Cauliflower Bites

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Recently Paul and I went to this cute little wine bar in Mesa, Arizona. I was surprised to see cauliflower corn dogs on the menu, which I discovered were vegan. So I ordered the dish to give it a try. Unfortunately, it was inedible, greasy, fried, and tasted awful. We sent it back. As a result of this negative experience came the idea to make a cauliflower bites recipe using my cornbread recipe. So what happens when you dip cauliflower in cornbread batter and bake it? You get great cauliflower bites! 

I love cauliflower! And the more ways I can make unique cauliflower recipes, the better! Not only do these cauliflower bites taste fabulous, but the savory and sweet combination makes my taste buds dance. Then, I made a maple dijon dressing to dip the cornbread-covered cauliflower. There's something special about a tangy maple dijon sauce to bring out the flavor of the cauliflower and the cornbread. 

How to make cauliflower bites recipe

First, begin with a large head of cauliflower cut into equal-sized florets. Then add oil-free cornbread batter. 

Ingredients

• Cauliflower florets
• Cornmeal
• Whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour of choice
• Organic vegan sugar plus brown sugar
• Baking powder
• Vanilla soy milk (or unsweetened, unflavored plant milk)
• All-natural organic applesauce (no sugar added)
• Pure maple syrup or agave (I used maple syrup)

Tips for making oil-free cornbread batter 

• Use apple sauce instead of eggs in recipes
• Choose unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk in place of regular milk in any recipe.
• Select maple syrup, agave, or date syrup as a sugar substitute to reduce the sugar used in recipes. 
• Also, DON'T OVERMIX the batter. Once the ingredients are in the bowl, stir the batter, combining all the ingredients without stirring too much. What does that mean? First, combine all the dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients and mix until combined. 

Baking cauliflower bites

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Dip cauliflower florets, covering each piece of cauliflower with cornbread batter. 
• Bake for 17-19 minutes until the exterior cornbread surrounding the cauliflower is brown. 

How to make cauliflower bites in the air-fryer

• Place dipped florets on the base of the air-fryer pan, lined with air-fryer parchment paper.
• Air-fry at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the cornbread is brown
• Remove florets and cook in batches until all florets are cooked
• Place cooked cauliflower bites on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 325-degree oven until all the florets are prepared. 

What to dip cauliflower bites in?

I decided to make a simple maple dijon dip.  

• Dijon mustard
• Maple syrup (or substitute date syrup, or agave)

Other dipping Options

• Mustard Dipping Sauce(another mustard sauce)
• Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Vegan Green Goddess Dressing
• Yogurt Dressing Recipe
• Lemon Basil Dressing

FAQ

What to eat with cauliflower bites? 

• I like cauliflower bites with a large salad or served with brown rice on the side. 

How long to cook cauliflower bites in the air-fryer? 

• 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees

How many calories are in cauliflower bites?

• 91 calories per serving

Check out these cauliflower recipes if you love cauliflower as much as I do.

• Buffalo Cauliflower
• BBQ Cauliflower
• How to Grill Marinated Cauliflower Steak Slices With Chimichurri Sauce
• Curried Cauliflower
• Spicy Korean Baked Cauliflower
• Cauliflower Tacos
• Cauliflower Po Boy Sandwich Recipe
• Orange Cauliflower Recipe
• Tahini Roasted Cauliflower
• General Tso Cauliflower Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Cauliflower Bites

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

These cornbread-dipped cauliflower bites are to die for. First, the cauliflower is dipped in oil-free cornbread batter and baked or air-fried. Then dip these tasty little cauliflower bites into a tangy mustard maple dipping sauce.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower, cut into equal-sized floets

Cornbread batter

• 1 recipe oil-free cornbread

Dijon Maple Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or substitute date syrup or agave)

Instructions

1. Remove the core from the head of the cauliflower.
2. Then, cut the cauliflower into equal-sized florets.

Cornbread batter

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, and baking powder; stir.
2. Add the soy milk, applesauce, and maple syrup and whisk to combine.
3. The batter can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, covered until you're ready to prepare the cauliflower bites.
   

Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
3. Dip cauliflower florets, covering each piece of cauliflower with cornbread batter. 
4. Bake for 17-19 minutes until the exterior cornbread surrounding the cauliflower is brown. 

Air -Frying

1. Place dipped florets on the base of the air-fryer pan, lined with air-fryer parchment paper.
2. Air-fry at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until the cornbread is brown
3. Remove florets and cook in batches until all florets are cooked
4. Place cooked cauliflower bites on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 325-degree oven until all the florets are prepared.  

Dijon Maple Dipping Sauce

1. Whisk the dijon mustard and maple syrup together.
2. Set aside.

Notes

Tips:

1. Use apple sauce instead of eggs in recipes
2. Choose unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk in place of regular milk in any recipe.
3. Select maple syrup, agave, or date syrup as a sugar substitute to reduce the sugar used in recipes. 
4. Also, DON'T OVERMIX the batter. Once the ingredients are in the bowl, stir the batter, combining all the ingredients without stirring too much. What does that mean? First, combine all the dry ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients and mix until combined. 
5. Prepare the batter ahead of time ad refrigerate until ready to dip florets
6. Use parchment paper when baking for air-frying
7. Air-fryers vary in size and cooking times, so check florets at 10 minutes when ai-frying.
8. Cook cauliflower bites in batches using a small air-fryer and place cooked florets in a 325-degree oven on a baking sheet to keep warm.
   

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 91Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 4mgSodium 363mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 4gSugar 7gProtein 4g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

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