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If you love low carb comfort foods or sneaking in veggies for your kids (or significant other!), this cheesy cauliflower tots recipe is for you. They’re soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and easy to make!
But even though these are keto low carb cauliflower tater tots, they also make a healthy side dish or appetizer for just about anyone – no matter what dietary lifestyle you follow. Zucchini fries are a popular choice, too.
So, you probably want to know how to make cauliflower tots crispy? The key is the method – you need to fry them! I love roasting and baking many things, but when you want something with the crispiest exterior, nothing beats frying. Trust me, these turn out much crispier from a pan than they do in the oven.
What Are Cauliflower Tater Tots?
If you haven’t heard of cauliflower tots before, you may be wondering, what are they? Or, what do cauliflower tots taste like?
Cauliflower tots are simply tater tots made with cauliflower instead of potatoes. To replace the potatoes, cauliflower tater tots use cauliflower rice instead.
I won’t lie – you can taste the cauliflower. So, they probably aren’t for you if you hate cauliflower.
But if you like the idea of a traditionally starchy comfort food turned low carb and healthy…
If a crispy outside and soft inside sounds appealing…
If you want to sneak in a veggie when you’re bored with roasted veggies…
Then you have to try this easy, cheesy cauliflower tots recipe!
Cauliflower Tots Nutrition
Are cauliflower tots keto friendly? Yes!
Are cauliflower tots gluten-free? Yes!
Are cauliflower tots healthy? Definitely yes!
Cauliflower tater tots replace the starch in potatoes with plenty of good stuff from cauliflower – vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, choline, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, phosphorus, and biotin.
And since we already know cauliflower is the power lifter of low carb comfort foods, it’s no surprise that a cheesy cauliflower tots recipe can be pretty amazing.
If you want to see a few other reader-favorite low carb comfort foods with cauliflower, try these:
Tips For How To Make Cauliflower Tots
Cheesy cauliflower tots are super easy to make, but here are a few tips to streamline the process:
Use a food processor to rice the cauliflower.
You can use a box grater, but a food processor is so much faster. Check my cauliflower fried rice post for more tips on ricing cauliflower.
Cook the cauliflower rice is cooked correctly.
No one wants cauliflower tots that are crunchy or watery on the inside! To avoid both, stir fry the cauliflower rice over medium-high heat. Make sure it’s both soft and dry before mixing with the other ingredients.
Here it is in the pan when it’s done:
If you need to, you can pat it with paper towels at the end to get rid of extra moisture.
Here it is in the bowl with the other ingredients – notice it’s sticky and cheesy with no extra moisture:
Use a small cookie scoop to form the tots.
This makes it super easy to make them uniform in size.
Flatten the cauliflower tots before frying.
Unlike regular potato tater tots, cauliflower tots are best flattened rather than rounded. This ensures that the inside cooks through by the time the outside browns.
Use enough oil.
Cauliflower tater tots rely on oil to get crispy, so don’t skip it!
Use a heat-safe oil.
Many types of oil, like extra virgin olive oil, have a low smoke point that isn’t suitable for high-heat cooking. Make sure you fry your cauliflower tots in an oil that can handle the heat. I like avocado oil best!
Play with the temperature.
There’s a happy medium between having the cauliflower tater tots too pale and burning the outside before the inside is done. The heat level will vary depending on your stovetop and the pan you use, so you may need to adjust it to find that middle ground.
Drain on paper towels.
Since we are using plenty of oil, paper towels will help soak up the excess and make the cheesy cauliflower tots more crispy.
What To Dip Cauliflower Tots In
There’s a particular common pairing for regular tater tots – ketchup, of course! But, if you’re trying to avoid sugar or carbs, most commercial ketchup options are off the table.
Instead, it’s super easy to make your own homemade sugar-free ketchup. It goes perfectly with this cauliflower tots recipe, and lasts a long time.
Serve ’em with some low carb chicken nuggets for a complete kid-friendly – or childhood throwback – meal.
Can You Make Cauliflower Tots Ahead?
Yes, you can. The best way is to pre-make them but only fry right before serving.
However, if you have leftovers, you can definitely refrigerate them and reheat later. They will just be softer and less crispy, but still good!
Can Cauliflower Tots Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze cauliflower tots either before or after frying.
How to freeze cauliflower tots after cooking
To freeze cooked cauliflower tots, simply arrange them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Once they are solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag for long term freezer storage.
To eat frozen cauliflower tots, you can reheat them in the microwave (they will be softer this way), in the oven, or lightly fry again for a crispy exterior. No need to thaw before heating.
How to freeze cauliflower tots uncooked
You can also freeze cauliflower tots prior to cooking. However, you do need to cook the cauliflower rice and form the tots before freezing.
Arrange the uncooked cauliflower tots on parchment paper, place in the freezer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag.
To cook the cauliflower tots later, you can roast them in the oven or fry them. Either way, don’t thaw them first because they will get mushy.
If you choose to fry frozen cauliflower tots that were not cooked before freezing, do it at lower heat so that you don’t burn the outside before the inside is hot.
Reader Fave Keto Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers also made these similar recipes after making this one.
Tools To Make Cauliflower Tots:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Food processor with shredding disc – The fastest way to make cauliflower rice for cauliflower tater tots (and for cauliflower pizza crust, cheeseburger casserole and more!)
- Small cookie scoop – For making uniform sized tots.
- Hard-anodized French skillet – This one is non-stick, PFOA/PTFE-free, metal utensil safe, and lasts a long time. The large size makes it easy to stir fry cauliflower rice.
- Turner – For flipping your cauliflower tots easily.
RECIPE CARD
Cheesy Low Carb Cauliflower Tots Recipe - 4 Ingredients
This easy, cheesy cauliflower tots recipe needs just 4 ingredients! Low carb and keto cauliflower tater tots with sugar-free ketchup make the perfect healthy comfort food.
Recipe Video
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!
PrintIngredients
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Instructions
RECIPE TIPS + VIDEO in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Stir fry cauliflower rice in 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat, until soft and lightly browned, with no moisture left in the pan.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg in a large bowl. Mix in the mozzarella, garlic, and sea salt.
When the cauliflower rice is done, stir it into the bowl right away while it's hot. It will melt the cheese in the bowl and make the mixture sticky.
Use a small cookie scoop to pick up balls of the "dough". Form small tater tot sized patties and flatten slightly. (Make sure they are not too thick so that they'll cook through.)
Wipe the pan lightly with a paper towel to get rid of any cauliflower rice pieces.
Heat the remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) avocado oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the tater tots in a single layer, trying not to have them touch, and fry for about 2 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Flip and repeat until golden on the other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Repeat with all tater tots. (You may need to add more oil between batches.)
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 6 tater tots
Video Showing How To Make Cauliflower Tots:
Don't miss the VIDEO above - it's the easiest way to learn how to make Cauliflower Tots!
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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99 Comments
Lyn
OMGness!! As usual, I am NOT disappointed. Very satisfying side dish! Or just a snack! I only made a few of these and now the rest is in the fridge for tomorrow. I think I’ll add bacon and jalapeno to some and see how that is!
Joanne Cheok
Do I use grated or shredded for the mozzarella cheese?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Joanne, Either will work fine for this recipe. Enjoy!
Ludona H. Smith
I have tried many of your recipes and shared you with my daughter. They have turned out well every time. Thank you for your perfect creations. They make our meals something to look forward to.
Ruth Uschold
They fell apart when I tried to turn them. I added another egg to the batter, spread the rest out on a parchment-paper-lined pan, and baked it at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Still kind of crumbly. We cut them into squares and spread guacamole on them. Some we could pick up, others crumbled and we ate with a fork.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ruth, I’m sorry these didn’t turn out as expected. If they were crumbly, then it is probably one of two possibilities. 1. There wasn’t enough moisture removed from the cauliflower before combining with cheese, or 2. The cheese and cauliflower weren’t fully combined before shaping into tots. I’m glad you were able to make it work by flattening into a cracker, but I do hope you give the recipe a try again with better results.
Elle
These are amazinnnng! Just made them this morning. They were a hit! Family loved them!
Lee Ann
We love the Green Giant tots but would prefer to make them from scratch. Your recipe looks amazing but wondering if these can be baked and at what temperature and time do you recommend?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lee Ann, These tots will hold together best when fried.
Bharat
Should we use 1.5 cups of riced cauliflower for this? I can’t understand the conversion of lbs to cups
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Bharat, From a large head of cauliflower, you could yield roughly 3 cups of cauli rice. Please don’t worry about getting this exactly right, this recipe is very forgiving.
Jenn
I added some onion powder which makes them taste like the tots from that famous donut place. Used frozen cauliflower and riced in food processor before putting in the skillet to dry it. I bake at 400 (plenty of oil on top and bottom) and then air fry what I don’t freeze.
Kimber
I haven’t rated the recipe just yet, but planning to try it soon. I was however ecstatic to hear you mention stir frying the riced cauliflower, rather than steaming or microwaving it. That was probably the earliest trick I learned to make even mock loaded mashed potatoes taste amazing, rather than watery. Love your site and all you do!!!
Ivy
Won’t the hot cauliflower cook the egg if you combine when still hot??
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ivy, You can let the cauliflower slightly cool so that it will be easier to work with. It should be hot enough to still melt the cheese.
Wendy
I have made these twice. I love them, but they keep falling apart while frying. I use a frying pan. They will not stay binded together. What am I doing wrong?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Wendy, It sounds like there is still too much moisture in your cauliflower rice. Stir fry the cauli rice over medium heat until it gives off all it’s steam and it starts to brown. Once all the moisture is removed the ingredients will stick together better.
L
Can frozen cauliflower be used on the tot recipe? Or any of the cauliflower recipes?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi L, Yes! Frozen cauliflower will work great for the tots. Be sure to stir fry all the moisture out of it first. Most of the cauliflower recipes can handle frozen, just be sure to read the instructions before getting started in case the water needs to be removed first.
Cher
I love these recipes
Jan
Can you use olive oil in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jan, Yes, but olive oil isn’t really best suited for frying. It’ll work if that’s what you have on hand, but I suggest using an oil that has a higher smoke point.
Kay
Has anyone tried prepping these and then freezing them? I love the idea of making multiple batches to have RTG in the freezer. I imagine freezing them on parchment paper on a pan then storing in a container when frozen would work? Should I keep frozen layers separated by parchment paper, or would they not stick together once frozen?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kay, Yes that should work just fine. It is also just as easy to freeze the cooked tots as well. Just depends on your preference.
Angelina
These were fantastic. Closest thing to a hashbrown i’ve had on keto. Will make again.
valerie rankin
Tasty and delicious! After I made the ‘tots’ I put them in the freezer then I …patiently waited …while they froze then I lightly sprayed with cooking spay and cooked them in my air fryer.
Nancy Nixon
How long did you cook them in your air fryer?
Valerie
You’re not going to like this answer xo. I have a really basic, 4+ year old fryer (love it). Highest temp, 400 degrees for */- 15 ish mins. It really depends on how big and how frozen (did you just put them in the freezer to firm up? Shorter time). Check them, shake them after 7-8 mins. …. They’re good dark. I air fry everything.
Mary Caunt
Mine turned into a sloppy mess that fell apart when fried.
Wholesome Yum L
Hi Mary, sorry to hear that. To avoid watery tots, don’t forget to stir fry the cauliflower rice over medium-high heat. Make sure it’s both soft and dry before mixing with the other ingredients.
Sara McComb
Love love love this, have made it several times. One thing I have learned after a couple failures is that the cheese ratio and the oil level are super important. I use frozen riced cauliflower and it comes in 10oz packages, so I use 1 1/4c cheese instead, and it holds together much better. Also, if the oil is to deep or not hot enough, they will break apart- still teaste great, almost like a mcdonald’s hash brown, but not as pretty. Regardless, love love love.
Kelly
YOU HAVE SUCH GREAT RECIPES!
Christine
I’m sorry if someone else tried this tip, I’ll admit I didn’t read all the comments. I used a mini muffin pan to cook them in just filled up each individual cup and popped them in the oven (after following all the other instructions, of course!) My husband (who doesn’t like cauliflower much) said he preferred them over tater tots!
Kim
Can I use frozen riced cauliflower for this recipe? Unthaw, drain any liquid, and cook as indicated in the recipe or will it be too wet?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kim, I haven’t tried it, but it should work!
Christine
I use the frozen riced cauliflower and it works fine.
Contessa
I’m finding tons of great Keto recipes as well as hints! Very impressive!
Thanks so much!!
Katie
These were so good! I used a freezer bag of pre-riced cauliflower that steams in the microwave. I cooked the cauliflower almost all the way through in the microwave, and then followed the recipe and stir fried to remove moisture. The tots were crispy and very flavorful; I will definitely make these again!
Rachel
Can these be air fried? Should they be served warm? If so can they be reheated in microwave???
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Rachel, I haven’t tried it in an air fryer. It should work, but you’d need a pretty fine-grate basket so that they don’t fall through when they are fragile in the beginning. You can reheat them in the microwave, but they will likely get softer.
Kris
I need to know how many g of Saturated fat not total fat.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Kris, You can use an online calculator if you need additional info.
Erika Meier
Great! I made this using the organic Trader Joe’s brand of the fresh riced cauliflower that also had riced carrots, green onion and celery. Mine tasted like potato pancakes, and I dipped them in sour cream! (apple sauce would have been great, but I am doing Keto right now).
I am going to make them again using a raw hard cheese goat cheddar instead of mozzarella – will keep you posted!
Kim
These were delicious. I used cauliflower-rice and fried it before as you suggested. I also made bread crumbs with sola bread and rolled the tots in the crumbs-and about a tablespoon of almond flour mixture, before frying. A few fell apart in the oil and made more of a puddle than a tot. Some were beautiful. Not sure what the indicators were on the difference. These were delicious and I would love to figure out how to make these, freeze and then re heat in the air fryer on weeknights when meals are rushed.
Jacquelyn Currie
Wouldn’t bind. Added crushed pork rinds and still wouldn’t bind. No chance of frying. Going to try baking in 400 oven. Used pre-riced cauliflower commercially prepared. No liquids at all. Bake 25 mins saved them. Very good despite.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jacquelyn, Sorry you had issues with them. I don’t recommend adding pork rinds to bind them, as you found that doesn’t really help in this case. Was it the same amount of cauliflower rice as the recipe calls for? Did you still stir fry it like the instructions? Even if there is no liquid on the outside, the cauliflower has to cook through enough first to have the moisture inside come out. If you still have issues next time you can try adding an additional egg, though that hasn’t been necessary in my tests. I’m glad you still liked the taste and were able to salvage them using the oven.
Claudia Mitchell
I absolutely love cauliflower and this looks amazing!
Sherry
I have to admit to a small cheat on this recipe. I buy a large bag of riced cauliflower and defrost it in the microwave. My husband loves tater tots but those are verboten for me; these cauliflower tots are a delicious replacement for me!
I also subbed in sunflower oil for the avocado oil, but otherwise followed the recipe.
Sue
I love cauliflower tots! Thank you for the recipe!
Teresa Montoya
Can’t wait to try. How do you think this would work in an air fryer? I just got one and am anxious to try a few things in it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Teresa, I haven’t tried that yet, but think these would be great in an air fryer. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Amelia
How many tots equals 1 serving?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Amelia, It’s 6 cauliflower tots per serving.
Cynthia Beckwith
Thank you for so many wonderful recipes and all the Tips for Success that are included!
I’m new to the air fryer world and was wondering if you had any idea of how to cook these little darlins’ in an air fryer?
Thanks again!
Cynthia
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Cynthia! I haven’t tried these in an air fryer yet – you definitely can, I just haven’t tested to say how long it would take. I do have several air fryer recipes coming in the next few months!
Bryan
Mmmm I’m not too big on cauliflower but I’ve always love tater tots sooo I’ll still give this recipe a try. Maybe I’ll love it! I’ll keep you updated, thank you!
Katie Beck
We love cauliflower tots in our house! They are always a top pick- even with the kids. This is a super simple recipe that looks delicious.
Yang
They look amazing!
Tina
Yes, me! This I love the idea of tater tots being made with cauliflower!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Yay, me too, Tina!
Hope
These look so good, crispy on the outside, soft in the middle sounds perfect!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked them, Hope! Thank you!
Carolee
Mine weren’t sticking together. They kept falling apart.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Carolee, It sounds like the cauliflower was too “wet”. Try stir frying it for longer.
Jean
This look so fantastic and I love that these are low carb! So perfect for the whole family.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked them, Jean! Thanks for stopping by!
Joni Gomes
Omg these look so good! I cannot wait to make these and fool my husband bc he loves tots!! 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope you and your husband liked them, Joni!
Raia Todd
These definitely look kid-friendly!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Raia!
Renee D Kohley
Oh gosh my girls will love these! Thanks for the fun idea!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope they like them, Renee!
Tessa Simpson
Totally can;t WAIT to make these!! Cauliflower is The best. and these look SO dreamy!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Tessa!
Sylvia Caruso
I always keep bags of Green Giant riced cauliflower in my freezer. Would that work in place of fresh cauliflower?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sylvia, Yes, that should work!
Natalie
Looks so light and cheesy. I suppose It would be perfect for movie nights!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope you like them!
Diana Kranz
If using the packaged cauliflower rice, how much will compare to the 1-1/2 lb. of regular cauliflower?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Diana, That’s the weight after ricing so it will be the same weight if using packaged.
Sarah Jordan
Omg! This was our favorite keto cauliflower dish so far. I made them with cheeseburgers. My mom loved them, my daughter loved them. Even my very picky friend loved them! I served them with the sugar-free ketchup recipe you provided. Delicious. Will most definitely make these again! Just a bigger batch this time! Lol.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Sarah! Have a great day!
Nicole
Hi! These sound amazing! I’m planning to make a chicken recipe that needs to be fried and I think these would go great with it. Only thing is, I’m not the best cook and definitely won’t be able to fry 2 things at once.. any chance that these could be baked?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Nicole! Yes, you can bake them, but they will be less crispy than fried.
Nicole
Thank you for getting back to me 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
My pleasure, Nicole. Thanks for stopping by!
BVP
These are delicious and so easy, my cauliflower looked dry but when I added it to my cheese and egg mixture I all the sudden had water, I cooked them anyway and again they tasted great but looking for suggestions to fix the problem cause these will be asked for again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you!
Sylvia
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious – and led me to your ketchup, BBQ sauce and chicken nuggets – likewise yummy sounding, so thank you!
I promise I am not complaining – whining a little maybe – but I am going to have to alter this recipe, as I do so many others in just about every diet plan/lifestyle plan etc except vegan due to my persnickety cow milk allergy :-/
Have you had any experience using vegan cheeses in these tots? I am game to try anyway, and will happily give feedback on the results, but it is such an ongoing frustration that so many keto recipes rely on dairy :-/
Paleo doesn’t cut it for me – love my rice & beans, vegan doesn’t either as I have determined I am definitely an omnivore, so I am resigned to taking bits and pieces from every healthy recipe plan I find, and altering it to mesh with my annoying requirements :-/ Whine mode off LOL
Love your recipes, and many do work for me, so thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Sylvia, I haven’t tried this with vegan cheese. In theory I think it should work as long as its gooey enough (it helps as a binder). Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Kimmee
I just made these for lunch. I was craving my old favorite, potato pancakes, so I made these in that fashion instead of small bites. I used Green Giant riced cauliflower for convenience. They held together pretty well and more so the more I let them really crisp up in the skillet. They firmed up more when they cooled down some on the plate. I topped them off with sour cream, and viola! Potato pancakes! Very delicious 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Kimmee! Thank you!
Cassandra
Hi there. I am always looking for some good recipes for vegetable.
Have you tried air frying these? Seems like a good candidate to try this method.
I don’t have my air fryer yet so I can’t try it until then, but figured I would ask.
Thanks
Cassandra
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Cassandra, I haven’t tried that, but I bet you can! Let me know if you try it.
Cassandra
Will do. Just waiting on my new Air Fryer. Can’t wait.
Sarah Jordan
I air fried mine and they were really delicious! Only thing is i had to keep adjusting the time. I also had to keep checking to see when they needed to be turned over and the ones on the top rack got done quicker so I kept swapping them with the other racks. A little more work but well worth it!
Mary McKague
How long did it take to air fry these?
Diana
I love your site, my whole family is gluten-free and your recipes look wonderful we’ve tried some thank you Diana Rose. Also my daughter-in-law is low carb.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I love to hear that, Diana! Thank you!