These crispy, cheesy cauliflower tots are golden-baked and packed with flavor. Made with a blend of veggies, breadcrumbs, egg, herbs, and cheese, these cauliflower tots are low in carbs, kid-friendly, and so delicious.
My kids always scoffed at cauliflower, until I started sneaking it into recipes like air fryer Buffalo cauliflower, loaded mashed cauliflower, and sticky Asian-style cauliflower bites!
Just like mashed cauliflower is inspired by mashed potatoes, these cauliflower tots are my favorite low-carb alternative to tater tots. They’re made with a flavorful blend of cauliflower, carrots, herbs, and cheese, and baked instead of fried.
These delicious veggie tots are crispy outside and full of flavor. Make them in the food processor, and they’re ready in 40 minutes or less.
Things to Love About These Low-Carb Cauliflower Tots
- Minimal prep. Your food processor and oven (or air fryer) do most of the work.
- Simple ingredients. All you need is cauliflower, carrots, and a few easy pantry ingredients. This recipe is very flexible, so you can adapt the herbs and seasonings to taste.
- Kid-friendly. Crispy, cheesy, and full of flavor, these cauliflower tots have the kids eating their veggies and asking for more!
- Versatile. These tots are a great veggie side dish and low-carb stand-in for potatoes. Pair them with dipping sauces like ranch or honey mustard.
Gather Your Ingredients
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete list with recipe amounts.
- Cauliflower – You’ll need one smallish head of cauliflower to chop into florets. You can also use frozen cauliflower florets and thaw them first.
- Carrots – You can chop these up too, so they’ll cook quicker.
- Green Onions – I use only the white parts of the green onions (they’re the softest and most undetectable), and slice them thin. You can also use finely chopped shallot or white onion.
- Garlic – Finely minced, or substitute ½ teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove.
- Panko Breadcrumbs and Egg – Similar to their role in my vegetarian meatballs, breadcrumbs help bind the cauliflower tots so they hold their shape when baked. I also added an egg here, for structure.
- Cheese – I use a combination of freshly grated sharp cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Other good options include Monterey Jack, Gouda, and mozzarella.
- Mild Seasonings – Dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can also use Italian seasoning. I add fresh chopped parsley, too, for a pop of green. That’s optional!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Don’t overcook the cauliflower. You want it just fork-tender. If you overboil the cauliflower, it becomes watery, and the cauliflower tots will be mushy.
- Space out the tots on the baking sheet. Leave enough space between each veggie tot for the hot oven air to circulate. This lets them crisp and not steam.
- Use leftover cauliflower rice. These tots are a wonderful way to use up cauliflower rice. You’ll need about 4 cups. In this case, parboil the carrots as directed, then pulse them in the blender alone a few times before adding the cauliflower and seasonings.
- Use broccoli instead. Swap all or part of the cauliflower with broccoli to make broccoli tots.
- Make them smaller. I use 2 tablespoons of cauliflower mixture per tot, which makes about 20 tots. If you’d prefer to make them smaller, you can scoop 1 tablespoon instead. You’ll end up with more tots, and you’ll need to adjust the baking time slightly since they’ll cook more quickly. Check them after 5 minutes, and flip as needed.
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Prepare for baking. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
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Cook the cauliflower and carrots. Place water in a large pan; add salt and bring to a boil. Add cauliflower and carrots; par-boil for about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; pat dry with paper towels, set aside, and let cool.
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Combine the cheese and seasoning ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine sliced green onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, both cheeses, oregano, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper.
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Blend the veggies. Add cooled cauliflower and carrots to your food processor; pulse several times or until uniformly chopped. You don’t want to get it too fine.
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Add the seasonings and blend again. Add the cheese mixture to the food processor; pulse about 5 to 6 times or until all is well combined.
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Shape the tots. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into your hands and shape into ovals. Transfer the finished tots to the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake. Bake for 10 minutes; flip the tots and continue to cook for 9 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand several minutes.
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Enjoy! Serve with your favorite dipping sauces (ketchup, honey mustard, yogurt, etc.)
- Make sure the vegetables are completely cooled before shaping into tots.
Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 56mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 4.3mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Cauliflower Tater Tots
These cauliflower tots are the perfect impostors for classic tater tots! And you only need a few minutes to prep them for the oven. Here’s how to make them:
- Prep. While the oven preheats to 400ºF, lightly grease a baking sheet.
- Cook the veggies. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop, and parboil the cauliflower and carrots for 5 minutes. Afterward, drain and rinse the veggies under cold water, pat them dry, and let them cool completely.
- Combine the remaining ingredients. Meanwhile, mix the green onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, cheese, and seasonings in a bowl.
- Blend. Add the cauliflower and carrots to your food processor first, and pulse a few times so they’re chopped (but not too finely). Then, add the cheese and breadcrumb mixture to the food processor and blend again so it’s well combined.
- Shape the tots. Working with about 2 tablespoons of cauliflower tot mixture at a time, shape the tots into small ovals using your hands. Place these onto your baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake the cauliflower tots at 400ºF for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for another 9-10 minutes, until they’re crisp and golden. Let the tots cool for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven, then serve!
Air Fryer Method
You can make these cauliflower tots in the air fryer if you have one! Prepare the tots as usual, and add them to the air fryer basket in batches. Spray them lightly with olive oil spray or cooking spray. Air fry the cauliflower tots at 400ºF for about 10-15 minutes, or until crispy.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover cauliflower tots airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat. Reheat these cauliflower tots in the oven or air fryer for the crispiest results.
- To freeze the tots before cooking, after shaping the cauliflower tots, place the whole baking sheet into the freezer to flash-freeze. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
- To freeze the baked cauliflower tots, cool them completely before freezing. Thaw the tots in the fridge before reheating.
