Cauliflower Tots (Air Fryer)
on Dec 09, 2022, Updated Jan 26, 2024
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These cauliflower veggie tots have a slight crisp on the outside and are soft and fluffy-textured on the inside. They can be made in the air fryer or the oven, are freezer-friendly, and are great for a quick lunch or dinner!
Cauliflower is definitely underrated. It’s usually pushed to the back behind its known counterpart, broccoli, but it is just as nutritious! These air fryer cauliflower tots are a great way to serve the veggie and the perfect food for baby-led weaning! These are so easy to make with prepackaged fresh or frozen cauliflower rice and cook quickly in the air fryer for a quick meal!
If you have any leftover cauliflower be sure to make this creamy cauliflower linguini! If you love these cauliflower tots, you’ll also love these broccoli tots and oven-baked zucchini carrot tots!
Table of Contents
Watch Recipe Video
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these air fryer cauliflower veggie tots:
- Riced Cauliflower: The base ingredient for these tots.
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold the tots together.
- Breadcrumbs: Another binding agent to help hold the tots together.
- Parmesan/Mozzarella Cheese: For added flavor and taste.
- Onion Powder: For added texture and taste. You may also use finely chopped onions for more texture.
- Salt: Optional Ingredient for added flavor. You can omit this for a younger baby.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Substitutions & additions
- Eggs: For an egg-free version, substitute the egg with a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water and letting it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes to set and thicken.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour.
- Cheese: For a dairy-free version, substitute the cheese for dairy-free shredded cheese.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Add the riced cauliflower to a bowl. If you are using frozen cauliflower, steam it in the microwave according to the package instructions, remove any excess liquid, and add it to the bowl. Let it cool before adding in the other ingredients so that it doesn’t scramble and cook the egg in the mixture.
STEP 2: Add the egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, mozzarella, onion powder, and salt to the bowl with the cauliflower (Image 1).
STEP 3: Mix all of the ingredients until combined. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes so that the ingredients can come together (Image 2).
STEP 4: Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into a tot shape. Place the tots in the air fryer basket with room between them so they are not touching. Spray the tots with a light layer of oil to help them obtain a golden brown color (Image 3).
STEP 5: Air fry the tots for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown, shaking the pan halfway through (Image 4).
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You may also reheat the tots in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes. To freeze, place the cooled tots in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag in an even layer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips For Success
- If you are making your own riced cauliflower, cut off florets from a head of cauliflower and chop them into smaller pieces. Pulse the small pieces to form a smoother texture and measure out 1.5 cups of mixture. I love using this nutribullet blender to quickly pulse small amounts!
- If you prefer a smoother texture, pulse the cauliflower rice in the blender until the mixture is smooth.
- I scooped out tablespoon-sized portions to make my tots. If you would like smaller tots, scoop out ½ tablespoon-sized portions.
- You may replace the parmesan cheese with more mozzarella cheese for a lower sodium option.
- You may also cook these tots in the oven! Bake them at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until golden, flipping them halfway through.
Yes! Bake the tots at 375 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly brown. Shake the pan halfway through for even browning.
These tots are slightly crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside!
other Air-Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
Air Fryer Salmon
Air Fryer Gold Potatoes
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
Air Fryer Cauliflower Tots
Ingredients
- 12 oz package of riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt, optional
- oil spray, ex: avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Add the riced cauliflower to a bowl. If you are using frozen cauliflower, steam it in the microwave according to the package instructions, but if you are using freshly riced cauliflower, steam it for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sofened. Remove any excess liquid. Let it cool before adding in the other ingredients so that it doesn't scramble and cook the egg in the mixture.
- Add the egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan, mozzarella, onion powder, and salt to the bowl with the cauliflower.
- Mix all of the ingredients until combined. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes so that the ingredients can come together.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into a tot shape. Place the tots in the air fryer basket with room between them so that they are not touching.
- Spray the tots with a light layer of oil to help them obtain a golden brown color.
- Air fry the tots at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, shaking the pan halfway through.
Notes
- If you are making your own riced cauliflower, cut off florets from a head of cauliflower and chop them into smaller pieces. Pulse the small pieces to form a smoother texture and measure out 1.5 cups of mixture. I love using this nutribullet blender to quickly pulse small amounts!
- If you prefer a smoother texture, pulse the cauliflower rice in the blender until the mixture is smooth.
- I scooped out tablespoon-sized portions to make my tots. If you would like smaller tots, scoop out ½ tablespoon-sized portions.
- You may replace the parmesan cheese with more mozzarella cheese for a lower sodium option.
- You may also cook these tots in the oven! Bake them at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes until golden, flipping them halfway through.
These are so delicious! My toddler and baby both adore them. Thanks!
I’m so glad to hear that your little ones enjoyed these tots, Sarah!😊
If you are using fresh cauliflower, does it need to be steamed first?
Hi Laurel! If you are using fresh cauliflower, I would recommend adding the florets to a food processor or blender to pulse them into a rice consistency and then steaming it after that step😊
The only other way of eating cauliflower that my toddler loves! I’ve made these so many times and we all love it. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey! I followed this to a t and they tasted great nut ended up falling apart and not looking like yours at all. Then for the next batch I added oil (bad choice!) and they fell apart even more. Do you have any suggestions? Do I need more egg?
Hi Vanessa! I’m so sorry that happened and would love to help troubleshoot! Did you use cauliflower rice and drain out all of the liquid once it was steamed? When you tried shaping them into tots before placing them in the air fryer, did they hold their shape at that point, or were they falling apart then as well?
These are great! Except mine fell apart. I couldn’t even assemble them. What did I do wrong? Maybe smaller cauliflower pieces? More egg. My kiddo still ate them but they looked nothing like yours.
Hi Charley! I’m so sorry that happened! Did you use pre-packaged rice cauliflower or did you chop up pieces from cauliflower florets? I find that pre-packaged riced cauliflower works best and if chopping up your own pieces, you’ll definitely want to make sure that the cauliflower is chopped up really well and fine so that it binds together easily. I’d recommend doing just a few pulses in a food processor if you’re able to for the best texture. I’m glad that your little one still enjoyed them and hope that the binding works out if you try again!😊
So good, quick and easy! I add help seeds, flax and chia seeds for nutrition. For substitute of dairy and more nutrition I added nutritional yeast and dairy free shredded cheese.
Thank you for sharing those tips about the add-ins and swaps, I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed these tots!😊
Hello. What is considered a serving size? Thanks.
Hi Wendy! This recipe makes 24 tots and the nutrition facts listed are for one individual tot. Hope that helps!
SO GOOD!! Thank you for sharing this. This is the second recipe I have tried from your website and I am blown away! So happy to have stumbled across your recipes 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying the recipes for your little one!😊
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower?
Hi Sheena! Yes, you can use frozen riced cauliflower! Just steam it according to package instructions and drain out any liquid before mixing with the other ingredients.
Storage info? Can they be frozen?
Hi Danielle! Here is the storage info for these tots: “Once cooled, store tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. You may also reheat the tots in the oven or an air fryer for a few minutes. To freeze, place the cooled tots in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag in an even layer and freeze for up to 3 months.”