Crispy Baked Cauliflower Nuggets

February 1, 2023

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Crispy Baked Cauliflower Nuggets made with gluten-free ingredients for an easy and delicious side dish to your meal and dip them in any sauces you’d like.

With just a few simple ingredients, these crispy cauliflower nuggets are a healthy homemade finger food for the entire family! Kids, adults, anyone will love these. And even if your kids don’t usually like cauliflower (like mine), I have a feeling they may be into this recipe as mine loved them.

I love using ingredients in ways you least expect like crushed up crackers as breadcrumbs. Combined with the tapioca flour, these get so crispy and since I use a grain-free cracker brand – they happen to be grain-free and gluten-free as well. Plus whenever you have leftover cracker crumbs, save them! No need tot throw them out. Instead just add them to a large ziplock bag and you will have breadcrumbs to use.

We love these nuggets alongside of some protein like stovetop chicken, Thai Turkey Meatballs or Oven-Baked Paleo Veggie Chicken Nuggets.

Tip: dip these nuggets into your favorite sauce or condiment like ketchup, honey mustard or anything you are craving!

What ingredients are in crispy cauliflower nuggets:

Crushed cup crackers – you can use any crackers you love and finely crush them up! I use a food processor or just hit them in a bag
Tapioca flour – or sub arrowroot flour if you’d like
Parmesan cheese – you can also use another finely shredded cheese too
Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika
Cauliflower florets – you can buy a head of cauliflower and cut it or just use a bag of florets too!
Eggs beaten – I don’t have an egg substitute

How to make crispy cauliflower nuggets in the oven or air fryer:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together crushed up crackers, flour, parmesan cheese and spices until evenly combined
Place beaten eggs into a small bowl then dip the cauliflower florets in the eggs and then coat it with the breadcrumb mixture
Transfer the breaded cauliflower to a baking sheet (I line with cooling rack too so they get extra crispy)
Spray them evenly with cooking oil spray or drizzle oil on top
Bake for 15-20 minutes or air fry for 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy
Serve immediately with a side of your favorite dipping sauce!

Best tips for success making cauliflower nuggets:

Use seasoned crackers for the breadcrumbs! This is one of my favorite ways use up leftover cracker crumbs too at the bottom of the bag.
You can air fry these or bake them in the oven – either way works well. I like to put them on a cooling rack on top of the baking sheet so they get crispy too. It helps so much (see photo above for example).
Feel free to use any seasonings you want in the mixture. You can also make these on the spicer side.
These are a great toddler-friendly food as well. My kid’s love these! I just cut them up a bit smaller for Brody but Ezra devours them whole.
When you reheat these, I like to crisp on stovetop in a skillet or pop them in the microwave. I also eat them cold too, but you know how much I love cold food!

A few other delicious veggie recipes to make:

My Favorite Japanese Sweet Potato Fries

Spicy Breadcrumb Brussels Sprouts

One-Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta

Copycat P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans (vegan)

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Nuggets made with glute-free ingredients for an easy and delicious side dish to your meal and dip them in any sauces you'd like.

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