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Time to grab your air fryer to make these delicious cauliflower tater tots. These vegetable based tater tots are made with cauliflower rice and then cooked in the air fryer for a lighter appetizer that the whole family will love.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a great low carb and vegetable alternative to potatoes. The cauliflower is boiled before being riced and formed into the tater tots. Check out this post to cut the cauliflower into florets quickly and easily.
- Parmesan: To make these tater tots extra cheesy and delicious, add some parmesan cheese. Use freshly grated parmesan if you can, since pre-grated can be a bit dry and lacking in flavor.
- Egg: To bind the ingredients together. You can also use a flax egg to make these.
- Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are used to absorb excess moisture and help to firm up the cauliflower mixture so that they keep their shape. Use fine breadcrumbs rather than panko, as these do not absorb as much moisture.
- Seasonings: Salt and garlic powder, but feel free to also add other seasoning like paprika or oregano.
How to make cauliflower tater tots
- Steam the cauliflower florets in a large pot with a little water.
- Cook until fork tender without becoming too soft.
- Drain and add to a food processor.
- Pulse until the cauliflower is riced.
- Place the riced cauliflower in a kitchen towel and squeeze out any moisture.
- Add the cauliflower to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir well to combine.
- Shape into tater tots and place in the air fryer basket
- Cook until golden brown and crispy.
Tips for making the recipe
- Make sure to remove as much moisture as possible. That is key to making these cauliflower tater tots get crisp in the air fryer. You should remove about one cup of liquid from a medium sized cauliflower head.
- Steam rather than boil the cauliflower. Only add about and inch of water to the bottom and place the lid on. This will help the cauliflower to cook through but absorb less water.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil before adding the cauliflower tater tots. If you don’t, they are likely to stick to the basket.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. The tots should be in an even layer and not overlapping. If they are touching, they won’t get crispy all over. Cook in a couple of batches if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can make this with frozen or fresh cauliflower. The recipe remains the same, though it may take a minute or two longer to get fork tender. If using frozen florets, you will need just under 2 pounds.
Yes, if you prefer to bake the tater tots, place them on a baking dish lined with parchment paper and bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
These cauliflower tater tots are a great appetizer to serve with your favorite dips. They’re great with ranch, BBQ and ketchup, or anything else you have to hand in your fridge!
These air fryer cauliflower tater tots are such an easy and fun appetizer to serve. They are a great way of getting some extra veggies into your kids’ diets, and they come out so cheesy and crispy!
More low carb cauliflower recipes :
- Roasted Cauliflower Au Gratin
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
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Air Fryer Cauliflower Tater Tots
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower in a large pot with about 1” of water in the bottom. Add a lid and place the pan over medium heat. Allow the cauliflower to cook for 15-18 minutes, or until it is fork tender.
- Drain the water and transfer the cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse the cauliflower until it is riced.
- Transfer the riced cauliflower to a clean kitchen towel, allow it to cool enough to handle and squeeze out any liquid.
- Transfer the drained cauliflower to a large bowl and add the parmesan cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
- Once the mixture is uniform and starting to clump together, scoop out 1 tablespoon at a time and form it into a tight ball. Then, pinch the sides of the ball to create a long, oval shape. Repeat with the remaining tots.
- Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Add the cauliflower tots to the basket, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the cauliflower tots are golden brown and crispy.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan, if desired. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Hi! Can these be frozen? Thanks! Love all your recipes!!!
I have yet to try that! But leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the air fryer.
I used frozen riced cauliflower and jt didn’t come together as well for me like the picture. However, the dish was delicious!! Definitely will make again. Thanks Yumna.
Glad you enjoyed! Was it not holding together well?
I used frozen riced cauliflower too…. I rinsed it in cold water to get the excess ice chunks off and then strained well and squeezed the excess liquid out with paper towel (a clean dish towel would work too). It held up really well on the air fryer so you might have had too much liquid?
Would love to try this with some broccoli and sharp cheddar!
these look so tasty. Such a good alternative to having carbs too! I’m definitely going to try these. I have an actifry, so it turns to cook them. I might be better putting mine in the oven.