These cauliflower bites are simple to make and require only 3 main ingredients: a couple of herbs and spices, and some time!
A perfect cheesy but sweet low carb, gluten-free snack and appetizer you can meal prep and freeze! This recipe is cauliflower re-invented. Gone are the days of flavorless, bland cauliflower.
You are really going to appreciate these cheesy cauliflower bites. They are delicious bite-sized snacks that are also low carb.
Adding cheese and a delicious herb blend make these bites tastier than some other cauliflower snacks you might find. On top of that, they’re simple to make and require only a few ingredients.
Each bite contains only 26 calories, which is perfect when you’re counting your calories. So, it’s a flavorful low-calorie low carb snack that you can meal prep and have with your favorite sauce!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Cauliflower florets (2 cups)
Mature cheddar cheese (1 cup, shredded)
Egg (1)
Oregano (1/4 tsp)
Garlic powder (1/4 tsp)
Salt and black pepper (a pinch)
Onion powder (1/4 tsp)
How to Make Cheesy Cauliflower Bites
Start by preheating the oven to 375F (175C).
Step 1. First, you will need to steam the cauliflower. You will want to make sure that the cauliflower florets are pretty similar in size. This will help them cook evenly in the same amount of time.
You can steam the cauliflower by using a metal steaming basket like this in a saucepan. This is a good tool to have when you are preparing a lot of vegetables. It will take a total of 8-10 minutes.
Step 2. Once it‘s cooked, transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Then, pulse the cauliflower in the food processor until it‘s cut up into fine crumbles. It should look like rice.
It‘s really important to remove all of the moisture from the cauliflower after it‘s processed. You can do this with your hands.
Step 3. Mix All the Ingredients. Then, pour the cauliflower into a large bowl. Now add cheese, break in the egg, and add herbs, spices, salt, and pepper.
Step 4. Mix everything with a spoon or spatula. Make sure that everything is evenly combined.
Step 5. Spray cooking oil into the mini muffin pan. This will ensure that the bites don‘t stick to it after they are baked.
Step 6. Form mini muffins. Scoop even proportions into the muffin pan. Use either a tablespoon or a cookie scoop. Once you fill up the muffin tin, press each bite down.
In this way, we‘ll flatten our bites out and make them look more consistent. On top of that, they‘ll cook evenly and get crispy edges.
Step 7. Bake the cauliflower bites for 12-15 minutes. Check to make sure that the center of each bite is firm before removing it from the oven.
Step 8. Let the cauliflower bites cool down before serving. They might fall apart if you try and take them out right away.
These are best when they are enjoyed warm. They also taste great with a dipping sauce. A sugar-free marinara sauce or sweet chili sauce might be just the choice!
Don‘t Have a Food Processor?
It‘s ok if you don‘t have a food processor. You can still get the cauliflower to the right consistency.
Here are some other options:
- Purchase cauliflower rice at the grocery store. This will be more expensive, but the product is already made for you.
- Use a large chef’s knife to cut the cauliflower up into small pieces. This will take more time (and will be a little messy!), but it works just as fine.
- A blender will work in the same way as a food processor.
- Carefully use a cheese grater to break the cauliflower down into rice-sized pieces.
Ways to Steam Cauliflower
Cauliflower tends to absorb a lot of the water, which means that our bites will end up soggy. So, boiling is a big no-no here.
Instead, try steaming your cauliflower in these ways:
- Use a Countertop Vegetable Steamer like this
- Use an Instant Pot like this
- Aluminum foil – Roll up a few small balls and place them on the bottom of a saucepan. This is going to elevate the cauliflower so that it‘s not submerged in the water.
- Microwave –Place 2-3 tablespoons of water in the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl. Place the cauliflower in the bowl and cover it with a plate or plastic wrap. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Can You Freeze These Cheesy Cauliflower Bites?
You can definitely freeze them! However, do it before baking. They might get soggy if you try to freeze them and thaw them once they‘re already baked.
So, instead, put the muffin pan with the mixture in the freezer. Then, pop each bite out once they are solid. Afterward, just freeze in a food container or a freezer bag.
Other Recipes You Might Like:
- Cheddar Cheese Bites
- Keto Egg Bites
- Bacon Egg Cups
- Cheese Chips with Jalapeno
- Pepperoni Zucchini Muffins
Watch Full Instructions
Cheesy Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup mature cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Grease mini muffin tins with oil.
- Steam cauliflower florets on a saucepan using a steaming basket. This should take around 8-10 minutes.
- Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it becomes like rice. When removing, squeeze to drain it. Squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Now, add cauliflower to a bowl, add in cheddar cheese, egg, oregano, onion, garlic, and salt with pepper.
- Mix until combined.
- Scoop out some into each muffin tin and flatten the mixture out. We want to create nice flat bites.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Make sure the middle of the bites has hardened up too.
- Let them cool down before serving. Have them with your favorite sauce!