliflower. It weighed about 3lbs or about 1.4kg. Keep the weight between 2-4lbs.
It will feed 4 people. Cut it into 4 even steak sizes and assuming one person will eat one piece.
Yes, this whole roasted cauliflower can be served all year round. Make it for dinner on a busy weeknight. I marinate it the night before and cook it the following day. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be served for Thanksgiving, friendsgiving, brunch, weeknight dinners, Sunday supper and day of the week.
Yes, preheat oven to 320°F and cook for 90 minutes. Insert the knife tip and if the tip inserts easily, it’s ready to be devoured. I turn off the oven and let it sit in there for about 15 minutes. Then, it’s ready to serve
You can serve it with sauteed veggie tops and an awesome collection of potato recipes.
A few vegan Thanksgiving air fryer recipes!
- Candied sweet potatoes
- Sweet potato drop biscuits
- Blueberry galette
- Potato nibbles
- Sweet potato casserole tartlets
- Air Fryer hasselback sweet potatoes
- Miso glazed vegetables
Ever since I discovered the air fryer, I haven’t been able to stop using it. I have made desserts, side dishes and even breakfast recipes in it.
I can’t believe how much my life is easier because of this device. Discover some of my favorite Thanksgiving air fryer recipes and your life will be simpler too.
Want to see some of the other delicious ways to use cauliflower?
Want even more healthy recipes? I have the collection of the easiest healthy recipes you can make all year round.
A word about air fryers
Not all air fryers are created equal!
Even if you set the same time as I do, your air fryer might cook it slower/faster than mine. I suggest you check after about 40 minutes to make sure that it is cooked.
To know if your cauliflower is done, poke a knife at the top. If the knife goes through easily with very little pressure, it is done cooking.
For my air fryer roasted whole cauliflower recipe, I used my favorite (Affiliate link) COSORI Max XL. Comment below and let me know what kind of air fryer you use and your cook time for this air fryer roasted whole cauliflower.
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Air Fryer Roasted Whole Cauliflower
Equipment
- COSORI Air Fryer
- Baking tray
Ingredients
For marinating the cauliflower
- 3 lb Whole cauliflower
- 1.5 cups red bell pepper pesto you can use regular pesto
- 1 Tbsp butter cut into small squares, vegan or grass-fed butter
For cooking the cauliflower
- 1 tsp butter to brush the baking dish, vegan or grass-fed butter
- 1.5 cups red bell pepper pesto to baste the cauliflower
For garnish (optional)
- 2 basil leaves cut chiffondale
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
For the pesto (if making your own)
- 2 Tbsp pine nuts lightly roasted
- 2 cup purplish basil or regular basil
- 1 tsp salt Adjust to taste
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz bell pepper strips 1/2 of a jar
Instructions
- If you are making the pesto, blend the ingredients of the pesto and set aside
- Cut the bottom of the cauliflower. Remove any leaves and stems.
- Place the cauliflower in a bowl, top down.
- Start by adding the pesto at the bottom of the cauliflower and let it flow into the inside of the cauliflower
- Turn it over and drizzle the remaining pesto on it
- Get a plastic wrap piece (about 16″x12″)
- Tuck small butter pieces at the bottom of the cauliflower
- Wrap the cauliflower and place it in a bowl
- Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours
- After marinating, remove from the refrigerator and set aside
- Lightly butter a baking dish
- Unwrap the cauliflower and place it in the baking dish.
- Top it with about 1 cup of the basil pesto.
- Use a basting brush to make sure the whole cauliflower gets drenched in the pesto
- Place baking dish in the basket of the air fryer
- Replace basket in air fryer and set it to 320°F (160°C) for 50 minutes
- At about the 25 minute mark, remove the basket and baste it with the remaining 1/2 cup of bell pepper pesto
- Put the cauliflower back in the air fryer and complete the cooking process
- Once it’s completed cooking, immediately turn up your air fryer tempreture to 350°F (176°C)
- Cook the cauliflower for 5 minutes or until the outside has just turned crispy
- Remove from the air fryer and let it cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Drizzle extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately
Video
Notes
- Use a small head of cauliflower. I used a 3lb cauliflower which came out to just a little more than 2.5lbs after I removed all the unwanted parts.
- The Air fryer cook times are all based on the size of my cauliflower. If your cauliflower is bigger or smaller, please adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- My cauliflower took 50 minutes to make in the air fryer, but, check yours at the 45min mark. Depending on your air fryer model, you may need to stop it sooner than 50minutes.
- Make sure you get the pesto into all the nook and crannies of the cauliflower. This way, your cauliflower has a more of an even taste. Use a turkey baster, if you have too!!!
- A radical way to do this would be to submerge the whole cauliflower into a bowl filled with the pesto. Keep it submerged overnight. Cover the top with a plastic wrap and then place the bowl in the refrigerator, overnight.
- I highly, HIGHLY recommend letting the cauliflower marinate overnight in the pesto sauce. It will make sure the sauce gets into most of the cauliflower. If you can’t keep it overnight, try for at least 8hours.
- Personally, I have never seen the need to preheat the air fryer. But, if you want to preheat it, you can do it. Just check your cook time, because it will be about 30-40 minutes.
- If you don’t want to cook it in the air fryer, you can cook it in your oven. Preheat it to 320°F and then cook the cauliflower for about 1hr 20min. Broil it for about 7min to get that crispy top.
- You can use regular pesto instead of using my red bell pepper pesto.
Looks delicious. I notice that the pesto recipe calls for 8 ounces bell pepper strips – 1/2 jar. Would these be marinated, jarred peppers or do you use fresh peppers? I don’t think I’ve seen peppers in a jar. Thank you.
Hello Brenda, thank you for your question. I love using these jar peppers for sandwiches. Delicious as they are, they tend to go bad so quickly. So, I like to make pesto out them before they get a mold on them. Here is the jar bell peppers I use – https://delivery.publix.com/landing?product_id=82206 (it’s not an affiliate link)
Such a great, easy, and delicious way to make cauliflower! Plus the fact that it’s healthy AND packed with so much flavor?! BONUS!!!
Thank you, Lori
This cauliflower looks so amazing especially because of that red pepper pesto! So much flavor!
Thank you, Chenee
What a great and convenient recipe! The cauliflower turned out delicious and crispy!
Thank you, Aya
This is such a delicious way to enjoy cauliflower! So simple and easy too. I can’t wait to try your recipe with dinner this week. Thank you!
Thank you, Kathryn
This recipe looks super delicious and I can’t wait to try it out soon! This looks like such a delicious and healthy vegan meal. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I cant wait to try this out!
Thank you, Ramona
We had a whole roasted cauliflower at a restaurant recently. It came as part of the chefs ‘feed me’ menu. When it arrived I was so disappointed as I HATE cauliflower. But I tried it and after that first taste my partner had to fight me for his share 😉
Who knew cauliflower could taste like that! So I had been on the hunt for an easy recipe. And man did yours deliver!!! The pesto was sweet and salty, the cauliflower was tender and roasty. And all in my airfryer!!!
This is not the cauliflower of my childhood!!
THANK YOU!
That is such a fun story from your childhood. I was one of those people who loved cauliflower from the first time I had it, but, other members of my family hated it for the longest time. I think this recipe is turning them around. Happy to hear from people like you who love cauliflower too.
Roasted cauliflower sounds good as a Thanksgiving side dish. Looks good. Air fryers sure come in handy for cooking a Thanksgiving feast.
Thank you, Angie
What a great way to enjoy cauliflower! Never tried an air fryer version and this one is a must-try recipe
Thank you, Linda
This is such a healthy and flavorful way of enjoying some delicious vegan meal. Looks quick and easy too.
Thank you, Veena.