Riced cauliflower is becoming easier to find at most grocery stores, so I wanted to share this simple Gluten-Free Cauliflower Tots recipe I developed.
This recipe uses pre-riced cauliflower for convenience and is dairy-free by default. If you don’t have issues with cow’s milk, goat cheese is a tasty alternative to dairy-free mozzarella shreds.
Zucchini tots are one of my favorite bites, and because I also love roasted cauliflower, I knew cauliflower tots needed to exist. They’re baked, flavorful, and feel indulgent without the guilt—cauliflower is packed with nutrients!
A one-cup serving of cauliflower provides:
- 29 calories
- Almost no fat, sodium, or sugar
- 73% DV of vitamin C
- 19% DV of vitamin K
- 15% DV of folate
- 13% DV of pantothenic acid
- 12% DV of vitamin B6
- 11% DV of choline
- 11% DV of fiber
- 9% DV of omega-3 fatty acids
Gluten-Free Cauliflower Tots – My Secret Ingredient
One pantry favorite I use in this recipe is a gluten-free coating mix called Hol-Grain Chicken Coating Mix. If your local stores don’t carry it, it can typically be ordered online.
For serving, I’m a ketchup fan—perfect for dipping—though ketchup is not an ingredient in the tots themselves.
A Healthy Party Appetizer
These tots make an excellent appetizer, snack, or side. They disappear quickly at gatherings, so plan to double or triple the batch for parties. They’re also great as leftovers—the flavor holds up and they’re easy to enjoy cold or reheated.
Riced Cauliflower Options
You have three easy options for riced cauliflower in this recipe:
- Buy pre-riced cauliflower in the produce section — this works best and saves time.
- Use frozen riced cauliflower — convenient if you don’t plan to use it immediately.
- Rice a whole head of cauliflower in a food processor — fresh, but more work if pre-riced is available.
Pin it/save it and make it! Let me know if you try it — I love hearing how they turn out.
Looking for more healthy snacks or party apps?
Spicy Hawaiian Turkey Meatballs – a family favorite I make for gatherings
Zucchini Tots – another go-to healthy snack and appetizer
Whole30 Stuffed Mushrooms – gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo and keto-friendly, these are small bites everyone enjoys
Gluten-Free Cauliflower Tots
Kelly Kirkendoll
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups riced cauliflower
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup dairy-free mozzarella shreds or goat cheese crumbles (I like the Daiya brand dairy-free mozzarella best)
- 1/3 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (or regular)
- 2 Tbsp Hol-Grain Chicken Coating Mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp dried chopped parsley (for garnishing)
- a little extra salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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In a bowl, combine riced cauliflower, chopped onion, cheese (or alternative), bread crumbs, coating mix, eggs, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
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Form the mixture into small ovals and place them on a greased baking sheet, leaving space between each tot.
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Bake 17–20 minutes, flipping once about halfway through. Cook until lightly browned and crisp on the outside but still tender inside. Season with extra salt, pepper, and parsley to taste.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!