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Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Bites (4-ingredients, GF, oil-free option)

Vegan cauliflower cheese bites, made in a mini muffin tin with only 4 ingredients. They are gluten-free and can be made oil-free, too. 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 Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Bites.

Recipe Benefits

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

  • Vegan (egg-free and dairy-free)
  • Grain-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Oil-free option
  • Made with 4 ingredients
  • Ready in under 30 minutes
  • Frugal
  • Low calorie (22 calories each)

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. :).

Ingredients for Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Bites

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Here is what you need to get these in the oven: (

You will need a bit of water, salt & pepper, too.

Step by Step Instructions for Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Bites

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Spray or grease 18 cups of a mini muffin tin.

Step Two: Whisk Everything Except Cauliflower

In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, water, oil (or milk, for oil-free), and salt & pepper until blended and smooth.

Step Three: Add the Cauliflower

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.

Step Four: Portion into Prepared Pan

Divide the mixture between 1the 8 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.

Step Five: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Serve warm or cool completely.

Here is the snack-worthy result!

FAQ

Can I Add Additional Flavors?

You can add any and all kinds of additional flavors to the basic recipe. 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).

Can I Make these with a Different Vegetable?

Yes. 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.

Is There a Substitute for Chickpea Flour?

No, this particular recipe needs to be made with chickpea flour.

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!

Cauliflower Cheese Bites {V, GF, Oil-Free Option)

Cauliflower Cheese Bites {V, GF, Oil-Free Option)

Yield: 18 minis
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes

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 and only 22 calories each.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (60 g) chickpea flour
  • 1/3 cup (80 mL) water
  • 2 tablespoons (7.5 g) nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil OR water
  • Optional: 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups chopped cauliflower florets (8 oz/ 227g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Grease or spray 18 cups of a miniature muffin pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, water, yeast, oil (OR additional tablespoon water), & optional salt and pepper until blended and smooth. Add the cauliflower, stirring until combined.
  3. Divide the cauliflower mixture (including all of the batter) evenly between the prepared mini muffin cups.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack and run a knife around the edges to loosen. Cool 5 minutes and then remove from pan.
  5. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled mini bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tip: No nutritional yeast? No problem. You can leave it out. You can stick with salt and pepper as your seasonings, or add some herbs or spices instead.

Tip: This recipe will not work with other flours (e.g., coconut flour or almond flour).

Nutrition Information
Yield 18 Serving Size 1 mini
Amount Per Serving Calories 22Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0.1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 37.7mgCarbohydrates 2.4gFiber 0.7gSugar 0.5gProtein 1.2g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @powerhungrycamilla on Instagram and hashtag it #powerhungrycamilla

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Isabel

Wednesday 29th of November 2023

Hi Camilla! This exactly the type of appetizer I’ve been looking for. Any suggestions on how to make it Asian-ish in flavor?

Camilla

Friday 1st of December 2023

Hi, Isabell, I am so glad you like the recipe! Yes, you can definitely make this Asian and flavor. For example, you could replace the olive oil with some toasted sesame oil, add some fresh grated ginger or dry ginger, and maybe replace the salt with a teaspoon or two of soy sauce. Another idea: add a teaspoon of Thai curry paste, or curry powder, or garam masala, and perhaps some chopped fresh cilantro.

Sam

Wednesday 23rd of August 2023

Are we supposed to cook the cauliflower before hand? It doesn’t specify! Thanks

Camilla

Wednesday 23rd of August 2023

Hi Sam, No, raw cauliflower. It will cook as the cheese bites bake ????

Iggy

Saturday 18th of March 2023

Oh my goodness, instantly added to my "core recipes" book. I had a hunch it was going to be good so I baked half this recipe as a unit (trying to match the thickness of the mini muffins)...and I ate it all in one go. No regrets! It had more of a scramble look, but delicious nonetheless! Thank you sharing this amazing recipe!

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