Transform steamed cauliflower into these tasty and healthy loaded cheesy cauliflower bites with kale! They’re a fun and easy way to incorporate some extra veggies for the whole family, but they’re an exceptional option for baby-led weaning or as a finger food for toddlers! Serve them warm or cold or with or without a dipping sauce. Either way, they taste great! (Low carb, keto, gluten-free & vegetarian)
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Baked Crispy Cauliflower Bites
If you’re looking for a new way to incorporate veggies, these cheesy cauliflower bites will be your new best friend! They are such a delicious side dish and a great way to get some extra veggies into your family’s weekly menu.
Plus, they’re EASY to make and one batch makes enough to freeze for leftovers later on. The best part is, these tater tots are not only popular with the kids, adults love them too!
If you’re looking for more veggie tot recipes, be sure to also check out my Broccoli Cheese Tater Tots and Sweet Potato Tots!
Why We Love This Cauliflower Bites Recipe
- Loaded with fiber-rich and nutrient dense ingredients, like cauliflower and kale
- Formulated by a Registered Dietitian to be a nutrient-rich side dish, snack or appetizer for all ages
- Tastes hearty and cheesy, not like veggies! (picky eater approved)
- Only takes a few minutes of effort
- Made with a handful of simple ingredients
- Easy to meal prep & freezer-friendly
- Perfect for baby-led weaning and toddlers
- Naturally lower-carb
Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower is very nutrient-dense. It’s high in fiber and antioxidants, while also being also low in carbs and calories. Due to its soft texture when steamed, it forms the perfect base for these tots. I used fresh cauliflower, but you could also sub in cooked or frozen pre-riced cauliflower if you want to avoid chopping.
- Kale: Even the kale haters won’t notice it in this recipe! It’s the perfect way to get in some extra leafy greens. You could also sub in finely chopped spinach if preferred.
- Cheese: I used a combination of sharp cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese in these tots so they are super cheesy and extra flavorful, almost like pizza bites. They also work with mozzarella cheese, shredded gruyere, and other good melting cheeses.
- Egg: To bind the ingredients together. You could try using a chia or flax egg if you need to make these egg-free.
- Almond flour: I used almond flour to incorporate some extra healthy fats, but you can also use regular or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Seasonings: I used a combination of oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper to add some extra flavor. You could also add Italian seasoning if you wanted to switch up the flavors.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Place the cauliflower florets into a steamer basket and cook over high heat until tender and soft enough to mash, about 15-20 minutes. Once the florets are cooked, set them aside to cool.
- Mash the cooked cauliflower in a mixing bowl until it’s evenly mashed. You can use either a potato masher or a food processor.
- Take 3 cups of the mashed cauliflower and add it to a large mixing bowl, and then add the finely chopped kale, cheese, egg, almond flour, and spices.
- Mix until well combined.
- Scoop approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of this mixture using your hands and gently press between your palms to form the shape of a tater tot, about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
- Place the tot on the prepared baking sheet, and then repeat with the remaining mixture. Brush each tot with olive oil.
- Place in the oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 25-30 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, once the bottom side is golden brown.
Expert Tips
- Once the cauliflower is steamed, you can either mash it with a potato masher in a large bowl or toss it into the food processor. I found that it was easier to just toss it into the food processor to get a more even consistency, but either option works.
- If you find that the cauliflower kale mixture is too wet, add some extra almond flour (or sub in bread crumbs).
- For even crispier tots, you can make them even smaller (half the size).
- Be very careful when flipping the tater tots since they may stick a bit to the parchment paper. I like to use a thin spatula to get underneath them and gently nudge them off the pan.
- Allow the tots to cool for several minutes before removing them from the pan as this will give them a few minutes to firm up.
How to Store
You can store leftover cauliflower bites in the fridge in an airtight container for up to five days.
To freeze: If you want to freeze these tots for later, place them in a freezer-safe bag before baking and remove any excess air from the bag. Freeze for up to three months.
To cook tater tots from frozen:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes on one side. Carefully flip the cauliflower bites and bake for an additional 20 minutes on the other side.
How to Reheat
It’s highly recommended that you reheat these in the oven or air fryer since it will help them crisp up again. If reheated in the microwave, chances are they will get a bit mushy. They’ll still be tasty, but not as good as when reheated in the oven.
To reheat tater tots from the fridge:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the tots on a baking sheet (you may wish to cover them with aluminum foil). Bake for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. You could also broil them for a couple of minutes if you want to make them extra crispy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, especially when you make them from scratch….AND throw in some kale! The benefit of making your own veggie tots is that you can control exactly what’s going into them so they’re much lower in sodium and processed ingredients than the store-bought variety.
The cauliflower and kale are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals, while the almond flour incorporates some healthy fats. The cheese packs in some calcium and protein for the perfect little balanced bite! These tots are also a lower carb and gluten-free option so they meet a wide variety of dietary needs.
The kale needs to be small enough to eat easily in a bite. I recommend mincing the kale very finely with a large sharp knife or you can also toss it into the food processor and blend until finely chopped.
Right out of the oven, the cauliflower bites are still really delicate and tender. They need to rest for a few minutes to firm up.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve up these cauliflower veggie tots alone or pair them along with a dipping sauce. They’re especially tasty dipped in marinara sauce or ketchup, but you could also try them with ranch dressing using this low sodium ranch seasoning or tzatziki. For the grown-ups, try some hot sauce or sriracha mayo!
Recipe Variations
- To make dairy-free: Sub in a plant-based cheese.
- To make egg-free: Use a flax or chia egg. To make a flax or chia egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed or chia seeds. Add 3 tablespoons of water. Stir and allow mixture to sit for 5-10 minutes. Add it to the mixture like you would do with the egg.
- Vegetable substitutions: If you don’t want to use kale, you could also try subbing in finely chopped spinach. Feel free to add some fresh chives for a little extra brightness.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Low Carb Cauliflower Soup
- Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower
- Spinach Zucchini Frittata
- Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
- Crockpot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
- Healthy Zucchini Fritters
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Bites {Oven Baked & Crispy}
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower (about 6 cups chopped cauliflower)
- 1/2 cup very finely chopped kale
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup almond flour can also sub in bread crumbs if desired
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the cauliflower into florets. Place the cauliflower florets into a steamer basket and cook, over high heat, until tender and soft enough to mash, about 15-20 minutes. Once the florets are cooked, set them aside to cool.
- Mash the cooked cauliflower in a mixing bowl until it’s evenly mashed. You can use either a potato masher or a food processor.
- Take 3 cups of the mashed cauliflower and add it to a large mixing bowl, and then add the finely chopped kale, cheese, egg, almond flour, and spices.
- Scoop approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of the mixture and gently press between your palms to form the shape of a tater tot, about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Place the tot on the prepared baking sheet, and then repeat with the remaining mixture. Brush each tot lightly with olive oil.
- Place in the oven and bake until golden brown and crispy, about 25-30 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, once the bottom side is golden brown. Be careful when you flip them, as they may stick to the parchment paper.
- Allow to cool for several minutes so that they firm up. Serve plain or dipped in some marinara sauce or sauce of choice.
Notes
- Once the cauliflower is steamed, you can either mash it with a potato masher in a large bowl or toss it into the food processor. I found that it was easier to just toss it into the food processor to get a more even consistency, but either option works.
- You can chop up the kale very finely with a large sharp knife or you can also toss it into the food processor and blend until finely chopped.
- If you find that the cauliflower kale mixture is too wet, you can add some extra almond flour (or sub in bread crumbs).
- For even crispier tots, you can make them even smaller (half the size).
- Be very careful when flipping the tater tots since they may stick a bit to the parchment paper. I like to use a thin spatula to get underneath them and gently nudge them off the pan.
- Allow the tots to cool for several minutes before removing them from the pan as this will give them a few minutes to firm up.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in January 2019 but was updated to include better tips and photos in November 2024.
I’ve made these twice and although they taste good and my baby seemed to like them they keep coming out very mushy and falling apart. Should I add more flour? More egg?
Hmmm, sorry to hear that they turned out mushy. I’ve never had them fall apart before! I’m thinking that more flour might be needed since your cauliflower may be letting off more moisture. Hope they work out better next time!
Easy, healthy, and my son ate them! I couldn’t find cauliflower rice and I didn’t want to bother cooking fresh, so I got bags of frozen cauliflower florets. I microwaved it and then threw it in the food processor with the kale. (If you do this, you can estimate one pound of cauliflower equals roughly two cups of cauliflower rice.) I had two pounds so I ended up with four cups of cauliflower rice which threw my ratios off. I increased everything a bit and put two eggs in. I got 40 tots from doing this, but I would definitely make them at least half the size next time which I believe would make them crispier overall. Great recipe though!
That’s amazing, so happy your son enjoyed the cauliflower tots! I appreciate you sharing your modifications to the recipe using frozen cauliflower — that’s so helpful! Great idea to make them smaller as well. I’ll have to try that next time :)
Any suggestions for egg substitute? Have egg and dairy allergy!
So excited to try these! Do you think we could substitute the kale for spinach with the same results? That’s all we have on hand at the moment.
You can definitely sub in spinach for the kale! Hope you enjoy them! :)
One more question. How long will they last in the fridge, and can you freeze them?
You can keep them in the fridge for up to four days and beyond that I would freeze them in a ziplock bag or air-tight container. Once frozen, you can reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes or so or pop them in the microwave for about a minute.
Enjoy!!