Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots
These Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots are a perfect way to eat your vegetables served as a delicious healthy snack! You can also serve cauliflower tots for a side dish; see ideas in this post for main dishes that will taste great with them!
PIN Cauliflower Tots to try them later!
Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots were inspired by an idea I saw on Pinterest. And when we were experimenting with the recipe, we loved the idea of a snack with cauliflower held together with cheese! And this is a healthier low-carb cauliflower version of one of my favorite childhood treats.
But it took me four tries to make what I thought was a perfect recipe for Cauliflower Tots. I wanted them to have lots of cheesy taste but still a bit of cauliflower flavor, and to be slightly crisp from the oven. After a few tries, I bought a mini muffin pan to make them all the same shape. And using a one tablespoon scoop helped me get them all the same size.
Partly cooking the cauliflower before we chopped it in the food processor also gave better results. We drained the chopped cauliflower to keep the tots as crisp as we could get them. And when we tested this final version of cauliflower tots, Jake and I agreed they were delicious. I hope you try the recipe if you also loved tater tots as a child!
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What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.)
- cauliflower
- sharp cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Almond Flour (affiliate link)
- Vege-Sal (affiliate link) or salt
- Spike Seasoning (affiliate link)
- black pepper
- egg
What are Cauliflower Tots?
These tots made with cauliflower and cheese are a variation of Tater Tots, a famous American fast food item that’s a favorite with kids everywhere! And I confess they’re one of those kid-friendly foods that I used to get occasionally from the school cafeteria when I was a teacher.
Will people who don’t eat cauliflower like the Cauliflower Tots?
My nephew Jake was cooking with me when I made the keeper version of this recipe, and he’s NOT a cauliflower fan! But Jake kept nibbling on them until he had eaten pretty much the entire batch, commenting on how good they were. So even if your family is a suspicious of cauliflower, you might get them to like the cauliflower tots!
How to keep Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots from sticking in the pan:
The only issue I’ve had with this recipe is that sometimes the tots want to stick in the pan. In the recipe I emphasize spraying very well with non-stick spray, and also using a knife to loosen them when you turn them over.
Can you make the Cauliflower Tots with cauliflower rice?
I haven’t tried making Cauliflower Tots with fresh or frozen cauliflower rice. The chopped cauliflower we used was more coarsely chopped, so that could impact the cooking time. But there are notes in the comments from people who have made them with cauliflower rice! Please share your results if you try it too.
How low in carbs are these Cauliflower Tots?
If you divide this recipe into four servings like we did, each serving has only 3 net carbs with 7 grams of protein!
How to Make Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.
- Coarsely chop up 1/2 large head of cauliflower.
- Put cauliflower in a bowl and cover the bowl with cling-wrap. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes. (If there’s water in the bottom of the bowl, drain the cauliflower before you put it into the food processor.)
- Process the cauliflower using the steel blade in the food processor until it’s finely chopped. (Be careful not to over process; it should be slightly chunky.)
- Drain it again if you see any water in the bottom food processor.
- Put back in the bowl and stir in sharp cheddar, coarsely grated Parmesan, Almond Flour (affiliate link), Vege-Sal (affiliate link), Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), and black pepper. Mix until it’s well-combined.
- Then add one egg and mix until the mixture is mostly all coated with egg.
- Spray Mini Muffin Pan (affiliate link) very well with non-stick spray. Use a One Tablespoon Scoop (affiliate link) to get rounded scoops of the mixture and put in the muffin pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Loosen under the tots with a knife and then carefully turn each one over.
- Put back into the oven and bake about 15 minutes on the other side.
- Here’s how they looked after the second 15 minutes of baking. Serve them hot.
- Jake and I ate every one of the cauliflower tots, and they were great right out of the oven.
- I doubt these would reheat that well, but I haven’t ever had any leftover to try it.
Serve as part of a Low-Carb Meal:
You can eat the cauliflower tots as a snack, but for a low-carb meal serve with any of these main dishes that don’t need the oven:
- Air Fryer Fish Sticks
- Garlic, Lemon, and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce
- Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Breasts
More Cheesy Cauliflower Recipes:
If you’re a fan of the popular combination of cauliflower + cheese, you might like Low-Carb Twice-Baked Cauliflower, Instant Pot Loaded Cauliflower Soup, or Cauliflower Roasted with Parmesan.
Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots
These Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots are great for a bite-sized snack or a delicious side dish! And everyone who loved tater tots as a child will love this low-carb version!
Ingredients
- 1/2 large head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 T almond flour
- 1/2 tsp. Vege-Sal or slightly less regular salt
- 1/2 tsp. Spike Seasoning or other all-purpose seasoning blend
- fresh-ground black pepper to taste
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- Spray a Mini Muffin Pan that makes 24 muffins (affiliate link) with non-stick spray. (Spray very well!)
- Cut away the leaves of the cauliflower, but use most of the inner core part.
- Coarsely chop the cauliflower, place in a micro-wave proof bowl, cover with cling wrap, and microwave 2 minutes on high. (Microwaves can vary so you may need to experiment with the time, but the cauliflower should be just slightly soft.)
- Quickly take off the cling-wrap and let the steam escape, and if you see any water in the bottom of the bowl, put the cauliflower into a colander and let the water drain off.
- Put the steel blade in the food processor, add the cauliflower, and pulse until the cauliflower is finely chopped but still slightly chunky. (Be careful not to over process so you don’t end up with cauliflower puree!)
- If there is any water in the food processor bowl, drain the cauliflower again in the colander.
- Put finely chopped cauliflower into a bowl and add the sharp cheddar, coarsely grated Parmesan, almond flour, Vege-Sal or salt, Spike Seasoning (or other seasoning of your choice), and fresh-ground black pepper.
- Stir until ingredients are well-combined.
- Add the egg and stir until the ingredients are mostly coated with egg. (You might be tempted to add another egg, but don’t. You’ll be surprised how well this sticks together.)
- Use a One Tablespoon Cookie Scoop (affiliate link) or a steel one-tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop out rounded spoonfuls of the mixture and place it in the mini muffin pan.
- Bake 15 minutes.
- Carefully turn each cauliflower tot over in the muffin tin and bake 15 minutes more, or until tots are nicely browned on both sides.
- Serve hot; these are best served right out of the oven.
Notes
We used Almond Flour (affiliate link), as well as Vege-Sal (affiliate link) and Spike Seasoning (affiliate link).
You can substitute another all-purpose seasoning blend that tastes good with cauliflower if you don't have Spike Seasoning. Use a slightly smaller amount of regular salt if you don't have Vege-Sal.
Nutritional information based on 6 cauliflower tots serving size.
This recipe developed by Kalyn with inspiration from other versions of Cauliflower Tots seen on Pinterest.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 111Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 47mgSodium 305mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Cauliflower tots are a great snack or side for low-carb diets, including Keto. Cauliflower is also a perfect food for the original South Beach Diet, but South Beach would recommend reduced-fat cheese. Use full-fat cheese for Keto or low-carb diets.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe for cheesy cauliflower tots was posted in 2014 and it’s been very popular ever since! It was last updated with more information in 2026.
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172 Comments on “Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Tots”
Could I use fresh or frozen riced cauliflower ?
I haven’t tried that myself. On Facebook some people have reported using that, but I can’t verify that it works. Love to know if you try it.
First time I made these I used too much cauliflower. Didn’t have much flavor. Second time I made them used less cauliflower and added some smoked paprika and garlic powder too and they turned out great. Will keep this recipe for sure.
I’m glad that worked for you!
What can i use in place of eggs ?
Sorry I can’t help you but I haven’t made this without eggs and don’t have any experience substituting for them. Maybe google can help?
Instead of eggs you can use a jar of squash baby food.
Debbie, thanks for trying to help, but I wish I could confirm you have actually done this yourself. I also want to mention that will make it quite a bit higher in carbs, but some people may not care about that.
I am going to make this today for sure. Probably a spicy version. 🙂 Just to let others know 1 lb cauliflower will make 4 cups riced. 1 large head is about 2.5 lb, 1 small is 1 lb or so.
Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the info!
My goodness, they are delicious and no problem with sticking. Used plenty of butter to the muffin pan. Added Cajun seasoning. Thank you.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it. I like the idea of Cajun Seasoning.
These were delicious. I just baked then as cookies on parchment paper and that kept them from sticking. Also they reheat very well in an air fryer at 400 for about 8 minutes.
So glad you liked it. And thanks for the tip about reheating; I hadn’t tried that.
I made these last night as a side dish with some Orange Roughy and they were delicious! My wife said “Wow, I could eat these every night!”
I did make them with frozen cauliflower rice, about 1/2 a bag of the bags I get from Costco. I didn’t measure the amount, it made 20 tots and we would have eaten four more if we had them!
I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful recipes here and on the Slow Cooker/Instant Pot site. I have a notebook full of Kalyn recipes and we eat at least one or two meals from that book every week!
Thank You So Much for all you do!
Bill O.
Hi Bill,
Thanks so much for that very kind feedback! So glad you are enjoying the recipes! And I do appreciate knowing that this recipe worked great with frozen cauliflower rice. I buy that one at Costco too!
Followed instructions to the letter. Oiled pan very well with olive oil but they stuck so bad I tossed the lot of it in the trash, including my mini pan!
Sorry to hear that. I wish I had some clue about why they stick so badly for some people and that doesn’t happen for others. I think it has to be partly due to what the pan is made of. However, my recipe says “non-stick spray” which is what I used, not olive oil. But whatever the reason I’m sorry this happened for you.
It’s a good recipe but I wish the measurement for the riced cauliflower was on the recipe, I used about 2 cups I also added onion flakes and parsley and I used a silicone muffin pan it made it simple to turn them. Before I returned them to the oven I took a square of butter and rubbed it on top of each one of them and then sprinkle a little garlic salt and then thrown back in the oven they were great thank you for the recipe
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. If you look at the date you’ll see I made this first in 2014, long before riced cauliflower was even available. So I don’t have that measurement.
gostei muito da sua receita, mais gostaria que você me esclareça uma coisa, andei dando uma olhada nos meus ingredientes aqui.
e vi que só tenho um queijo, e nem sei qual seria
tem algum problema eu usar apenas um uncio queijo?
parabens pela receita
I can’t answer questions that aren’t in English. Sorry, but I just don’t have time to offer that service.
Olá. Deve estar tudo bem usar apenas um tipo de queijo nesta receita. Eu usaria um pouco mais de 1/2 xícara de qualquer tipo de queijo que você tenha disponível.
it was actually a complimentary message for you and a question. For future reference, you can copy the text and type “translate” into Google and there you have it. The message was in Portuguese and she asked if it’s OK to only use 1 type of cheese, as she only had one type. It only takes less than a minute to use Google translate.
I know how to use Google translate. But I am working on the blog and answering questions all day long. There has to be a limit to what I can do, and translating comments is just not something I’m going to spend time doing. I don’t mean to be unhelpful, but there have to be limits.
Great recipe! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you
Glad to hear it was a hit for you.
Okay, I did something wrong. Mine were a crumbly mess. Did not hold together. Are you sure I don’t need 2 eggs?
It worked fine for me with one egg, and I didn’t want the flavor to be eggy. Sorry you had problem, but without watching you make them it’s hard for me to diagnose what went wrong. You can certainly try another egg. Also I’d be sure the mixture is sticking together when you turn them, and if not press them down in the muffin cups as you turn. Hope your second try will go better!
If I were to use frozen riced cauliflower, how much would I use to equal half a head of fresh cauliflower?
Sorry I don’t know the answer to that. If I was going to guess I’d say half a head of rice cauliflower is about 1 1/2 cups, but that is completely a guess. Maybe try googling it?
2 T how much is that ?! Almond flour !!
Two tablespoons.
Which mini muffin pan did you use again? The links don’t work. The cookie scoop link does work, though. Thanks! It looks delicious!
Thanks for catching that. I fixed the link and edited to say I used a Mini Muffin Pan that makes 24 muffins. I looked at mine and it says “Commercial” so I may have bought it at a restaurant supply store, but I saw several on Amazon that look good. Hope you enjoy!
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I have made this recipe twice and my husband and i both love them. We dip them in BBQ sauce. They are very quick and easy to make. I want to take this to a 4th of July party.. would you know if it would be ok to leave these out on the picnic table for everyone to share, or do they need to be kept on ice out there?
Thanks
So glad you’re enjoying them! I wouldn’t leave them sitting out for hours and hours, but I don’t think an hour or two will matter; everything in them is fully cooked.
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Thank you! I really appreciate it!
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Wow so easy and they look amazing. Thank you, will try.
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Yum! These cauli tots turn out perfectly everytime I make them!
Glad you have enjoyed them!
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Cauliflower tots Takes longer to prep and don’t use muffin pan. Good flavor. Used mrs dash because did not have veggie sal. Turned out well. Have made twice. Added slightly more spice 2nd time around.
Feel free to adapt any way that works for you. Glad you’re enjoying it!
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Looks like I need to go shopping for a mini muffin pan. Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try this one.
Hope you enjoy!
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1/2 a head is how many cups?
I didn’t measure it that way, sorry. When I asked Google “how many cups chopped cauliflower in a head of cauliflower” it said 3-4 cups, and looking at my photos it looks like about 2 cups to me, but that’s the closest I can tell you. I don’t think it has to be an exact measurement.
Wow…I REALLY wanted these to work. Pretty much, they’re a mess. I think my scoop is a tablespoon and a half, though. I think maybe I should have rubbed butter into my mini cupcake pan. I think I should have squeezed the cauliflower. I’ll try them again, but MAN, I wanted them to work out. (they didn’t) They stuck, and were pretty wet, and I think, too big.
Yes, definitely you need something like nonstick spray or butter to keep them from sticking. I don’t think larger amounts will work either, and they cauliflower can’t be wet or they’ll just be soggy. I hope you do try again. Read through the comments to see things that helped other people.
These look just so yummy! Am on the road but I’ll try this when I get home (in a couple of months-LOL!). I love cauliflower, anyway, but this recipe would be a real treat!
Hope you enjoy Cheryl!
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Oh, and both my husband and I looooooovvve them! Wonderful even cold. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed! I am intrigued by your ingredients!
I used frozen bagged cauliflower sweet potato. Opened bag, microwaved 3 minutes. Expected to drain but nothing. Fine chop 1/2 onion. Seasoned with salt, pepper. Otherwise the same. Used ice cream scoop (light). Worked great in heavy nonstick muffin tin. SMall muffin tin did not cook well and stuck.
Can these be frozen in batches and then popped in oven from frozen to reheat? Would be great to make in large batches for sides for lunches or dinner.
I’m guessing they would freeze well, since the cauliflower is slightly pre-cooked but I haven’t actually tried it. Would love to hear how it works if you try it!
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Help! I was actually looking for your zucchini tots recipe, but it looks almost the same. Is that right?
Hi Janet,
Actually I don't have a recipe for Zucchini Tots. You might be thinking of the blog Skinnytaste; I know she has one that's good.
These were yummy, I cooked them in silicon cup cake mold's sprayed with a little oil, too easy! Thank you 🙂
Love that idea; so glad you liked them!
Has anyone tried freezing them and had them be okay?
I haven't done it, but I am guessing the cooked ones would freeze pretty well. I would put something like waxed paper between them if you make more than one layer. Let me know how it works, would love to hear!
Perfect recipe, the tots came out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I used a bag of frozen riced cauliflower from Trader Joe's, blanched almond flour from Trader Joes, and the spices I used were garlic salt, thyme, pepper and parsley. Followed remaining instructions. Total winner. Thank you, Kalyn, I love your recipes. 🙂
So glad! I love the idea of using frozen cauliflower!
Susan, did you use the entire Trader Joe’s bag of cauliflower rice for this recipe? Thank you, Susan!
Not sure she will see the comment, but I am guessing a bag of cauliflower rice is more than 1/2 a head of chopped cauliflower.
Hi, about how much cauliflower did it make after putting it through the food processor? Would you say about 2 cups?
I wish I had measured that, will try to remember to do it when I make them again. The bowl pictured is quite large; I'd say it's closer to 3 cups but not completely sure.
Hi there! I tried your recipe today and the kids and I really enjoyed it! Also — I skipped the microwave step and went right to "ricing" the cauliflower. Everything turned out beautifully and it had a nice texture, very similar to standard tots. I used a bit of olive oil quickly brushed into each muffin compartment and had no sticking whatsoever. Also, I don't happen to have a mini muffin tin so I used a regular — gently tamped down the tots to about 1/3 full in each muffin hole, and it made exactly 12! I stuck to your timing (15 min each side). Turning them was easy once I got the hang of it; a regular spoon worked well to help me get enough leverage to flip them. Great recipe – thanks!
Interesting; now I want to try it that way!
I made these this morning.. Wow are they delicious! It was minutes and they were all eaten. Our 8 year old scarfed them down! Thanks for sharing great recipes.
So glad you enjoyed them!
This is totally on my Superbowl menu!
Thanks Janice; hope you enjoy!
Could they be made ahead and baked later.
I am guessing yes, but I haven't done it so I can't say for sure. If you kept them in the fridge, you'd probably need to let them come to room temperature before you cook or the baking time will be way off.
I followed the directions to a T on this recipe and the tots never crisped up and didn't even want to come out of the tin. very frustrating as this was the main side dish for our dinner and I'm on a lo-carb diet.
Sorry to hear they didn't work for you. As you can see from the comments, many other people besides me have made them successfully, so I'm not sure what happened. Maybe the temperature of your oven or the kind of metal your pan was made of might be a factor?
My mini muffin tin was in the sink, so just put them on a foil lined cookie sheet. The mix was a little hard to work with as I don't have a cookie scoop. Sprayed my TBSP with Pam and they just dropped right out when turned over. They came out sooo good. Some salt and a little ketchup on each. The taste is awesome…tasted almost like a raw potato when grated for hash browns. Nice crunch to the outside. These are definitely going to be a staple in my house!
So glad you enjoyed them Jill!
Can I use frozen cauliflower for this? And if so, how much would I use? These look so good.
Sorry but I haven't made it with frozen cauliflower so I don't know how it would work or how much to use. You might look through the comments and see if anyone else has tried it.
I made these today and they are insanely delicious! I put some raw almonds in my blender to grind to a fine powder since I did not have 'almond flour' at home and it turned out perfect. After one batch was done it was so wonderful I immediately made another batch. My husband will not eat caulflower at all so I did not tell him this was a caulflower recipe and he RAVED about it and wanted MORE! We are on a low carb, low calorie diet and this is THE BEST snack recipe we have tried. I will be making it for guests, parties and just for snacks around the house. Thank You!!!
So glad to hear they were a hit!
Could you please post the nutritional values?
For a variety of reasons (including the fact that it's very hard to accurately calculate serving sizes and I already spend 8-10 hours on every recipe) that's something I'm not planning to do, But if you look after the recipe there's a link where you can enter the recipe and calculate it yourself.
These were wonderful! Thanks!
Glad to hear you liked them!
Epic fail! They all stuck to my pan and I had sprayed it well with coconut oil spray. Very sad!
Sorry to hear that. I've had very bad luck with coconut oil spray myself. In fact I threw away the can after I used about half of it and went back to the Costco spray (which I'm sure isn't as healthy, but it works)
Hard to know on this if it was that or your pan, but they did work for me and also for other people, as you can see from the comments.
Kalyn…found this recipe on Pinterest and it looks great! I was just wondering how cooked the cauliflower gets in the microwave and if you could use another cooking method like steaming? I don't typically like to use the microwave if I can avoid it. Thanks so much in advance and I am hoping that I can get my kiddos to eat this one!
The cauliflower is still a bit chewy after you microwave because it will get more cooked when the tots are baked. I don't know how much time that will take but I'm sure steaming will work. Be sure to drain it well after you steam. Hope the kids like them!
What flour could I use in place of almond flour? I'm allergic
I haven't tested with other flours, so I can't say for sure how they will work. But I used almond flour to keep it low-carb. If that's not an issue for you, I'd just use a little regular flour. Something like quinoa flour would probably work too.
Coconut flour worked fine.
Kathleen, good to know, thanks!
I made these over the weekend and we loved them! I stayed true to the original recipe with 2 exceptions: first, I substituted Italian seasoning for the Spike seasoning and second, I baked them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, since we're between houses and I don't have my mini muffin tins with me. Both changes worked well–shaping the tots and putting them on a baking sheet definitely added a little up-front time, but they were very easy to flip over, so it probably makes up for it there.
I also saw someone asking if these freeze well and I can say that yes, they do! The texture changes a bit (I guess you'd say they're a bit more rubbery, but not to the point where they're unappetizing), but they're still just as tasty. I heat them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350ºF.
Hi Kiersten,
Thanks for all the info and your report on what worked for you. I'd have to make a double batch in order to have any to freeze!
Hi Kalyn, love, love, love your website – I've been reading for couple of years now and you never disappoint. I really want to try these cauliflower tots but I only have a six-muffin pan (for regular sized muffins) Can I put the tot mixture into those—will the baking time increase? sorry if this is a silly question – i'm still a bit of a novice!
Hi Sarah; glad you are enjoying the site! I am honestly not sure how it would work to cook the mixture in larger muffin pans. For sure they'd take longer to cook because the mixture would be thicker. But what makes these good is the way they're browned so well on both sides, and the thick pieces might not have that quality. Maybe worth a try though. Or maybe try cooking them as small loose tots, smashed down a bit, on a cookie sheet. Let me know if you find a way that works.
Made these tonight with pepper jack cheese. My wife and I loved them!!!!!!!!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
There's no reason to use reduced-fat cheese, *generally* speaking. I know the guy who created the South Beach Diet is a cardiologist, but so was Dr. Atkins, and I'm with Dr. Atkins on this one–animal fat is not bad for you, not even dairy fat. If you're going to cut fats, cut non-tropical seed, nut, and legume oils out of your diet ("vegetable oil" is actually soybean oil, from a legume) and never eat synthetic hydrogenated or trans fats at all (like Crisco).
Now, I said *generally*. In this case I would agree that using reduced-fat Cheddar is a good idea. Why? Because Cheddar gets oily when you melt it. That's not an effect you want in your cheesy tots.
But if you should get it into your head to experiment with some other cheese, go ahead and get the normal cheese. If you really want some nutritional bang for your buck, and you live in a major city, look and see if you can find grass-fed cheese. That will make the most ridiculously nutritious "tots" you have ever eaten.
I strongly believe everyone gets to make their own food choices. Sounds like you are doing that.
Hi Kalyn, this recipe sounds like an amazing and healthy substitute for tator tots (a favorite of mine and my husband's). I did wonder if perhaps after putting them in the mini muffin pan you could freeze them that way, put them in a freezer bag, and then perhaps bake them later? I like to try cooking in bulk as much as I can over the weekend, that way there's less cooking during the week after an 8-hour shift. 🙂 What do you think?
~Amy
Amy truthfully I'm not sure how that will work but I'd love to hear if you try it.
So I made this yesterday and mine were all stuck as well and I used plenty of cooking spray….hard to get them out to flip—-:( Good idea, though
I have to think the difference must be what the mini-muffin pan is made out of; wish I knew what mine was made out of. It says "Commercial II" on the pan, but I'm not sure if that's the brand.
We love this recipe and the many variations we have invented ( tonight's had thai chile added to them). The problem I find is flipping them over at the midway point. Am I doing something wrong? they seem to break apart so easily. At the end they are lovely and pop right out of the pan, but the mid way flip klls quite a few. We love your recipes!
Hi Nora,
So glad you're enjoying the recipes. I'm puzzled about why you (and also Stephanie right above) are having so much trouble with them sticking? The only thing I can think of is use more non-stick spray. Maybe cook a little longer before you flip them. I don't think my mini-muffin pan is anything out of the ordinary, but mine come out easily.
Any tricks to turning them over? Do you dump them out? I tried to scoop them out but left too much yummy bits behind. Making them for Passover and replace Matzah meal for the Almond flour. Very tasty!
Stephanie, maybe you need more non-stick spray? I don't dump them out, and if they don't come out easily when I try to turn then I use a spoon to go underneath and lift it out. But mine didn't stick much.
Love how you have adapted the recipe for Passover; good idea! But maybe the extra oil from the almond meal helps them not stick? I am not sure, hope you can get it to work.
I'm always trying to find ways to sneak more veggies into our meals, so although I'm not a fan of cauliflower I've been considering this recipe for a while. Tonight I finally tried them out, and while my 4 yr old wasn't fooled my 8 yr old thought they were delicious! They definitely still have a cauliflower taste, but they're small enough and crispy enough and have enough cheese that I happily snacked on them till they were gone (had to share with the kids, too). I'm sure I'll be making these every couple weeks for our family. Great recipe! Thanks for helping me get more veggies in!
Cristin, so glad you enjoyed them!
Can it use full fat cheese
Yes full fat cheese will work fine.
Shayna, sorry to hear that. I do think the grated Parmesan is more "sticky" when it melts and probably holds them together in a way that the shaker parmesan won't do. And maybe try really spraying the pan well with non-stick spray?
I made,these last night and we loved them but they stuck to the pan and fell apart. I had to use sprinkle parmesan cheese and now I think that is why…
Sorry but I don't have any experience substituting for eggs.
I don’t eat eggs. Any suggestions for substitution?
Hi Kalyn – I'm new to your site – just discovered it the other day and I'm in love!!
I know you said that you didn't think they would reheat well, but I wonder why? To me, it seems like they would do fine in a toaster oven at a high heat for a few minutes to crisp them back up.
Wondering if anyone has tried freezing them. I was thinking about freezing them on a cookie sheet, then bagging them up. Thought maybe they could be reheated from frozen (like you would with frozen "real" tater tots.) Has anyone tried this?
Blondie, feel free to do that if it's helpful for you. Mine was not that wet.
I think if you treat it like spinach, put it in a clean cotton towel and squeeze the moisture out of it; it would be easier to work with.
Marijka, I wish that was an option, but it's not possible on Blogger.
I was planning to print this to try next week, but really wish the 'printer friendly version' included a photo like I've seen on other sites. I've got no clue if it's the blog hosting software that controls this feature, but please consider adding this if possible. As it is, I'm having to copy the text and the photo into a word processing doc to make my own. I absolutely don't mind doing this for the wonderful recipes you share – the problem is that you have SO MANY! 🙂
The flavor was great, will try again soon. Thank you
Cherie, no way for me to know, but it's mostly the cooking that melts the cheese and other ingredients together that keeps them together, so if you handled them much before they were cooked that could be why. Maybe give it another try!
Mine didn't hold together well, what did I do wrong ?
So glad you liked it and good to hear it worked without the almond flour. I really like Spike as a seasoning; usually sold near health foods.
I made these tonight and omitted the almond flour and they turned wonderfully! I also subbed the spike seasoning w salt/pepper/seasoning salt. It needed it bit more spice for our liking so I may need to hunt down the spike seasoning you mention. It's my first time trying cauliflower. I have snubbed it for a long time based on how it looked. Ha! We will definitely make this again!!
Thanks Jean, I hope you enjoy!
Kalyn, these look terrific! I don't eat tater tots, but these little beauties are going on my to-do list!
Anastasia, I haven't tried it with silicone muffin pan so I don't really know if the results will be different. I'm guessing it will work though.
Amazing!I love your recype and will prepare it soon!Is great!
Can I use a silicone mufin forms?
thanks
Pille, so glad you enjoyed them! And good to know that turning them over might be optional. Tater tots are usually deep-fried (which is why they're so delicious) but these are a tasty alternative that's healthier.
Kalyn, I've made these (or something inspired by these) twice now during the last few days, both in mini muffin tins and in regular. I only use microwave to heat milk for hot chocolate, so I simply cooked the cauliflower florets in salted water and drained thoroughly (worked perfectly well; there's no salad spinner in the house). Used some Estonian shredded cheese, and a teaspoonful of hot sweet chilli sauce.
I forgot to flip them over. I have never had tater tots, so cannot compare if they're similar or not, but these were some lovely cheese and cauliflower nibbles, for sure 🙂
Thanks Karen, hope you enjoy!
YAY! I'm so happy you finally got it right. I will be making these soon 🙂
Cicily, Ziplist won't work right unless you're on that specific recipe (not the home page.) If you click the recipe title to open that page then you'll be able to save it.
James, thanks for the nice feedback. Glad you're enjoying the site. I store almond meal (and all my nuts, flour, rice, oatmeal, etc.) in the freezer. I recommend that if you can make room. (I have a big freezer in my garage; I know I'm spoiled!)
I have them all ready in the pan. Just waiting their turn for the oven. LOVE your site. I cook MANY of your recipes. I have a question. Never used Almond Flour until today. How do you store it? It says that is expires 2/15 will it really last that long once open? Thanks for all you do on this site!!
Barb, so glad you like it. I don't think I've had tater tot casserole, but I think these would work. I'd cook them a little less initially so they don't get too brown on the casserole.
Another great sounding recipe Kalyn…thank you. I wonder if these would work for Tater Tot Casserole, using these instead of TaterTots on top of the casserole.
Roseanne, so glad they were a hit for you!
I wasn't so sure about these, but thought I would give them a try. I followed the directions exactly and mine looked picture perfect! The best thing is my carboholic husband and picky daughter both LOVED these. Thank you Kalyn for a wonder recipe!
Becky, so glad you enjoyed them, and thank you VERY much for the tips. I love hearing how people make a recipe work for what they have or prefer!
Kalyn! I made these last night and really enjoyed them. 🙂 They were so easy and fun to put together.
A few notes –
– I steamed my cauliflower in a steamer basket on the stove, worked great.
– I doubled the recipe and it worked perfectly.
– I didn't have Spike seasoning so I used Bragg's AP seasoning. It was good. (I need to pick up SPIKE!)
Thanks again for your great recipes. My husband and I love them and it helps me stay in check with a healthier diet. 🙂
You might be able to use a salad spinner with the cauliflower before it's chopped, but I wouldn't try it with the chopped cauliflower.
I don't know how it would work with flour; almond flour has more texture and flavor.
if you want to make sure there's no water left if you have to blanch it, put it in a salad spinner.
Can you use regular flour? we're not gluten free here…thanks!
I don't know; I've never tried it and they aren't that similar in flavor.
Can you substitute coconut flour for the almond flour?
I used flaxseed flour. In the oven now. Will let you know.
Curious about how that will work! Definitely will add nutrients.
Cyndi, Jake put some Sriracha on them, but I didn't think they needed a sauce.
Russ and Gretchen,
Thanks for supporting my site. However, I'm not willing to do that for a couple of reasons. First, of all, I can't go back and change all the old recipes (1800+ recipes) and if I change the formatting now people are going to ask me why it's not on the old recipes. Second, I know that more than half the people who use my site aren't South Beach Dieters, so I try to walk a fine line between supporting the SBD people and not annoying the others. And finally, it seems like it would not be too hard to just write on the printed recipe what phase it's for, have you tried that?
I love your recipes and copy them into my computer cookbook regularly.
However, would it be possible for you to include the South Beach notes in the "printer friendly" area.
I always use the printer friendly aspect of your recipe, but then have to go back and get the south beach notes and then I copy it all into the computer.
Thanks so much and keep up the great work.
Did you make a sauce to go with these? If not, what do you think might go well? Ranch? Ketchup? Marinara? Something else?
I worry a little about added water from blanching, but might work if you drain well. If you have a really good non-stick pan I might just try sauteeing the cauliflower. I haven't made them without microwaving so you'll have to experiment.
For those of us sans microwave, what do you suggest? Just blanching the chopped cauliflower until tender?
Looks delicious — definitely want to try these!
Joanne, when I used to teach school my favorite school lunch was a big bowl of tater tots! (That was years ago, of course, but so yummy.) Hope you try this, I really loved them!
Wow!! Well I do really love tater tots and I'm definitely up for trying a healthier version! Love how cheesy these are!