Cauliflower Cheese Bites {4-ingredients, Vegan, Grain-Free}

4-ingredient cauliflower minis, made in a mini muffin tin with chickpea flour, plus nutritional yeast for cheese-y flavor. Perfect for snacks and appetizers.

Let’s get right to it.

Snacks. I need snacks, you need snacks, we all need snacks.

Vegetable snacks? I am all for it. But it’s hard to cozy up to a plate of baby carrots and celery sticks on a cold, dark, February day.

So I’m offering these instead: my 4-Ingredient Cauliflower Cheese Bites.

Talk about yum. And ease. And all-around appeal! They are:

*Vegan
*Grain-free
*Gluten-free
*Ready in under 30 minutes
*Frugal

Despite their heartiness, each mini has a mere 22 calories, so you can munch a bunch (which you will want to do). Take that, crudité. :).

Here’s what you need to get these in the oven: (1) about half of a head of cauliflower (8 ounces/227 g), chopped somewhat finely, (2) 1/2 cup chickpea flour, (3) 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (it’s what gives the bites their cheese-y flavor), and (4) a tablespoon of olive oil (or your favorite oil). You’ll need a bit of water, salt & pepper, too.

Simply whisk everything, except the cauliflower in a large bowl, until blended and smooth.

You can add any and all kinds of additional flavors here, if you want to jazz things up. For example, herbs (chopped fresh or dried; rosemary or Italian seasoning are always good choices), a smidge of mustard (to add a subtle sharpness to the cheese flavor), or spices (e.g., chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, curry powder).

Add the cauliflower and toss to combine. The batter will just coat the cauliflower, with a bit of extra in the bottom of the bowl.

Divide the mixture between 18 well-greased or sprayed mini muffin cups. These will definitely stick if you do not coat the cups (been there, done that). Alternatively, line the cups with paper or foil liners. Be sure to scoop any remaining batter at the bottom of the bowl over the portions in the cup.

That’s it! Now pop in a preheated 400F (200C) degree oven for about 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Here’s the snack-worthy result!

These little snacks can be made with broccoli, too. It is also an excellent way to use up cauliflower or broccoli stems. Just be sure to finely chop the stems (a bit more so than the florets) before adding to the batter.

These keep well–refrigerator or freezer–and are tasty warm (you can re-warm in the microwave for a few seconds), room temperature, or cold. Happy eating!

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