30-Minute Dinner/ Dinner/ Summer Recipes/ vegetarian dinner

Cheesy Cauliflower Fritters

8 December 2021 | Last Updated: 11 July 2024 By Aleksandra

If you’re wondering what to do with leftover cauliflower, these cauliflower fritters are the answer! They are cheesy, perfectly spiced, quick, and easy. They make a great snack or a meatless lunch.

A stack of cauliflower fritters on a blue plate.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make these fritters:

  • Leftover cauliflower – it can be boiled, steamed, or roasted.
  • Egg – to bind the ingredients.
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
  • Parmesan cheese – adds amazing flavor and binds the ingredients.
  • Seasoning – these fritters are generously seasoned! I used Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder, paprika, and grated lemon zest. You can use any seasoning that you like but I would really recommed using lemon zest – it really adds an amazing flavor.
  • Other spices that would go well:
    • Indian spices such as curry spice mix or garam masala.
    • Middle-Eastern spices such as cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric.
Labeled ingredients for cauliflower fritters.

Step by step instructions

Cooked cauliflower in a pot. chopped cauliflower in a plate.

STEP 1: This recipe calls for cooked cauliflower so if you don’t have any leftovers, you need to boil or steam cauliflower.

How to boil cauliflower: divide it into florets, add to salted boiling water and cook for a couple of minutes until fork-tender but not too soft.

How to steam cauliflower: I use this method most often. You can steam cauliflower in a steamer or if you don’t have it, just use a pot with a sieve on top. Add some water to the pot (it should not touch the sieve), divide the cauliflower into florets, and place it in the sieve. Cover with a lid and steam for a couple of minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender but not too soft (steam coming from boiling water under the cauliflower will cook it).

STEP 2: Finely chop cauliflower. You can do that in a food processor but for such a small amount of cauliflower, it’s easy to chop it by hand.

Ingredients for cauliflower fritters in a blue bowl.

STEP 3: Add cauliflower to a large bowl with all the other ingredients.

STEP 4: Stir with a spoon until all the ingredients are well-combined and the mixture is no more dry and starts to get sticky.

Cauliflower fritters are being cooked in a black pan.

STEP 5: Heat 1-2 tablespoons of frying oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of batter (or just 1 heaped tablespoon) for each fritter.

STEP 6: Cook the fritters until golden on both sides.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack (they won’t get soggy).

Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

  • they are pretty great on their own
  • plain yogurt
  • simple yogurt dip: 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 ts lemon juice + 1 clove garlic, pressed + 1 ts chopped herbs (such as thyme) + salt and pepper to taste
  • yogurt-sour cream dip: 1/3 cup yogurt + 1/3 cup sour cream + 2 ts lemon juice + 2 ts fresh thyme or 1 ts dried thyme + 1 small clove garlic pressed + salt and pepper to taste
  • tzatziki
  • sunny-side-up eggs

Storage

They store pretty well – they will taste good but won’t be crispy. Store them in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry non-stick pan.

More fritter recipes

Cauliflower fritters on a blue plate are being dipped into yogurt dip.

Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!

Cheesy Cauliflower Fritters

If you’re wondering what to do with leftover cauliflower, these cauliflower fritters are the answer! They are cheesy, perfectly spiced, quick, and easy. They make a great snack or a meatless lunch.
Pin This Recipe!
A stack of cauliflower fritters on a blue plate.
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RATE THE RECIPE

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5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8 fritters
Calories 80kcal
Author Aleksandra

Ingredients

  • 2 cups finely chopped cooked cauliflower 280g
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 45g
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 tablespoons flour 50g
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • zest grated from 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste I added 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • vegetable oil for frying

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Instructions

  • Finely chop cooked cauliflower. Add to a large bowl with all the other ingredients. Stir with a spoon until all the ingredients are well-combined and the mixture is no more dry and starts to get sticky.
  • Heat 1-2 tablespoons of frying oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
  • Place about 2-3 tablespoons of batter (or just 1 heaped tablespoon) for each fritter. Cook the fritters until golden on both sides.
  • Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack (they won’t get soggy).
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • What to serve them with: they are pretty great on their own / plain yogurt / simple yogurt dip: 1/2 cup yogurt + 1/2 ts lemon juice + 1 clove garlic, pressed + 1 ts chopped herbs (such as thyme) / tzatziki / sunny-side-up eggs.
  • You can add less cheese (1/4 cup) if you like.
  • Calories = 1 fritter (1/8 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Tried this Recipe? Rate the Recipe and tell us what you think in the Comments!

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7 Comments

  • Reply
    Darcy
    8 October 2024 at 04:41

    5 stars
    This is an excellent way to use cooked cauliflower. It was easy and delicious. I made it with gluten free 1 to 1 flour.

  • Reply
    Leah Kelly
    28 February 2024 at 01:21

    5 stars
    These were very good. My vegetable averse daughter ate three of them. Served with poached eggs. Chopped cilantro would have been nice, too.

    • Reply
      Aleksandra
      28 February 2024 at 05:47

      I’m happy to hear that, thank you for leaving the comment!

  • Reply
    Lisa Marie
    2 January 2024 at 23:51

    5 stars
    Delicious! I made these with leftover roasted cauliflower and they are so good! Easy to make and so full of flavor. I used my air fryer instead of a skillet and the came out perfect!
    These are an absolute treat!!!

    • Reply
      Aleksandra
      3 January 2024 at 06:33

      so glad you liked them, thank you for leaving the comment!

  • Reply
    Kim
    20 June 2023 at 16:09

    5 stars
    So good! Tried these today with the left over cauliflower I had. I used 4 cups of cauliflower so added 1/2 c shredded mozz in addition to the Parmesan. Ate one right out of the pan with a light drizzle of Dijon and the other with olive tapenade. They are light in flavor so you can eat them with whatever you want. Delicious!

    • Reply
      Aleksandra
      20 June 2023 at 18:53

      I´m glad you liked them, thank you for leaving the comment!

    5 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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