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If you love healthy comfort foods or sneaking in veggies for your kids (or other family members!), this cheesy cauliflower tots recipe is for you. Cauliflower tater tots are soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and so easy to make!
Cauliflower tots have become a popular “healthier” option in stores, but they usually contain hidden starches or even artificial preservatives. Homemade ones are much better!
So, you probably want to know how to make cauliflower tots crispy when you make them at home? The key is the method — you need to fry them! I love roasting and baking many things (like baked zucchini fries), but when you want something with the crispiest exterior, like fried zucchini or pan fried chicken, nothing beats frying.
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Tots Recipe
- Taste a lot like potato tater tots
- Soft on the inside, crispy on the outside
- 4 simple ingredients, plus salt and optional garlic
- No fillers or hidden starches
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Only 3g net carbs per serving
- Naturally healthy, gluten-free, low carb, and delicious as a side dish, appetizer, or snack
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cauliflower cheese tots, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – This recipe begins after you’ve riced your cauliflower. See my cauliflower rice recipe for tips on how to rice it yourself from cauliflower florets, or buy riced cauliflower at the store (fresh or frozen will work). You could also replace cauliflower with broccoli to make broccoli tots!
- Avocado Oil – This oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for pan frying. You can use any high-heat cooking oil you prefer.
- Egg – Helps the tot mixture hold together.
- Mozzarella Cheese – This acts as a binder but also adds cheesy flavor. Mozzarella is the most neutral option, but you can also use cheddar cheese, Swiss, Parmesan cheese, or feta to give your cauliflower tots an extra cheesy kick!
- Garlic – Although optional, I like including it for the added flavor. You can use 2 cloves fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Sea Salt – You can also add black pepper if you like.
How To Make Cauliflower Tots
This section shows how to make cheesy cauliflower tots, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Saute the cauliflower rice. Stir fry the cauliflower rice in a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat, until soft and lightly browned, with no moisture left in the pan.
- Mix the other ingredients. Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Mix in mozzarella, garlic, and sea salt.
- Combine. Stir cauliflower rice into the bowl right away while it’s hot. It will melt the cheese in the bowl and make the mixture sticky.
- Roll. Use a small cookie scoop to pick up balls of the “dough”. Form small tater-tot shape patties and flatten slightly.
- Fry. Heat the avocado oil in pan over medium heat. Add cauliflower tater tots in a single layer and fry until golden brown. Flip and repeat until golden on the other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat until all tots are cooked.
Tips For The Best 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 cauliflower. You can use a box grater, but a food processor is so much faster. Check my cauliflower rice post for more tips on ricing cauliflower.
- Cook cauliflower rice 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. If there is too much liquid, they will fall apart. You can pat it with paper towels at the end to get rid of extra moisture if needed.
- Use a cookie scoop. Using a small cookie scoop makes it super easy to make uniform size tots.
- Flatten 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 — and the right kind. Cauliflower tater tots rely on oil to get crispy, so don’t skip it! Additionally, make sure you fry your cauliflower tots in an oil that can handle the heat. I like avocado oil best!
- Play with the temperature. 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.
Storage Instructions
- Store: If you have leftovers, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-5 days. They will just be softer and less crispy, but still good!
- Meal prep: If you want to make these cheesy tots ahead of time, pre-make them but only fry right before serving if possible.
- Reheat: You can reheat the tots 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 if they are frozen — they will be mushy if you do.
- Freeze: You can freeze cauliflower tots either before or after frying. Either way, 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 and freeze for up to 4 months.
What To Serve With Cauliflower Tater Tots
Crispy on the outside and soft in the inside, these healthy tater tots are the perfect accompaniment to any main course. Here are my favorite ways to serve them:
- Dipping Sauce – There’s a particular common pairing for regular tater tots: Ketchup, of course! If you’re trying to avoid sugar or carbs, make your own homemade sugar-free ketchup. They are also yummy with cheese sauce or spicy mayo.
- Kid Friendly Mains – Serve ’em with some crispy low carb chicken tenders (or coconut chicken strips), easy bacon wrapped hot dogs, or healthy keto chicken nuggets for a complete kid-friendly (or childhood throwback) meal.
- Sandwiches – Serve this cauliflower tots recipe alongside your favorite juicy burgers, hands-off slow cooker pulled pork, or a loaded lettuce wrap.
More Easy Cauliflower Recipes
Cauliflower is a nutritious and versatile vegetable that works in so many comfort food recipes. Here are a few of my favorite cauliflower recipes:
Recommended Tools
- Food processor – The fastest way to make cauliflower rice for cauliflower tater tots (and for cauliflower pizza crust, cheeseburger casserole, and more!)
- Saute Pan Or Wok – For the best results when frying cauliflower tots, use a non-stick saute pan or wok. The non-stick coating helps prevent the tots from sticking and makes for easier cleanup.
- Small Cookie Scoop – For making uniform sized tots.
Cauliflower Tots
Cauliflower Tots (Easy, Cheesy, 4 Ingredients!)
These easy cauliflower tots need just 4 ingredients: cauliflower, oil, eggs, and cheese! They are the perfect healthy, low carb comfort food.
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Meanwhile, whisk the egg in a large bowl. Mix in the mozzarella, garlic, and sea salt.
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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.
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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.)
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Wipe the pan lightly with a paper towel to get rid of any cauliflower rice pieces.
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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.
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Repeat with all tater tots. (You may need to add more oil between batches.)
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Related Easy Recipes
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 6 cauliflower tots
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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139 Comments
Penelope
1I finally made these..been wanting to for a while! They were excellent! For me it was easier to make them in a mini muffin tin & bake them for 23 minutes at 400 degrees & they were great! I added 3 Tb melted butter so they’d get crispy since I wasn’t frying them. Be sure to spray your tin well or they will stick. I used bagged cauli rice so they took no time to make. The kids liked them too!! Thank you for the recipe…I will make these often.
David Murray
0Thank you for all of your yummy recipes.
Deanna
1I baked them at 450 for 10 minutes on both sides. Used parchment paper. They were awesome.
CAROLINE Sutherland
0I used the air fryer with these but even if you don’t use it to cook them the first time reheat them in the air fryer much crispier.
Michelle McHugh
0Can these be frozen? I am single. How long can they sit in the fridge?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Michelle, You can freeze cauliflower tots either before or after frying and you can store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
Patsy
0Can you make these in a Ninja Foodi?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Patsy, Yes, I think that should work for you.
Kathy
0Really tasty and delicious… I think I will try baking them next time to get them a bit more crisp but they are delicious I am sure either way <3
Brenda
0Made this last night. My husband was a bit skeptical, cauliflower is not his favorite, but even he thought these were great! Crispy outside, tender inside. Can’t wait to try it with broccoli. I did not sub any ingredients, although I have a bad habit of not really measuring. I mostly eyeball. Still excellent in spite of me.
Gina
0These were surprisingly delicious! Who needs tater tots when you can make them with cauliflower?!
Elizabeth S
0I have cut starches like potatoes from my diet and miss them oh so much. BUT these cauliflower tots taste so good and really curbed my cravings. I love how easy they are to make too. I added some chili powder to make them spicy! YUM!
Lisa
0The kids had no idea these cheesy tots were made with cauliflower. That’s how good they are.
Lindsey
0Stop it! These were sooooo good! Just right level of indulgent. Hubs asked for mozzarella sticks and I made these instead and he raved!
Claire
0My kids loved these!!!! Just don’t tell them they are made of cauliflower! These really were delicious and tasted really ‘naughty’! We had they with some seared steaks and some roasted broccoli. Such a nice healthy dinner!
Elisa Castagna
0Second time I made these and they taste delicious. First time, they held together like tots, the second time they broke apart. Wondering if instead of 1.5 pounds cauliflower it could be written in cups? Maybe would have more consistent results. Husband and I did enjoy these though!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Elisa, Measuring the cauliflower by weight will give you a more accurate and consistent recipe.
Robin
0Can these be air fried?
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Robin, Yes, that would work.
Stephanie
0Can these be made in airfryer?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Stephanie, Yes, that would probably work for you.
Theresa
0Have you tried using frozen riced cauliflower?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Theresa, I have not tried using frozen rriced cauliflower.
Melissa Montalvo
0Hi there. I really like these but one thing I did differently is I used spray oil. I tried the avocado oil but they were too oily but with the spray oil, it’s much better. It’s a great recipe Thank you!!!! Melissa
Sandra
0Hi: Sure would like to give this recipe a try, using a bag of frozen riced cauliflower. However, I’m not a fan of any type of ketchup. I see that some people used sour cream for dipping. How about your homemade ranch dressing? Would that also be a good choice as a dip as well? Your thoughts, please.
Sandra W.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sandra, Yes you could use ranch as a dipping for this recipe.
Mary Wells
0First, thank you for all the research and testing you put into this recipe. Second, I noticed some people commented that the tots are lacking in flavor.
I’m from south Louisiana and added the flavors I wanted. Sautéed the cauliflower in bacon fat. I put the trinity in the food processor and stirred in some Tony’s and a little black pepper. Added a Tbsp to the cauliflower. They turned out perfectly. I didn’t get to freeze any because my peeps ate them all. Thanks again.
Debbie
0I’ve also had the broccoli & cheese tots. I’m sure this recipe would work well with broccoli. Thank you for posting!
Patti M
0Oh my they are terrific. First, you cannot tell they are cauliflower, secondly I had to check my oil to make sure I used the correct one (I did use avocado oil). They are like any normal potato hash brown we use in the US full of bad fat and carbs. Thank you for this recipe!
Danielle
0I made these last week. Everybody, including the picky 6 year old loved them! They will be in the rotation for sure!
MsStacey
0Oh so delightful and fun!
Vanessa
08 servings at 6 tots/serving ..so I’m supposed to get 48 of these from the “dough”? Oh boy.
It was delicious by the way. Closest thing to a tater tot I’ve tasted. Even better actually. I noticed if I waited to fry the rest they were a lot easier to handle once the cheese cooled down a bit.
Bonnie
0Today was the first day I’ve made these. I had a couple fall apart before I realized I needed to let that first side brown well before flipping. Once they were browned well, they flipped well. I also found that using too much oil was counterproductive and they browned better in the middle of the pan where there was less oil. I fried them in a cast iron skillet and no sticking. I used that same pan to cook my frozen cauliflower and I cooked it longer than the directions say to ensure my cauliflower was “dry.” Love this recipe! It’s a keeper! My “tator tot” casserole is in the oven now. Smells so good! Love your website! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Geranium
0Disappointing. Very wet, didn’t form patties, no flavour.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Geranium, I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. If your tots didn’t stick together then the cheese and egg mixture wasn’t fully incorporated with the cauliflower. They need to be fully incorporated before forming tots and frying. Also, feel free to adjust the amount of garlic and salt to your personal tastes.
Erin
0I loved tater tots not that long ago. I used to make them for my kids and of course, I’d sneak a few or more for myself. I was really excited to see this recipe as well as the sugar free ketchup recipe.
These turned out really well and very tasty. My kids (grown up now) really liked them too. Very easy to make. The only comment I would make for others is to make sure your fry pan is non stick!!!! My wok isn’t, so I transferred over the 1st batch when I saw what was happening, and they turned out well. I wonder if you’ve ever tried using an air fryer?
The ketchup tastes delicious, I am still slow cooking it though as I’d like it to be thicker. Thank you for your delicious recipes, I have incorporated many of them into my daily menus. I’m always interested in any of your recipes that are nut free as well!
Denise
0How many tots to a serving?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Denise, 6 tots are a single serving.
Lyn
0OMGness!! 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
0Do I use grated or shredded for the mozzarella cheese?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Joanne, Either will work fine for this recipe. Enjoy!
Ludona H. Smith
0I 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
0They 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
0Hi 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
0These are amazinnnng! Just made them this morning. They were a hit! Family loved them!
Lee Ann
0We 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
0Hi Lee Ann, These tots will hold together best when fried.
Bharat
0Should we use 1.5 cups of riced cauliflower for this? I can’t understand the conversion of lbs to cups
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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.