Name: Cauliflower Tots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 200 gms (2 cups) Cauliflower; grated; 200 gms (~1cup) Potatoes; boiled & mashed; 2 tbsp All-purpose flour /maida; 2 tbsp Cornstarch (in the recipe video at the end of the recipe, I have mentioned it as cornflour. Please read it as cornstarch in the video. Thank you!); ½ tbsp Rice flour; 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; or to taste; 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro; Salt to taste; Oil for deep frying

Easy cauliflower tots recipe for a snack/appetizer using cauliflower and potatoes. Grated cauliflower and boiled mashed potatoes are mixed with spices and shaped into small cylinders and deep-fried. Serve with mint chutney and/or ketchup. Easy after school snack or a party appetizer. Enjoy.

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WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS IN cauliflower tots?

Full recipe + measurements + video can be found in the recipe card below.

Cauliflower
Potatoes
All-purpose flour /maida
Cornstarch (in the recipe video at the end of the recipe, I have mentioned it as cornflour. Please read it as cornstarch in the video. Thank you!)
Rice flour
Kashmiri red chilli powder
Cilantro
Oil for deep frying

Cauliflower - I love to use cauliflower in my cooking and happy to use it in this cauliflower tots recipe. Grate the cauliflower using a box grater. If you have a food processor, you can use that to mince the cauliflower. I transfer the cauliflower rice to a muslin cloth to help with wringing out the water from the cauliflower.

For this recipe, I prefer to use fresh cauliflower and not frozen ones.

Potatoes - I usually have boiled potatoes in my refrigerator as part of my meal planning. Having boiled potatoes is seriously a game-changer in meal prep. Additional 15-20 minutes is required if you do not have boiled potatoes ready. [Let it cool before using in the recipe]

All-purpose flour, rice flour, and cornstarch- These flours act as binding agents. The combination of rice flour and cornflour helps in crisp outer for the cauliflower tots. If you have excess moisture in the mixture, add some extra flours (in the same proportion), little by little, and try again.(In the recipe video at the end of the recipe, I have mentioned it as cornflour. Please read it as cornstarch in the video. Thank you!)

Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - This is used to add some heat to the cauliflower tots. Reduce the quantity suggested in the recipe card if you want a milder version. Sweet Paprika is a good substitute for kashmiri red chilli powder. If you want to amp up the heat, add chopped green chilies, Cayenne pepper, or any other spicy Indian red chilli powder.

Cilantro - I have used cilantro as the herb in the recipe. You can use your favorite one. I would recommend parsley if you don't like the taste of cilantro.

Oil - Any cooking oil with high smoke point [opens in a new tab] like, canola oil, peanut oil etc. can be used.

Keep in mind not to have extra moisture in the cauliflower-potato mixture.

Squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower.
Boil the potatoes until fork-tender. Once cooked, remove the potatoes immediately from the water. This prevents the absorption of excess moisture.
If you suspect excess moisture, try frying one cauliflower tot. If there is excess moisture. it will fall apart. Add more flour (in the same proportion) and mix again and check. Adjust the spices.

WHAT to serve with cauliflower tots?

I usually serve this with some mint chutney. This tastes amazing with simple tomato ketchup. Perk up your tomato ketchup with some hot sauce or sriracha.

Meal prep ideas for making cauliflower tots

As I mentioned above, you can have potatoes boiled and ready to be used in the recipe.
You can grate your cauliflower, let it sweat, and squeeze the water out of it. Keep the cauliflower in the refrigerator.

Storing leftover cauliflower tots

You can store leftover cauliflower tots in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days.

Microwaving these cauliflower tots makes them soggy. Reheat in a preheated oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit (~180 degree Celsius)) for about 5-6 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

More cauliflower recipes

If you like cauliflower and are looking for more recipes using this versatile vegetable, we got you covered.

Have you tried our cauliflower steak with blackened spice? This was my attempt to recreate a restaurant dish that I fell in love with. I have to say, I got the taste pretty close. :).
Check this cauliflower curry with chickpeas curry recipe. Scoop this curry up with some warm naan or serve with steamed rice.
Have you tried a flavorful rice preparation from the Awadh cuisine? Serve it with some raitha (yogurt-based dip) and you are all set for a lovely meal.

more flavor ideas for cauliflower tots

Though I have kept the ingredient list for this recipe very simple, it should not stop you from experimenting with different flavors. A few suggestions:

Add minced garlic
Add some minced ginger if you like the flavor. Or you can even use a combination of minced ginger and garlic.
If you like it spicy, add some finely chopped green chillies.
Top the fried cauliflower tots with Sriracha hot sauce to perk up the flavor.
Add some garam masala to get some Indian flavor.
Experiment with some Italian flavors, or Mexican spice mixes to give your own touch.

Additional notes for cauliflower tots

1 cup = 250 ml. Typical US cups are 240 ml. You can use US cups for measurements without any drastic difference in the recipe.
Grams to cups measurements – we strive to provide these conversions as accurately as possible. There might be some slight variations depending on the brand, weighing scale, etc.
Serving size – I usually get approximately 20 pieces from this measurement. Always adjust the serving size to suit your dietary needs.
Preparation time does not include the time to cook the potatoes. It is assumed that you have boiled potatoes ready to be used in the recipe.
Adjust the Kashmiri red chilli powder quantity according to your taste. Reduce the quantity for a milder version. You can use Sweet paprika as a substitute.
If you want a spicier version, add some chopped green chilis, cayenne, or any other spicy red chilli powder.
The mixture should be dry and the cauliflower tots should hold shape very well. These cauliflower tots will not hold shape and split apart in the oil if there is excess moisture in the mixture. Add more of the flour mix (in the same proportion as in the recipe) and try to bind the mixture together.
Work in batches while deep frying. Each batch of cauliflower tots takes about 5-6 minutes to get ready. Actual cooking time may vary depending on the size of the kadai/wok.

Cauliflower Tots

Yield: 20 pieces

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Easy recipe for a snack/appetizer using cauliflower and potatoes. Grated cauliflower and boiled
mashed potatoes are mixed with spices and shaped into small cylinders and deep-fried. Serve with mint chutney and/or ketchup. Easy after school snack or a party
appetizer. Enjoy.

Ingredients

200 gms (2 cups) Cauliflower; grated
200 gms (~1cup) Potatoes; boiled & mashed
2 tbsp All-purpose flour /maida
2 tbsp Cornstarch (in the recipe video at the end of the recipe, I have mentioned it as cornflour. Please read it as cornstarch in the video. Thank you!)
½ tbsp Rice flour
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; or to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Grate the cauliflower using a box grater or food processor.

Transfer to a muslin cloth. Sprinkle some salt. Let it sweat for a few minutes.

Roll up the muslin cloth. Squeeze out most of the water from the cauliflower.

Transfer the cauliflower to a clean bowl. Add boiled and mashed potatoes followed by all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and rice

Combine everything well. Use your hands if that is easy.

Using your hands scoop up 1 to 2 tbsps. of mixture. Shape into a tater to shape (a small cylinder). Repeat with the rest of the mixture. This quantity yielded me about 20 pieces.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok on medium heat for deep frying.

Once the oil is hot, add the cauliflower tots one at a time. Fry till golden brown. For me, each batch takes about 5-6 minutes approximately. Do not overcrowd the kadai/wok.

Once it is fried to your satisfaction, remove it from heat and drain on a paper towel.

Repeat with the rest of the pieces.

Serve hot with mint chutney and/or ketchup.

Notes

1 cup = 250 ml. Typical US cups are 240 ml. You can use US cups for measurements without any drastic difference in the recipe.
Grams to cups measurements – we strive to provide these conversions as accurately as possible. There might be some slight variations depending on the brand, weighing scale, etc.
Serving size – I usually get approximately 20 pieces from this measurement. Always adjust the serving size to suit your dietary needs.
Preparation time does not include the time to cook the potatoes. It is assumed that you have boiled potatoes ready to be used in the recipe.
Adjust the Kashmiri red chilli powder quantity according to your taste. Reduce the quantity for a milder version. You can use Sweet paprika as a substitute.
If you want a spicier version, add some chopped green chilis, cayenne, or any other spicy red chilli powder.
Do not overcrowd the kadai/wok when deep frying. Each batch of cauliflower tots takes about 5-6 minutes to get ready. Actual cooking time may vary depending on the size of the kadai/wok.

Cornstarch (in the recipe video at the end of the recipe, I have mentioned it as cornflour. Please read it as cornstarch in the video. Thank you!)

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