Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu
Cook these crispy, breadcrumb-coated cauliflower florets in your air fryer before serving them with our slimming-friendly version of a Katsu curry sauce. This is a delicious vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for your next Fakeaway night.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories323
- Carbs52g
- Protein14g
- Fat5.4g
- Saturates1.2g
- Sugars19g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
We’ve cooked up a deliciously meat-free version of our popular Katsu Chicken Curry! We love using cauliflower as a substitute for chicken, and the florets work so well in this recipe. We coat them in egg, dip them in crunchy panko breadcrumbs and cook them in the air fryer until they’re all golden and crispy.
The mild flavour of the cauliflower is the perfect partner for the mild, aromatic spices in the Katsu sauce. It’s so easy to make – and you’d never guess it’s made from blended up vegetables.
Thick and creamy, our slimming-friendly curry sauce is so much lighter than the high-calorie version you’ll find in most restaurants. It’s perfect for cooking in big batches, and it’s freezer-friendly too, so you can always have some on standby for the next time you get a hankering for this vegetarian Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can cook your cauliflower in the oven. Find the oven method for this recipe here.
What diets is this Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu suitable for?
This Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu recipe is suitable for vegetarians and anyone following a dairy-free diet.
It can be made gluten free as long as you swap out the following ingredients for suitable gluten-free alternatives:
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable stock cubes
If you’re cooking for people with allergies, be extra careful when checking ingredients and preparing food!
Do you need any special ingredients to make Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu?
You don’t need any special ingredients to make this recipe, although there are a couple of bits of equipment that are required to prepare it. You will need either a hand blender or a food processor to blend your Katsu Curry mixture into a sauce, and an air fryer to get your florets nice and crispy.
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A budget-friendly hand blender like this one will come in useful for everything from smoothies to soup and sauces.
This Ninja air fryeris perfect for cooking your crispy cauliflower, plus so many other tasty recipes!
How many calories are in this Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu?
There are 323 calories per portion in this Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu, which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet, and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Spray the pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Sauté the onions for 6-8 minutes until softened and lightly coloured.
Step 2
Add the crushed garlic, curry powder and garam masala and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 3
Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure it does not reduce too much.
Step 4
While the sauce cooks, prepare the cauliflower.
Step 5
Season the egg with a pinch of salt. Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Dip each cauliflower floret into the egg, then into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Toss around to coat well. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Spray the breaded cauliflower well, with low-calorie cooking spray, sprinkle over a little salt and place in the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd the basket to ensure even cooking (you may need to cook in 2 batches). Cook for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden.
Step 6
When the carrots and potatoes are soft, remove the pan from the heat and blitz the sauce using a hand blender or a food processor. Check the consistency. You can add a little more water if it is too thick. If it is too thin, pour back into the pan and return to the stove to reduce. Keep an eye on it and stir to prevent it catching.
Step 7
When the cauliflower is cooked, it should be crisp and golden on the outside and cooked all the way through, but with some “bite”.
Step 8
Arrange the cauliflower on a plate. Drizzle a little sauce over and serve the rest of the sauce on the side. We love serving ours with Basmati rice, raw carrot ribbons and some fresh coriander for garnish.
What could I serve with this Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu?
We love to serve this recipe with a really simple side of Basmati rice. 125g of cooked Basmati rice will add 173 calories to this dish, taking the total to 496 calories per serving. If you preferred, you could serve Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu alongside any of the following recipes:
How do you know when Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu is cooked?
You should cook this Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu until the breadcrumb coating is golden and the cauliflower is cooked all the way through, but still has a bite to it. This will take around 10-12 minutes in the air fryer.
Here in the UK, the standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and maintained that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and your family safe!
How long can you keep Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat this dish within 4 hours. To keep the cauliflower nice and crispy, we would recommend making this fresh, right before you want to eat it. The sauce can be cooked in advance, cooled and stored in a container with a lid in the fridge for 3 days or so.
Can I freeze Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu?
We suggest making the cauliflower fresh each time, but the sauce CAN be frozen. Please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu?
If you have frozen or refrigerated the sauce, it can be reheated following the guidelines below:
From chilled: Place in a microwavable container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway through. Alternatively reheat in a small pan, over a medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is bubbling.
From frozen: Allow to defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat following the instructions above.
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Katsu
Cook these crispy, breadcrumb-coated cauliflower florets in your air fryer before serving them with our slimming-friendly version of a Katsu curry sauce. This is a delicious vegetarian recipe that’s perfect for your next Fakeaway night.
-
Prep Time
20 MINS
-
Cook Time
45 MINS
- KCals 323
- Carbs 52G
Instructions
- Spray the pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Sauté the onions for 6-8 minutes, until softened and lightly coloured.
- Add the crushed garlic, curry powder and garam masala and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow to cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure it does not reduce too much.
- While the sauce cooks, prepare the cauliflower.
- Season the egg with a pinch of salt. Place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Dip each cauliflower floret into the egg, then into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Toss around to coat well. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Spray the breaded cauliflower well, with low-calorie cooking spray, sprinkle over a little salt and place in the air fryer basket. Don't overcrowd the basket to ensure even cooking (you may need to cook in 2 batches). Cook for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden.
- When the carrots and potatoes are soft, remove the pan from the heat and blitz the sauce using a hand blender or a food processor. Check the consistency. You can add a little more water if it is too thick. If it is too thin, pour back into the pan and return to the stove to reduce. Keep an eye on it and stir to prevent it catching.
- When the cauliflower is cooked, it should be crisp and golden on the outside and cooked all the way through, but with some "bite".
- Arrange the cauliflower on a plate. Drizzle a little sauce over and serve the rest of the sauce on the side. We love serving ours with Basmati rice, raw carrot ribbons and some fresh coriander for garnish.
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2 comments
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NickyFriday 18th November 2022
Omg just made air fryer cauliflower katsu curry, the sauce is a game changer! Have also tried some panko coated chicken with it, absolutely delicious!
HollyMonday 21st November 2022
Hey Nicky, thanks so much for your message we are so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
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