Perfect for game day, or anytime you feel like a delicious keto snack, these tasty cauliflower tots are just as good as tater tots!
I'm always pleased when a low carb or keto dish that I make becomes a favorite not just with my husband and me, but with my kids too. They eat a higher-carb diet than we do, so pleasing them with a keto recipe is more challenging.
That's why I was so happy when they devoured these delicious, cheesy cauliflower tots (they also really like cauliflower mac and cheese, by the way). These cheesy bites are so very flavorful!
Better than broccoli
I started making them after my cheesy broccoli tots were such a hit. It occurred to me that I should make a version with cauliflower. So I did, and I think these are actually better than the broccoli ones.
This is probably because cauliflower is milder than broccoli and very similar to potatoes when cooked. So they make a truly wonderful keto alternative to tater tots.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make cauliflower tots. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Olive oil spray: A delicious oil and my favorite to use. But if you're unsure about cooking with it, you can use avocado oil instead.
Cauliflower florets: You can use fresh or frozen, though I prefer to use fresh cauliflower.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you might want to reduce the amount you use, or the tots could turn out too salty.
Spices: Garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Make sure they're fresh - a stale spice can easily ruin a dish.
Almond flour: An excellent flour substitute. I use blanched finely ground flour.
Shredded cheddar: I like to use sharp cheddar for its burst of flavor.
How to make keto cauliflower tots
Scroll down to the recipe card for the details. It's a super easy recipe because I mix everything in the food processor. Here are the basic steps:
First, I steam the cauliflower and drain.
Then I add it with spices, almond flour, and shredded cheddar to the food processor and process to combine.
I scoop the mixture into a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown. So easy!
Prefer a coarser texture?
Using the food processor makes this a very easy recipe. But it also means that the cauliflower bites are smooth. They don't have these little textured pieces that are typical to traditional tots.
I think they are wonderful! But if a coarser texture is important to you, you might want to chop the cauliflower very finely by hand and to mix the ingredients by hand rather than use the food processor.
How to serve keto cauliflower tots
I usually serve them as a side dish, but they are also great as an appetizer or a snack. Needless to say, they are perfect for game day!
My kids love dipping them in ketchup. I like them dipped in spicy sour cream (¼ cup sour cream plus 1 teaspoon chipotle hot sauce).
When I serve these cauliflower bites as a side dish, I like to serve them with a main dish that I can bake in the same 400-degree oven, such as:
More cauliflower recipes that you might enjoy
Every time I cook this vegetable, I'm amazed at how wonderfully versatile it is.
It's such a gift to low-carbers because we get to enjoy dishes that are very close to old favorites (cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, cauliflower pizza crust) without paying the health price of a diet high in refined carbs.
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Cauliflower Tots
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray
- 1 lb. cauliflower florets , fresh or frozen
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup blanched finely ground almond flour (4 oz)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (4 oz)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and spray them with olive oil.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add ¼ cup water. Cover and microwave on high until tender, stirring midway through cooking. Frozen florets will need a total cooking time of about 7 minutes. Fresh florets will need a total cooking time of about 5 minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower florets well and place on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Add them to your food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Add the eggs, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to the food processor bowl. Process to combine.
- Add the almond flour and the cheddar and process until well combined.
- If a coarse texture is important to you, chop the cauliflower very finely by hand and mix the ingredients by hand instead of using the food processor.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheets. Each baking sheet should have 12 mounds, evenly spaced. Gently flatten them, just a little, with the back of a spoon.
- Spray the tots with olive oil spray. Bake until the bottoms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Flip to the other side, gently flatten some more, spray with more oil, and bake until set, about 10 more minutes. Serve immediately.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 