Cheesy cauliflower bites are the ultimate finger food! They’re low carb, super easy to make and reheat like a dream! Once you make them, I promise you’ll be hooked just like I am!
Why you’ll love these cheesy cauliflower bites:
Whether you like cauliflower or not, you’ll love these little bites! They’re golden and crispy on the outside, yet tender and cheesy on the inside. You can enjoy them as a quick snack, side or appetizer!
I like serving these little patty bites with a buffalo ranch dipping sauce, but you could serve them with marinara sauce, or a simple ketchup and mayo mixture. It’s completely up to your personal preference!
Ingredients you’ll need for easy cauliflower bites:
For the patties:
- Cauliflower: I prefer using whole head cauliflower, but frozen riced cauliflower may be substituted.
- Shredded cheese: I use a combination of cheddar and mozzarella. It’s the perfect combination for flavor and creaminess!
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs prevent the cauliflower bites from becoming dry. They absorb and lock in moisture!
- Egg: Adding the egg helps to bind the mixture together.
- Garlic and onion powder, dried parsley, smoked paprika, salt and pepper: For flavor
- Olive oil: For the pan.
For the dipping sauce:
- Ranch: I keep it easy and use Hidden Valley.
- Buffalo sauce: I use Franks Red Hot because lets face it- I put that s**** on everything!
My top tops for the best cheese and cauliflower bites:
- Make sure the cauliflower is steamed until fork tender and well drained before mixing and forming the little patties. This will help the bites hold together and ensures you aren’t adding too much moisture to the mixture.
- Lightly rub your palms with water or olive oil before forming the cauliflower patties to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Be generous when oiling your skillet. The olive oil is what’ll crisp the outside of the cauliflower bites and make them golden brown and delicious!
- Only flip the patties once while cooking. Let the first side become crispy, then flip them and let the other side crisp. The patties are tender on the inside so this will prevent them from falling apart!
How to make perfect cheesy cauliflower bites:
- Prep the cauliflower: If using a whole head of cauliflower- chop it into small pieces and steam until fork tender.
- Combine the ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained cauliflower, cheese, breadcrumbs, egg and seasonings.
- Form the patties: Lightly wet or oil your hands and form the cauliflower patties. I like pressing them into round patty shapes.
- Cook: You have a few options here: You can fry them in a skillet, bake them in an oven, or cook them in an air fryer. No matter which option you choose, you’ll want to drizzle them with olive oil to help them become crispy on the outside!
- Serve: Enjoy these warm with a dipping sauce of your choice. My go-to is a buffalo ranch!
You can pan fry, bake or air fry these cauliflower bites. My favorite method is to pan fry them but if you bake or air fry, set the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
How to reheat leftover cauliflower bites:
To reheat the patties, add them back into a skillet with a little oil or pop them in your air fryer for 5 minutes and you’ll be good to go! Enjoy!
FAQ:
Sure! An easy shortcut here would be using riced cauliflower. Just cook it per the instructions on the bag and continue with the recipe.
Yes! Any kind of “melty” cheese works for these. Use your favorite! Some options are shredded provolone, gruyere, monterey jack, swiss, muenster, etc.
Yes! Olive oil is what helps these cauliflower bites crisp up while cooking. If you want to use less oil, I recommend cooking them in the air fryer and spraying them with oil rather than drizzling it on.
Let them cool and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, add them to a skillet with a little oil or air fryer for about 5 minutes.
Cheesy Cauliflower Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower 12 oz bag of riced cauliflower can be substituted
- 3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, smoked paprika, and salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the dipping sauce:
- 1/2 cup ranch
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
Instructions
- Finely chop the cauliflower and steam for about 10 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can easily insert a fork into each piece. Drain well.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and drained cauliflower, cheeses, breadcrumbs, egg and seasonings. Mix well.
- Lightly wet or oil your hands and form the mixture into round patty shapes. There should be about 12.
- Over medium high heat, add oil to your frying pan and cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side (or until they're deeply golden brown).
- You can also bake or air fry these. Set the temperature to 400 degrees F and bake for about 15 minutes flipping halfway through.
- Mix together ranch and buffalo sauce for dipping. Serve alongside the cauliflower bites.
Oh MY, it looks great! Can’t wait to cook em this Sunday!
Thanks Sheila- they’re delicious! I hope you love them as much as I do!