Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (2024)

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These cauliflower fritters are a delicious side dish or even a main course for vegetarians!

Cauliflower fritters are mashed cauliflower formed into patties. They can be served along with a variety of dipping sauces and can be made with any vegetables similar to cauliflower.

Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (1)

Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable. You can turn it into rice, pizza crust, or even mashed potatoes! You just can’t get more versatile than that with any other veggie!

What Are Cauliflower Fritters?

Cauliflower fritters are like big, thick, savory, pancakes. They are held together by eggs (and sometimes flour) and make a really delicious option for a side dish or a vegetarian main course.

Are Cauliflower Fritters Good For You?

If you keep the oil relatively low, then there is no reason they shouldn’t be! After all, they are vegetables!

Can I Make These Cauliflower Fritters Ahead Of Time?

You can make the mix ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to three days. If you want to cook them ahead of time, you can do that too. Again, they will last for 3 days. But you’ll need to reheat them. (More info on that below)

How To Serve Cauliflower Fritters

These can be served as a side dish to just about any protein. Chicken, fish, beef, and pork will all work well here.

Garnish with cheese (Mini Chef loves cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese with these), sour cream or Greek yogurt, fresh herbs such as fresh parsley, salt, and pepper.

Tips For Forming Your Fritters

  1. These can fall apart a bit until they are mostly cooked. So form and press them with your spatula.
  2. Get your pan nice and hot before cooking these. You want to drop the patties into a hot pan with hot oil. It doesn’t have to be a lot of oil, but heat is your friend here. You can reduce the heat as they cook so they don’t burn. But get that pan hot when you first put them in.
Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (2)

Can I Use Other Veggies Instead Of Cauliflower To Make These Fritters?

Yep! A few good ones are:

  • Zucchini
  • Potatos
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Winter Squash – many varieties

Keto Cauliflower Fritters

If you eat low carb or keto, definitely avoid the addition of optional flour. The rest is pretty low-carb friendly naturally! But if you want to use flour to give these more stability, almond flour is a good choice for keto, gluten-free, or paleo diets.

Ingredient Checklist

2cupsriced cauliflower – Easily riced with a ricer or food processor. Or purchase riced cauliflower at the store. You should have enough if you purchase 1 large head of cauliflower or a 1 lb. bag of cauliflower florets.

3largeeggs

1tsp.dried tarragon

½tsp.garlic powder – or garlic granules

oil– for cooking. I use either avocado oil or coconut oil.

¼ cup oat flour – optional, to give them a bit more structure. I did not use it, but you can if you wish.

How To Make Cauliflower Fritters

Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (3)

These are pretty simple to make. Treat them similarly to mashed potatoes. Cook the cauliflower in a large pot over medium-high heat until it’s soft. You can sprinkle a little sea salt over the top just for flavor if you like.

Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (4)

In a large bowl, mash all ingredients together with a potato masher. It can be lumpy, but the lumps should be fairly even throughout.

Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (5)

Put a small amount of oil in a skillet (unless you are using non-stick), form the cauliflower mixture into patties, and cook like you would a pancake, and cook until golden brown on both sides.

If they start to break apart when you slide the spatula under them during cooking, they haven’t cooked long enough. Let them cook a bit longer and then try flipping them again.

How To Reheat Leftover Cauliflower Fritters

  • Microwave – Cook on high for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on how many you are heating at one time.
  • Stovetop – You can reheat these in a pan with a light spritz of oil over medium heat.
  • Oven – Place on a cookie sheet, heat oven to 350 F. and bake for about 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them. If they start to brown too much, you may need to place a loose piece of foil over the top.
  • Air Fryer – You may have to heat one at a time, depending on their size and your air fryer, but you can heat them at 400 F. for 5-10 minutes, depending on your air fryer.

Can You Freeze These?

I don’t recommend it. They will definitely freeze, but they will also fall apart when they thaw. If you don’t mind cauliflower scramble instead of patties, then freezing may be an option.

Recipe Supplies

While any pan can be used, I recommend a pan with low sides, such as a crepe pan. It’s not essential, but it makes life easier. Also, a good food processor will make quick work of these.

More Fritter Recipes

  • Zucchini Fritters
  • Almond Fritters

Cauliflower Fritters Recipe Card

Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (9)

Cauliflower Fritters Recipe

A delicious side dish or vegetarian main course!

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Course: Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 fritters (3 inch diameter)

Calories: 35kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet

  • 1 Food processor

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked cauliflower (I steamed mine)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. dried tarragon
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • oil (for cooking)
  • grated parmesan (optional for garnish)
  • ¼ cup oat flour (optional, to give them a bit more structure. I did not use it, but you can if you wish.)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • These are pretty simple to make. Treat them similarly to mashed potatoes. Cook the cauliflower in a large pot over medium high heat until it's soft. You can sprinkle a little sea salt over the top just for flavor if you like.

    Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (10)

  • In a large bowl, mash all ingredients together with a potato masher. It can be lumpy, but the lumps should be fairly even throughout.

    Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (11)

  • Put a small amount of oil in a skillet (unless you are using non-stick), form the cauliflower mixture into patties, and cook like you would a pancake, until golden brown on both sides.

    If they start to break apart when you slide the spatula under them during cooking, they haven’t cooked long enough. Let them cook a bit longer and then try flipping them again.

    Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (12)

  • Serve as a main course or side dish.

    Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (13)

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1fritter | Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 1/12/13.

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Clean Eating Cauliflower Fritters Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most nutritious way to eat cauliflower? ›

5 Healthy Ways to Cook with Cauliflower
  • Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Soup. Soup is a quintessential comfort food, especially when it's rich and creamy and full of flavor. ...
  • Cauliflower Steaks with Caper-Anchovy-Garlic Sauce. ...
  • Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes. ...
  • Whole Roasted Cauliflower. ...
  • Cauliflower Tabbouleh.
Feb 20, 2018

What does baking soda do in fritters? ›

So we use both to get the best of both worlds; Baking soda (bi-carb) OR baking powder – just a touch, to aerate the batter every so slightly (without it, it's slightly denser); Parmesan – for a good hit of savoury flavour AND to make the fritters extra crispy! Green onion and coriander – for a hit of freshness.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Does cauliflower need to be washed before roasting? ›

Caramelization is the key to giving the roasted cauliflower flavor. Give all the florets a thorough rinse in a colander. Shake them dry. Spread the florets out in an even layer on the baking sheet.

How many times a week should you eat cauliflower? ›

At a minimum, include cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet 2-3 times per week, and make the serving size at least 1-1/2 cups. Even better from a health standpoint, enjoy cauliflower and other vegetables from the cruciferous vegetable group 4-5 times per week, and increase your serving size to 2 cups.

Does frying cauliflower destroy nutrients? ›

However, cooking the veggie at higher temperatures can take a toll on some of its nutrients. “When you cook cauliflower, such as baking cauliflower pizza crust, sauteing cauliflower rice, or air-frying cauliflower tots, heat will diminish some—but not all—of the heat-sensitive vitamins, including vitamin C."

Is baking soda or baking powder better for fritters? ›

Baking powder is better for recipes that contain little or no acid ingredients. Baking soda helps make fried foods crispy and light.

Why are my fritters not crispy? ›

A common reason for soggy fritters is because they have not had all the moisture drained from them properly, AND from undercooking. To remedy this, make sure you squeeze out as much extra liquid as possible, fry them until very crispy, and drain them on a paper towel to retain the crispiness.

What is a substitute for baking powder in fritters? ›

Here are ten great substitutes for baking powder.
  1. Buttermilk. Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product with a sour, slightly tangy taste that is often compared to plain yogurt. ...
  2. Plain Yogurt. ...
  3. Molasses. ...
  4. Cream of tartar. ...
  5. Sour milk. ...
  6. Vinegar. ...
  7. Lemon juice. ...
  8. Club soda.

What brings out the Flavour of cauliflower? ›

There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.

Why do you put lemon juice in cauliflower? ›

Cauliflower contains some phytonutrients, these nutrients may react with iron cookware and gives the cauliflower a brownish color. To prevent this add some lemon juice to the cauliflower or to the water in which it is blanched.

What happens if you don't wash cauliflower? ›

Failure to wash fruits and vegetables before ingesting can lead to health complications such as food poisoning, sickness and diarrhoea, a team of experts has warned. These popular supermarket buys include the likes of strawberries, cranberries and kale.

How do you disinfect cauliflower? ›

Next, cut away the center stem using a knife. Next, transfer the florets to a colander and place them under running water to wash off the dirt and bigger bugs. After this, it is suggested to blanch them in salt water to kill bacteria and parasites for 10–20 minutes.

Is cauliflower more nutritious raw or cooked? ›

Eating raw cauliflower provides maximum vitamin C content, but cooking cauliflower allows your body to absorb more nutrients, such as vitamin K and potassium. Roasting or steaming cauliflower brings out its natural flavors and adds a delightful texture.

What is the best way to cook cauliflower without losing nutrients? ›

If you are trying to keep things extra healthy steaming is the way to go. A simple way without a steamer is to place cauliflower florets into a deep sided skillet and add about 1/4 cup of water. Place a lid on and let the cauliflower steam for about 10 minutes or until fork tender.

Is it healthier to roast or steam cauliflower? ›

Both steamed and roasted cauliflower can be nutritious options, and the choice between them may depend on personal preference and how they fit into your overall diet.

Is cauliflower better steamed or boiled? ›

It's best to steam vegetables. If you have a pot that is large enough to steam whole cauliflower or cut up in small pieces. If you boil in water. You will waste vitamins, and flavor.

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