Cauliflower Veggie Bites (Print)
Crunchy, cheesy cauliflower nuggets great for snack time. Oven-baked or air-fried for a lighter take on classic potato tots.
# Ingredients:
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1 large egg
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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2 medium heads of cauliflower, broken into florets
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1/4 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
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1/4 cup onion, chopped small
# Steps:
01 -
Set your oven to 350°F and give a nonstick baking sheet a good coating of cooking spray.
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Boil a big pot of salty water. Drop in the florets and let them cook until they're soft enough to pierce, which takes about 5–10 minutes. Drain them really well, toss them in a food processor, and pulse until you get bits about the size of rice. Don't go too far or it'll turn mushy.
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Get 3 cups of processed cauliflower and put it into a large mixing bowl. Add breadcrumbs, cheese, the onion bits, egg, a teaspoon of salt, and about 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Combine it well until it looks like smooth mashed potatoes.
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Scoop 1–2 tablespoons of the mixture with your hands and shape them into small log shapes like tots. Place them on the greased baking sheet, keeping some space between each one. Keep going until you've used up the mixture.
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Pop the baking sheet into the oven for 20 minutes. Flip each tot and cook another 10–15 minutes, or until they're golden and crispy. Take them out and enjoy with your favorite dip, like ketchup or hummus.
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Heat up your air fryer to 400°F. Spray the air fryer basket lightly with cooking spray. Put some tots in a single layer, air-fry for about 6 minutes, flip them over, and fry 3–5 minutes longer, or until they're perfectly golden and crispy.
# Additional Notes:
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Make sure the onion pieces are finely chopped for easier mixing with the cauliflower.
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Leftover cauliflower can work as mashed cauliflower if you'd rather skip mashed potatoes.