Name: Cauliflower Fritters
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2.5 cups cauliflower rice ((Note 1)); 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup almond flour ((Note 2)); 2 large eggs, unbeaten; 1 scallion, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons butter; 1/2 teaspoon table salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Summary:

This is a quick stovetop recipe for making cheesy breakfast fritters using fresh or frozen cauliflower rice. These low carb patties are crispy and savory, reminiscent of hash browns.

Cauliflower Fritters

5 from 7 votes

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Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Cool: 10 mins

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

▢ 2.5 cups cauliflower rice (Note 1)
▢ 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
▢ 1/4 cup almond flour (Note 2)
▢ 2 large eggs, unbeaten
▢ 1 scallion, thinly sliced
▢ 2 tablespoons butter
▢ 1/2 teaspoon table salt
▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook Cauliflower Rice: Cover and microwave cauliflower rice until fully cooked and softened, about 4 minutes for fresh cauliflower, or 5 minutes for frozen cauliflower (Note 3). Let cool for 5 minutes or until steaming subsides.
Make Cauliflower Mixture: Stir cooked cauliflower rice, cheddar cheese, almond flour, eggs, salt, and pepper in medium mixing bowl until well-mixed. Optionally, transfer mixture to colander set over bowl to allow excess liquid to drain while pan heats (Note 4).
Cook Fritters: Spread butter on large pan (Note 5) over medium heat until melted, a few minutes. Use 1/4-cup measuring cup (Note 6) to scoop cauliflower mixture and overturn onto hot pan, immediately using spatula to flatten into 3 to 4 inch patty. Repeat until pan cannot hold any more in single layer, about 4 fritters. Cook each fritter until bottom is crispy and golden brown, about 5 minutes, then carefully flip with spatula to cook other side, another few minutes. Transfer to paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with second batch or until mixture is used up.
Cool & Serve: After cauliflower fritters have cooled on paper towels for about 10 minutes, transfer to serving plates and top with sliced scallions. Serve (Note 7) or save for later (Note 8).

NUTRITION

Makes 2 Servings

Amount Per Serving (3 to 4 fritters):

Calories 440 (73% from fat)
Total Fat 36g	55%
Saturated Fat 16g	79%
Cholesterol 256mg	85%
Sodium 1020mg	43%
Net Carb 5g
Total Carb 10g	3%
Dietary Fiber 5g	20%
Sugars 4.5g
Protein 22g

Vitamin A 21% · Vitamin C 100% · Calcium 36% · Iron 9%

PHOTOS

tall stack of fried cauliflower fritters on white plate

NOTES & TIPS

(1) Cauliflower Rice. About 10 ounces weight. You can use fresh or frozen. I recommend picking up a 10-ounce bag of pre-riced cauliflower in the produce section or freezer aisle of U.S. grocery stores — easier than grating cauliflower florets using a box grater or food processor. If you choose to grate your own cauliflower rice, you’ll need about half of a large head of cauliflower. Freshly grated cauliflower tends to be very wet, so I recommend squeezing liquid from it using a tea towel, cheese cloth, or a nut milk bag.

(2) Almond Flour. About 1 ounce weight. I use almond flour that is blanched, which means the skins are taken off of the almonds, so the resulting flour looks white. You can substitute with other flours, powders, or ground seeds/nuts; its purpose is to provide dry bulk that helps hold the fritter together. Watch out for any substitutes that may contribute unwanted flavors.

(3) Microwaving Cauliflower Rice. The cooking times listed in the recipe are based on a 700-watt microwave operating at high (100%) power, and is approximate since microwaves vary. If you’re using a bag of pre-riced cauliflower, follow package instructions for cooking instructions.

(4) Draining Excess Liquid. This is an optional step to reduce the liquid in the cauliflower mixture, resulting in crisper fritters. If you skip this step, you may notice a pale yellow liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl — avoid it when scooping up the mixture to form fritters.

(5) Large Pan. I use a 12-inch nonstick pan, which can comfortably hold at least 4 fritters at a time. I recommend using your largest pan so that you can cook multiple cauliflower fritters simultaneously, reducing the number of batches.

(6) Fritter Size. For “thick” fritters as pictured on this page, use about 1/4 cup of the cauliflower mixture for each fritter. For “thin” ones, use only 2-3 tablespoons per fritter. I think thick fritters are more attractive, and saves time since there are fewer fritters to fry. However, thin fritters tend to be crispier, tasting more like traditional hash browns. You also get less of the cauliflower and egg taste.

(7) Serving. Serve these fritters while warm, alongside other breakfast items like beef hash, almond flour pancakes, or egg bites (instant pot).

(8) Saving For Later. If you have leftovers, or you’re making this ahead of time, you can store the cooked fritters in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat on a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, a few minutes per side.

(9) Bacon Variation. Fry 2 bacon slices in the pan you intend to use for the fritters. When the bacon gets crispy, drain on a paper towel and crumble into small pieces, stirring them into the cauliflower mixture. Then use the reserved bacon grease in the pan for frying the fritters instead of butter.

More Breakfast

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P. Vanek

Very easy, light & tasty! Did not have to drain cauliflower. Option: instead of making individual fritters, might also want to toss all in pan & just cook as if it was a pan full of hash browns.

Shivonne Lee Hernandez

Followed directions, left out scallions, used my hand grater over a bowl, let sit for about 10 minutes, got about 1/2 cup of liquid squeezed out by hand. Made the thinner version to have more servings, takes about 2-3 minutes to cook. Used canola oil instead of butter to cook with. Smells awesome! Much healthier version of “hashbrowns” and I love hashbrowns! Cant wait to try one!

Arlene

I am eager to try this recipe! One question, though…have you used a mini waffle maker to cook them?

Julia

I haven’t. Let me know if you try that!

Elisabeth

They were yummy! They DO taste like hash browns!!

Tina

I made thin ones and thick ones today, but my husband found them boring. I will try Gruyere cheese next time and will add a tiny bit of bacon. Otherwise it’s a great recipe.

Gale

I made this with thawed frozen Cauliflower rice. It was wonderful! I will be making this a regular dish at my house.

Rae Wilson

I made these and they were delicious. My husband tried them and liked them. Guess this will be on my menus often.

Donna

These are fantastic especially if you are craving hashbrowns. I used my mini griddle and it worked great!

Liz

Do the make-ahead fritters crisp up when reheated in the frying pan?

Yes, they should, especially if you add a bit of oil to the pan while reheating them.

Thanks! I will give that a try for a brunch.

GabbyOne

Have you ever tried putting this in a muffin pan and bake them?? Maybe 400 degrees, for 25 minutes?

I haven’t, but I think that would work well!

How does it taste baked in a muffin pan? Did you try making it that way?

Deb Asencio

How do you think this would work in an air fryer?

Amy

Can you use coconut flour in place of almond flour? I know it’s not the same amount as coconut flour absorbes a lot more liquid. Maybe 4-6 Tbsp to start?

As you mentioned, coconut flour is a lot more absorbent, so I would use less not more. Since the recipe calls for 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of almond flour, I would start with 2 tablespoons of coconut flour. Keep adding more until the mixture looks cohesive and not falling apart. Hope that helps!

Ann Margolis

Thinking about throwing this into my dash waffle maker. Will experiment this weekend.

Cauliflower Fritters