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.
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.
Step by step instructions
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.
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.
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
- Chicken fritters 3 ways (cheesy, Italian and curried)
- Sweet potato zucchini fritters with cucumber corn salsa
- Cheesy zucchini and corn fritters
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
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!
7 Comments
Darcy
8 October 2024 at 04:41This is an excellent way to use cooked cauliflower. It was easy and delicious. I made it with gluten free 1 to 1 flour.
Leah Kelly
28 February 2024 at 01:21These were very good. My vegetable averse daughter ate three of them. Served with poached eggs. Chopped cilantro would have been nice, too.
Aleksandra
28 February 2024 at 05:47I’m happy to hear that, thank you for leaving the comment!
Lisa Marie
2 January 2024 at 23:51Delicious! 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!!!
Aleksandra
3 January 2024 at 06:33so glad you liked them, thank you for leaving the comment!
Kim
20 June 2023 at 16:09So 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!
Aleksandra
20 June 2023 at 18:53I´m glad you liked them, thank you for leaving the comment!