Since cauliflower has become the perfect substitute where we would have previously used rice or potatoes, let’s take this all the way and make my favorite childhood comfort food: the tot. Cauliflower tots are a savory low carb indulgence, made mostly of vegetables, but with that perfect crisp exterior and perfect soft interior. If I were fancy, I’d call them Cauliflower Croquettes. But I am not fancy. No, I am not.
These tots can be made dairy free if you substitute vegan cheese. You can also omit the egg if you need to as they hold together fine without one. To “pre-rice” the cauliflower, simply grate it on a box grater or in a food processor until the consistency of rice, or purchase bags of pre cut cauliflower.
Tots on their way to the oven…
Cauliflower Tots
Serves: 24-30 Tots
4 cups, pre-riced cauliflower (equivalent of about 2 heads of cauliflower)
2 tablespoons olive oil for baking sheet
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons minced red pepper
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalepeno
2 teaspoons cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 egg
Steam pre-riced cauliflower for 10 minutes in a stove top steamer insert, or microwave in a bag for 4 minutes. Pour onto a clean, dry towel, and press any and all excess water out. Press one more time for good measure while allowing cauliflower to cool.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick foil drizzled with olive oil. In a large bowl, mix the cooled cauliflower, onion, red peper, jalepeno, cilantro, almond flour, cheese, salt and pepper until evenly blended. Add egg and mix thoroughly.
Form into tot shaped balls and lay on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, gently flip the tots, and continue baking for 20 more minutes until crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately.
Dean Edwards says
November 11, 2015 at 6:19 pmJust made these and they were easy to do. Only problem is they’re so tasty I’ve just massively over-eaten 🙂
Anna says
November 12, 2015 at 1:25 amSame thing happened to me, Dean!!
xoxo
Anna
Bob Gralewski says
November 14, 2015 at 3:08 pmLoved the recipe Anna! Made them this morning and had with some bacon.
Tamara Schoof says
November 16, 2015 at 4:43 pmThese tots were awesome. So easy to make; so easy to eat! Anna, you always make me look like a rock star. Thanks.
Bon says
November 29, 2015 at 9:59 pmJust posted a question about tot-ifying risotto on your risotto recipe. Maybe I just do this instead. 😉
Nick says
December 15, 2015 at 3:56 amCan these be made and frozen prior to cooking? Or would it be better to bake them, then freeze?
Anna says
December 21, 2015 at 6:38 pmI think it would be better to assemble the tots, then freeze them. Then you can thaw and bake them fresh.
XOXO
Maria says
December 23, 2015 at 9:07 pm“You gonna eat your tots?”-Napoleon Dynamite
The line I always think of when I hear the word “tots”
These are majorly good. I am so grateful that I don’t eat grains or i never would’ve known how much I love cauliflower rice!!
Had to add an extra egg because one didn’t cut it. May have used more cauliflower than I should have. It’s Christmas and I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.
The family loved them too.
Merry Xmas!
Anna says
January 3, 2016 at 4:32 pmHAHA, Marie, you are awesome! Yeah, the extra egg was probably necessary if you didn’t squeeze all of the excess water out of the cauliflower. great that they turned out so delicious. I love these tots!
Dani says
January 16, 2016 at 12:27 pmTots are fantastic! Used coconut flour as sub for almond flour. Will definitely make again.
Luke says
January 23, 2016 at 6:36 pmThese taste delicious, but I struggled to form them into reasonable looking pieces! They stuck to the foil (should have used more olive oil) and then sort of fell apart into a mash. Delicious either way. Thanks!
Anna says
January 24, 2016 at 7:08 amyeah, I think either spraying your foil or using nonstick foil AND spraying it (or rubbing it with olive oil) is the only way to go to keep the tots from sticking. that’s what I do! Mmmmm…delicious mush…
Alene Solomon says
February 20, 2016 at 4:51 pmAnna,
Thanks for the inspiring recipe. I used shaved Parmesan because I didn’t have enough colby jack. I have three foodie sons who are suspicious by nature. This may have done the trick!
Cali transplant to Kansas,
Alene
Anna says
March 7, 2016 at 12:49 pmShaved parmesan is a GREAT idea–thanks for sharing!!!
Tom says
June 6, 2017 at 4:11 amThese things are so good you feel like your cheating!!!
Where can I find the nutritional info on them for my food log?
Thanks Miss Anna, you’re the best!!!!
Anna says
June 8, 2017 at 7:21 amSo glad you are enjoying them! You can copy and paste the ingredients into any number of websites that will then calculate the nutritional info on the spot. Or you can enter them into your favorite tracking app.
XOXO
Anna
Brett Jarman says
December 10, 2017 at 12:41 amDelicious and so easy to make. Thank you Anna.