Crispy beer battered cauliflower with creamy caper mayonnaise is the vegetarian snack of your dreams and will be perfect for game day munching.
It’s no secret that I love cauliflower. I’ve used it in every way imaginable but battered in a beer batter and fried until crisp and golden might be one of my most favorite ways. At the very least it’s in my top 3. Because who can say no to big dish of gloriously golden crunchy cauliflower bites? No one, that’s who!
Fried cauliflower is the perfect game day snack or appetizer. I served the cauliflower with lots of lemon juice and a quick mayonnaise dipping sauce made with chopped capers, lots of parsley and creamy mayo. It was the perfect accompaniment and made the fried cauliflower even more delectable.
How do you make beer battered cauliflower?
Slice the florets off a big head of cauliflower. Break large florets down to bite-sized pieces. Combine flour, spices and beer of your choice and mix until you have a slightly lumpy batter. The lumps will result in even more crispy, crunchy bits. Coat the cauliflower first in seasoned flour and then in the beer batter then fry in hot oil until golden brown and crisp. Drain and serve with a creamy mayo dipping sauce.
Do you boil cauliflower before frying?
No, it’s not necessary. The hot oil cooks the cauliflower to the perfect al dente texture.
How do you get batter to stick to cauliflower?
Coating the cauliflower in flour first will help the batter stick to the cauliflower.
How long does cauliflower take to fry?
Battered cauliflower will take around 5-7 minutes to fry. The hot oil will cook the cauliflower in the same time the batter takes to turn golden and crisp.
Cauliflower recipes
- Cauliflower tikka masala curryÂ
- Lamb ragu with cauliflower gnocchi
- Cauliflower and feta fritters
- Crispy fried crumbed cauliflower
- Cauliflower risotto with truffle oil
- Cauliflower korma curry
Crispy beer battered cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 340 ml beer (1 standard size bottle of beer)
- 2 large heads cauliflower sliced into florets
- 2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper
For the mayonnaise dipping sauce
- 1 cup good quality mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp capers chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and paprika. Pour in the beer and mix until just combined.
- Coat the cauliflower first in the seasoned flour then in the batter.
- Heat a large pot of oil then fry the cauliflower until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from the oil and drain.
- Combine all the ingredients for the dipping sauce then serve with the fried cauliflower.
Video
Nutrition
Crumbed cauliflowerÂ
Cauliflower and feta fritters
Can you air fry these???
I’ve never tried air frying battered foods but if you have, I’m sure this will work too.
This was amazing- definitely be making it again. I used chilled water instead of the beer and the batter was beautiful. It was also great served with sweet chilli sauce.
Can you substitute the beer for sparkling water? Or what would you suggest? (I don’t drink beer)
Yup, sparkling water will work well!
We just tried this and it was amazing with the beer we paired. Thank you.
So glad you liked it!
Made last night and loved it. I didn’t have capers so just made a soy dipping sauce and the flavors worked so well.
Oh, a soy dipping sauce sounds perfect. So glad you liked it.
This is awesome
Thanks Mary! 🙂
Now this is my kind of game day food Alida! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Thanks Mary Ann! You’re going to love it!