Spicy air fried cauliflower is a fabulous keto side dish or appetizer. The heat of homemade harissa paste kicks this recipe into high gear! Easy oven roasting instructions included.
I love exploring new flavors and cuisines, and this delicious keto harissa cauliflower has opened up a whole new world for me. Making my own harissa paste was fun and over-the-top delicious.
It’s the new condiment du jour, but I have a feeling harissa is here to stay. It’s good on so many foods, and can add serious flavor to keto meat dishes or veggies. I can imagine spreading a little on my keto sheet pan chicken, or stirring some into mashed cauliflower.
I’ve had it at restaurants a few times, but it’s not always easy to find at the regular grocery store. So I consulted a number of recipes, and embarked on the adventure of making my own.
What is harissa?
If you haven’t run across it yet, harissa is a spicy, garlicky chili paste common in North African cuisine, and it’s good with just about anything. Well, maybe not dessert, but it’s good with meat, fish, chicken, and vegetables.
And like any traditional recipe, it has any number of variations. Some are fiery hot, some are more mild, and they all vary a little in the addition of other herbs and spices.
Which is all good news for you, because regardless of “authentic” harissa recipes, you can adjust your home-made version to suit your tastes and what you have on hand.
Simplifying harissa paste
Now, authentic harissa has you roasting your own pepper and toasting whole spices, before grinding into a paste.
As much as I love making things from scratch, I also love finding shortcuts and making my life a bit easier. And I happen to have a spice drawer filled with ground spices, so I decided to use those instead.
I also grabbed a jar of fire-roasted red peppers to simplify the process even further. You can always roast your own under the broiler in your oven. Place it skin side up until it and peel off the skin after it cools.
The dried chilies I had on hand were thai chilies, which are extremely hot. I used a single chili and left in the seeds, which is where much of the heat is, and had a wonderful, fiery harissa paste. But if you want milder harissa, simply use milder chilies and/or remove the seeds. It’s all up to you!
Roasting cauliflower in the air fryer
If you have an air fryer, you know just how well this gadget works for getting crispy and delicious meat and veggies.
It’s the ideal way to cook something like roasted cauliflower, and it cooks in about half the time it would take in the oven.
Depending on what brand and model of air fryer you own, you may or may not need to shake the basket a few times to get even browning. And you may or may not be able to fit a whole head of cauliflower florets in your basket.
I have the big Cuisinart model that is also a toaster and convection oven, so I can easily fit all the florets on the rack in my air fryer. I do find it’s good to open it up a few times and shake the pan around.
No air fryer? No problem! I’ve also included oven roasting instructions for this keto harissa cauliflower recipe.
What else to serve with harissa?
Really this North African condiment is good with just about anything. You won’t use it all up in this air fried cauliflower recipe, but it keeps in the fridge for up to a month.
My next plan is to try it on some keto chicken wings. But here are some more ideas for you:
- Harissa Eggs in Purgatory
- Harissa Roast Leg of Lamb
- Harissa Shrimp and Tomatoes
- Harissa Chicken Skewers
- Harissa Beef Stuffed Eggplant
Spicy air fried cauliflower is a fabulous keto side dish or appetizer. The heat of homemade harissa paste kicks this recipe into high gear! Easy oven roasting instructions included.
- 1 to 2 medium dried hot chilies See recipe notes
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 medium roasted red pepper (jarred or fresh)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- Salt and pepper
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In a small bowl, soak the chili in the water until softened, about one hour. Remove the chilies from the water and reserve the liquid. Remove the stem, and coarsely chop. Leave the seeds in for a spicier harissa, or remove for a more mild version (or do a little of both!).
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In a blender or food processor, combine the chopped chili, roasted red pepper, garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
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Add the olive oil, lemon juice over and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid from the dried chili. Blend or process into a thick paste.
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To store the paste, place in a jar and cover with a thin layer of additional oil. Refrigerate for up to one month.
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In a medium bowl, combine the cauliflower, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Add about 1/4 cup of harissa and toss well to combine. Add more harissa to taste.
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Set the air fryer to 375F and cook the cauliflower for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. (If you're air fryer is small, you may need to work in batches)
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Remove and let cool a few minutes before serving. Delicious with some garlic aioli or ranch dressing!
Chilies: I used one thai chili pepper and left in the seeds. They are small but fiery hot! You can also use any dried Mexican chilis such as chipotle or guajillo. If you can’t find any dried chilies, use a fresh jalapeño and skip the soaking process. De-seed your chilis if you want a milder paste.
Oven roasting instructions: Preheat the oven to 400F and spread the cauliflower out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until tender and golden brown.
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