Crispy Cauliflower Fritters

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Jun 2, 2025 - 23:00

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These crispy cauliflower fritters are how I trick my kids into eating veggies. They even ask for seconds. The parmesan and savory seasonings make these golden, cheesy, and packed with flavor!

A Reader’s Review

Fantastic!

– Laurie

Why My Cauliflower Fritters Stand Above the Rest

Better batter, better results: The light batter, made with egg, spring onion, and spices, fries up golden without hiding the cauliflower.
Next-level crunch: Rice flour is my secret weapon. If it’s not in your pantry yet, it should be. You’ll never fry without it again.
Cauliflower done right: No grimy veggies here. My quick hot water soak trick gets into every floret so you can cook with confidence.

Ingredients Needed

Cauliflower: Fresh cauliflower is best! Using frozen cauliflower adds too much moisture, and cauliflower rice is too small. I found that it affected the overall texture of the fritters.
Cheese: Want to switch it up? Swap the parmesan for shredded cheddar for a richer, melty twist.

How to Make Crispy Cauliflower Fritters

Crispy Cauliflower Fritters are super addictive and a breeze to make! They are like a vegetarian version of popcorn chicken and taste great with some sriracha or sweet chili sauce.

Prep and Boil: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Steam or boil 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into small florets, for 5-10 minutes or until tender. It should be mashable but not mushy. Drain well and cool slightly before mashing.
Mash: In a large bowl, mash the cauliflower with a fork or potato masher until slightly chunky.
Combine: Stir in flour, Italian breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, grated parmesan cheese, one large egg, salt, and pepper until well combined.
Make Patties: Form the mixture into small uniform patties.
Fry and Serve: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the patties in batches for 6-8 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Add more oil to the pan, as needed. Garnish cauliflower fritters with chopped green onions and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Alyssa’s Cauliflower Fritters Pro Tip

Chill the Mixture: If the mixture feels too wet, put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before forming the patties. Any longer and you will need to let the mixture come to room temperature slightly before cooking.

Plate of fried crispy cauliflower fritters.

More Crispy Appetizers To Try

If you’re a fan of crispy appetizers, be sure to check out my baked parmesan ravioli, avocado fries, and garlic chicken bites. Here are a few more to try.

American

Crispy Parmesan Fried Zucchini

15 mins

Appetizers

Fried Pickles Recipe

15 mins

Appetizers

Crispy Onion Rings (Baked or Fried!)

30 mins

Appetizers

Fried Calamari

50 mins

Cauliflower Fritters

These crispy cauliflower fritters are light, cheesy, and perfect as an appetizer for the game, after-school snack, or yummy side.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cauliflower, cauliflower fritters, Crispy Cauliflower Fritters, fritters, vegetarian snack

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 164kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower chopped into small florets (about 3 cups)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil for frying
chopped green onions for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Steam 1 head cauliflower, chopped into small florets, for 5-10 minutes or until tender. It should be mashable but not mushy. Drain well and cool slightly before mashing.
In a large bowl, mash the cauliflower with a fork or potato masher until slightly chunky.
Stir in ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until well combined.
Form the mixture into small uniform patties.
Heat Olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the patties in batches for 6-8 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Add more oil to the pan, as needed. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

Updated May 27, 2025

Leftover Instructions: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet or air fryer to bring back that crispy texture.