Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (2024)

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Rice flour gives these Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites a special crunch that’s not easily achieved without frying!

Video Tutorial for Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites

The inspiration

A while ago when I was buying rice flour to make Tong Yuan (Chinese sweet rice dumplings), I accidentally bought regular rice flour instead of the glutinous flour that I actually needed. So I’ve had that sitting around since. Then more recently, I scored a ginormous head of cauliflower for two dollars! Two dollars! I don’t know how it is where you are, but two bucks for even a regular head of cauliflower would be an incredible price.

I immediately knew I needed to make my favourite cauliflower dish: Beer-Battered Cauliflower. But I would only need half the head. For the other half, I decided to make something a little less indulgent but just as satisfying. The result: Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites.

How to Make Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (1)

To make sure all the cauliflower pieces get crisped up properly, cut the florets down to small, even-sized single bite pieces. Then they get coated in a batter of rice flour, seasonings and water. After only 20 minutes in the oven, they are ready to enjoy. They are best served fresh out of the oven as they do lose some crispness when they get cold.

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (2)

Turn them into Honey Garlic Crispy Cauliflower bites by tossing them in a couple tablespoons of my Vegan Honey Garlic Sauce, then roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Confused as to how HONEY could be VEGAN?! Well, THIS Vegan Honey” is actually made with apples, lemon and vegan-friendly sugar by humans. No stealing from bees! We can surely support bees without taking their hard-earned food!

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (3)

The result is a fairly healthy snack that tastes amazing and is great for snacking on during an at-home movie night.

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (4)

Crispy Baked Cauliflower dipped in Vegan Honey Garlic Sesame Sauce

More Movie Night snacks:

  • Baked Strawberry Chips
  • Spicy Crunchy Lentils
  • Beer-Battered Cauliflower

Printable Recipe for Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites

Vegan Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (5)

These baked cauliflower bites get wonderfully crispy and crunchy thanks to a rice flour batter. Packed with Vitamin C, K, and folate, these make a delicious but healthy snack or side dish.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time30 minutes

Total Time40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of cauliflower [450g]
  • 1/3 cup rice flour
  • 1/2 cup water [118ml]
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (double amount if not using nutritional yeast)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F or 232°C.
  2. Wash, dry and cut up the cauliflower into single bite sizes. The pieces should be fairly small, about the size of a pinky finger, and similar in size to ensure even cooking.
  3. Mix together all of the other ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower pieces and mix well until all the pieces are well coated.
  4. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy clean up. Divide the cauliflower between the two baking sheets, spreading out the pieces so they don't touch. The space between them will help them crisp up properly.
  5. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then flip the pieces over and rotate the trays.
    Bake for another 10 minutes or until the largest pieces of cauliflower are cooked though and crispy.
  6. Taste test and add salt and pepper if desired. You can serve as is or with dipping sauce.
    For another variation, toss them in hot sauce or Vegan Honey Garlic Sauce then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. The sauce will soften the cauliflower a bit but the edges should still crisp up again after baking.

Did you make this recipe?

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Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (6)

healthy recipe recipe with video

Showing 3 comments

  • Dana

    Reply

    Hi Mary. Love your site and recipes. Really appreciate the extra tips you give like storage info. I’d like to know if I can use homemade rice flour? Just uncooked, finely ground grains of rice. I like brown rice mostly. Which type of rice do you think would be best for this recipe? Thanks

    • Mary

      Reply

      Hi Dana,
      thanks for the kind words. I’m not sure about homemade rice flour just because I’d worry about getting it fine enough. It should be fine if you’re using brown rice flour just as long as it is fine enough. Good luck!

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Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites | Vegan Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my cauliflower bites soggy? ›

If your buffalo cauliflower bites are soggy, it's likely because they were not tossed with the sauce while hot. Be sure to add them to the bowl with the sauce as soon as they come out of the oven so that they stay nice and crispy.

Why is my baked cauliflower soggy? ›

First, take care not to overcrowd your pan; if the cauliflower is packed in rim-to-rim, the moisture will not be able to escape as the florets cook, which will result in soft steamed cauliflower instead of roasted.

How many carbs are in crispy cauliflower bites? ›

Here's a quick look at what a cup provides:
  • Calories: 26.
  • Fat: 0g.
  • Carbs: 5.3g.
  • Fiber: 3g.
  • Sugar: 2g.
  • Protein: 2g.
  • Vitamin C: 52mg (87% of the daily value – DV)
  • Potassium: 320mg (7% DV)
Mar 9, 2023

Why is my cauliflower not getting crispy? ›

Cauliflower has a very high water content, so it won't get crispy if you bake the florets crowded together. "Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay.

How do you keep cauliflower from getting mushy? ›

The key to nonmushy cauliflower lies in how you cut it: Break apart the large head into smaller florets. Now take your knife, and starting at the stem end of the floret, slice about halfway down and snap apart.

Why soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

The separated florets have to be washed properly under a tap. This removes dirt and large parasites such as worms. The next step is cleaning the cauliflower in mildly warm water in which a little salt was dissolved. This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites.

Why aren't my roasted vegetables crispy? ›

There is no need to cover vegetables when roasting. Covering them creates steam, so they won't get as crispy and caramelized. Don't forget to stir once or twice while cooking so the vegetables get nicely browned on all sides. Other than that, you can't really go wrong.

Why is cauliflower crust so high in carbs? ›

A single slice could have anywhere from 2 to 29 grams. That's a huge range, especially because cauliflower isn't carb-heavy (a cup has 5 grams). Why the difference? Crusts may include rice or brown rice flour, sugar, tapioca starch, and corn starch, which supply carbs.

How many calories are in deep fried cauliflower bites? ›

Fried Battered Cauliflower (1 floweret) contains 3.6g total carbs, 3.2g net carbs, 4.1g fat, 1g protein, and 55 calories.

What is in Atkins cauliflower bites? ›

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 head large (6-7" diameter) Cauliflower.
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil.
  • 4 tablespoons Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce.
  • 3 teaspoons Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter Stick.
  • 1 1/3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar.
  • 1 1/2 ounces Blue or Roquefort Cheese.

What pairs well with cauliflower? ›

Anchovy, beef, blue cheese, buffalo mozzarella, butter, cheddar cheese, chickpeas, curry, farro, feta cheese, gruyère cheese, parmesan cheese, pork, quinoa, rice, saffron, tahini, tofu, turkey, turmeric, yoghurt.

Are cauliflower wings healthier than chicken? ›

Unlike chicken wings, cauliflower is free of cholesterol and low in fat and saturated fat. It's also packed with fiber and antioxidants, making it a powerful food for heart health!

What does buffalo Wild wings fry their cauliflower wings in? ›

The cauliflower wings, and all of BWW's fried items, are fried in beef shortening and therefore not vegan. Is the black bean burger vegan at Buffalo Wild Wings?

Why is my cauliflower pizza crust soggy? ›

Next, when I tried making the crusts from scratch, pulsing cauliflower florets in the food processor and then steaming them for a few minutes until tender, I learned another crucial step: squeezing the cauliflower in a kitchen towel to get rid of as much liquid as possible. That helps avoid sogginess.

How do you dry soggy cauliflower? ›

Dry at 140 degrees F (60°C) in an oven or dehydrator. If necessary, turn large pieces over every 3 to 4 hours during the drying period. Vegetables can scorch easily toward the end of drying, so monitor more closely as drying nears completion.

Why is my fried cauliflower mushy? ›

When you fry cauliflower with batter, it also cooks the cauliflower. So if you parboil beforehand, you will end up with mushy cauliflower.

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