These vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites will satisfy your pizza cravings, without all the carbs and dairy! Customize them with your favourite pizza toppings for an irresistible snack!
Oh friends, you’re in for a treat today. Ever since I made my Quinoa Pizza Bites , I’ve been thinking of other ways to put the flavours of pizza into convenient bite-sized snacks. These Cauliflower Pizza Bites fit the bill PERFECTLY. They’re low-carb, so delicious that even kids will devour them, and you can keep them in the freezer for whenever you need to satisfy a pizza craving.
You’ve got to try these.
Once you add the vegan cheese, sauce, and seasonings, the flavour of the cauliflower fades into the background, so even if you’re not usually a fan, you’ll still enjoy these Cauliflower Pizza Bites.
You can add any toppings you’d like to your bites. I like to just add cheese, but a plant-based pepperoni would be delicious (just chop it up so it mixes in well!), as would olives, diced onions and green peppers, or mushrooms. Even roasted garlic would be good in this recipe!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Cauliflower – You’ll need a medium head of cauliflower for this recipe.
- Vegan shredded cheese
- Flax egg or egg replacement – This, along with the vegan cheese, will help hold the Cauliflower Pizza Bites together.
- Sea salt
- Ground pepper
- Marinara sauce – Use store-bought or homemade marinara .
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Does Any Vegan Cheese Melt?
Daiya cheese is known for its melting abilities and it’s one of the most widely-available vegan cheese brands, but these days, there are a number of different varieties that melt well. Generally speaking, any vegan cheese that comes in shredded form will be formulated for melting, while blocks of cheese may or may not melt smoothly.
I used vegan mozzarella for these Cauliflower Pizza Bites, but you could also use a blend of plant-based mozzarella and Parmesan.
How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites
If you want to get a head start on this recipe without making the whole thing, you can prep the cauliflower rice a day or two ahead of time.
Prepare . Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a 12-cup mini muffin pan with parchment paper strips.
Make the cauliflower rice . Use a food processor or grater to rice the cauliflower, following the instructions in my tutorial on how to make cauliflower rice .
Cook the cauliflower rice . Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl. Set a paper towel over it and microwave for 5 minutes. Let it cool enough to handle, then transfer the cauliflower rice to a clean, thin kitchen towel. Wrap it up and squeeze it over a sink to get the liquid out. The cauliflower should be light and fluffy.
Make the pizza bite mixture . Place the riced cauliflower in a bowl, along with the cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Set aside the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese for topping.
Form the pizza bites . Use a tablespoon to scoop the cauliflower mixture and divide it into the prepared cups. Press the mixture into the cups to compact it; this will help it stick together!
Bake . Bake your Cauliflower Pizza Bites for 12 to 15 minutes. Top them with the remaining cheese, then broil them for about a minute more.
Cool . Let the bites cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pan by lifting the parchment paper.
How Do You Make Cauliflower Rice Not Soggy?
The answer is to cook it properly and to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before moving onto the next step of the recipe. The soggier your cauliflower rice, the harder it will be to get your Cauliflower Pizza Bites to stick together, and the more watered-down the flavour will be.
Tips for Success
Here are my best tips on how to make perfect vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites:
- Don’t use frozen cauliflower rice . It has a tendency to be much “wetter” than fresh cauliflower rice, so it’s harder to get it to hold together.
- Cook any veggie add-ins first . If you decide to add other veggies to this recipe, sauté them to cook them through and remove any excess moisture.
- Season to taste . Feel free to add more spices or salt to the recipe. Since it’s made with vegan egg, you can taste it and adjust as needed!
Serving Suggestions
These Cauliflower Pizza Bites are perfect as a snack or appetizer. In addition to serving them with marinara , you could pair them with vegan ranch dressing (hey, some people love pizza and ranch together!), spicy arrabbiata sauce or sprinkle them with homemade vegan Parmesan .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cauliflower Pizza Bites will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat, simply pop them in a 350ºF oven or the microwave until heated through.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze these bites and reheat them from frozen. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, simply reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower , 935 grams
- ½ cup vegan shredded cheese + 2 extra tablespoons of cheese
- 1 flax egg , or vegan egg substitute
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 ° F/ 205° C. Layer a 12 mini muffin tin pan with parchment paper strips – it makes it so easy to remove.
- Remove the cauliflower leaves. Using a mandolin/grater, shred the cauliflower to make a “cauliflower” rice. Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl with a paper towel over it and microwave it for 5 minutes.
- Remove and allow it to cool down. Put the cauliflower in a thin kitchen towel, and over a bowl or the sink, and bundle and squeeze tightly. A lot of liquid will be released! Keep squeezing until you can’t get any liquid out. The cauliflower will look thick and fluffy and almost mealy.
- In a bowl, mix the cauliflower, cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, except the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese. Using a tablespoon measuring, scoop the mix and put one tablespoon into each cup, then distribute the rest evenly among the cups. press them down tightly together.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. When finished, remove from over, top the cups with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese, then broil for about 1 minute (please watch them, they burn easily).
- After broiling, allow to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes and then remove from pan by lifting the parchment paper edges out.
- Serve with extra marinara sauce – enjoy!!
Notes
These vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites will satisfy your pizza cravings, without all the carbs and dairy! Customize them with your favourite pizza toppings for an irresistible snack!
Oh friends, you’re in for a treat today. Ever since I made my Quinoa Pizza Bites , I’ve been thinking of other ways to put the flavours of pizza into convenient bite-sized snacks. These Cauliflower Pizza Bites fit the bill PERFECTLY. They’re low-carb, so delicious that even kids will devour them, and you can keep them in the freezer for whenever you need to satisfy a pizza craving.
You’ve got to try these.
Once you add the vegan cheese, sauce, and seasonings, the flavour of the cauliflower fades into the background, so even if you’re not usually a fan, you’ll still enjoy these Cauliflower Pizza Bites.
You can add any toppings you’d like to your bites. I like to just add cheese, but a plant-based pepperoni would be delicious (just chop it up so it mixes in well!), as would olives, diced onions and green peppers, or mushrooms. Even roasted garlic would be good in this recipe!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Cauliflower – You’ll need a medium head of cauliflower for this recipe.
- Vegan shredded cheese
- Flax egg or egg replacement – This, along with the vegan cheese, will help hold the Cauliflower Pizza Bites together.
- Sea salt
- Ground pepper
- Marinara sauce – Use store-bought or homemade marinara .
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Does Any Vegan Cheese Melt?
Daiya cheese is known for its melting abilities and it’s one of the most widely-available vegan cheese brands, but these days, there are a number of different varieties that melt well. Generally speaking, any vegan cheese that comes in shredded form will be formulated for melting, while blocks of cheese may or may not melt smoothly.
I used vegan mozzarella for these Cauliflower Pizza Bites, but you could also use a blend of plant-based mozzarella and Parmesan.
How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites
If you want to get a head start on this recipe without making the whole thing, you can prep the cauliflower rice a day or two ahead of time.
Prepare . Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a 12-cup mini muffin pan with parchment paper strips.
Make the cauliflower rice . Use a food processor or grater to rice the cauliflower, following the instructions in my tutorial on how to make cauliflower rice .
Cook the cauliflower rice . Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl. Set a paper towel over it and microwave for 5 minutes. Let it cool enough to handle, then transfer the cauliflower rice to a clean, thin kitchen towel. Wrap it up and squeeze it over a sink to get the liquid out. The cauliflower should be light and fluffy.
Make the pizza bite mixture . Place the riced cauliflower in a bowl, along with the cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Set aside the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese for topping.
Form the pizza bites . Use a tablespoon to scoop the cauliflower mixture and divide it into the prepared cups. Press the mixture into the cups to compact it; this will help it stick together!
Bake . Bake your Cauliflower Pizza Bites for 12 to 15 minutes. Top them with the remaining cheese, then broil them for about a minute more.
Cool . Let the bites cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pan by lifting the parchment paper.
How Do You Make Cauliflower Rice Not Soggy?
The answer is to cook it properly and to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before moving onto the next step of the recipe. The soggier your cauliflower rice, the harder it will be to get your Cauliflower Pizza Bites to stick together, and the more watered-down the flavour will be.
Tips for Success
Here are my best tips on how to make perfect vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites:
- Don’t use frozen cauliflower rice . It has a tendency to be much “wetter” than fresh cauliflower rice, so it’s harder to get it to hold together.
- Cook any veggie add-ins first . If you decide to add other veggies to this recipe, sauté them to cook them through and remove any excess moisture.
- Season to taste . Feel free to add more spices or salt to the recipe. Since it’s made with vegan egg, you can taste it and adjust as needed!
Serving Suggestions
These Cauliflower Pizza Bites are perfect as a snack or appetizer. In addition to serving them with marinara , you could pair them with vegan ranch dressing (hey, some people love pizza and ranch together!), spicy arrabbiata sauce or sprinkle them with homemade vegan Parmesan .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cauliflower Pizza Bites will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat, simply pop them in a 350ºF oven or the microwave until heated through.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze these bites and reheat them from frozen. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, simply reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower , 935 grams
- ½ cup vegan shredded cheese + 2 extra tablespoons of cheese
- 1 flax egg , or vegan egg substitute
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt , to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 ° F/ 205° C. Layer a 12 mini muffin tin pan with parchment paper strips – it makes it so easy to remove.
- Remove the cauliflower leaves. Using a mandolin/grater, shred the cauliflower to make a “cauliflower” rice. Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl with a paper towel over it and microwave it for 5 minutes.
- Remove and allow it to cool down. Put the cauliflower in a thin kitchen towel, and over a bowl or the sink, and bundle and squeeze tightly. A lot of liquid will be released! Keep squeezing until you can’t get any liquid out. The cauliflower will look thick and fluffy and almost mealy.
- In a bowl, mix the cauliflower, cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, except the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese. Using a tablespoon measuring, scoop the mix and put one tablespoon into each cup, then distribute the rest evenly among the cups. press them down tightly together.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. When finished, remove from over, top the cups with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese, then broil for about 1 minute (please watch them, they burn easily).
- After broiling, allow to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes and then remove from pan by lifting the parchment paper edges out.
- Serve with extra marinara sauce – enjoy!!
Notes
Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower 935 grams
- ½ cup vegan shredded cheese + 2 extra tablespoons of cheese
- 1 flax egg or vegan egg substitute
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 ° F/ 205° C. Layer a 12 mini muffin tin pan with parchment paper strips - it makes it so easy to remove.
- Remove the cauliflower leaves. Using a mandolin/grater, shred the cauliflower to make a “cauliflower” rice. Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl with a paper towel over it and microwave it for 5 minutes.
- Remove and allow it to cool down. Put the cauliflower in a thin kitchen towel, and over a bowl or the sink, and bundle and squeeze tightly. A lot of liquid will be released! Keep squeezing until you can’t get any liquid out. The cauliflower will look thick and fluffy and almost mealy.
- In a bowl, mix the cauliflower, cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper, except the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese. Using a tablespoon measuring, scoop the mix and put one tablespoon into each cup, then distribute the rest evenly among the cups. press them down tightly together.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. When finished, remove from over, top the cups with the remaining 2 tablespoons cheese, then broil for about 1 minute (please watch them, they burn easily).
- After broiling, allow to cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes and then remove from pan by lifting the parchment paper edges out.
- Serve with extra marinara sauce - enjoy!!
Notes
Nutrition
Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites https://jessicainthekitchen.com/cauliflower-pizza-bites-gluten-free/ July 11, 2022
This air fryer roasted garlic is quick, easy, and the perfect complement to just about any savory recipe!
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I love roasted garlic . I put it in just about everything, from Homemade Roasted Garlic Tomato Sauce to Jalapeño Cornbread Waffles . It’s one of those ingredients that can really take a dish to the next level.
But up until recently, I always roasted my garlic in the oven. I mean, it’s called roasted garlic, of course you make it in the oven, right? You can’t grill it or boil it…
…but you can air fry it. And friends, air fryer roasted garlic is a game-changer.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s easy to make traditional roasted garlic, and the results are delicious. But it does take some time and patience. Air fryer roasted garlic is quick, easy, and produces perfectly caramelized, buttery cloves every time.
Does Roasting Garlic Make It Less Strong?
One of the great things about roasted garlic is that it’s much less pungent than raw garlic, so it’s perfect for recipes where you want to add a lot of flavour without overwhelming the other ingredients. Even if you’re not usually a fan of garlic, you might just find that you love it when it’s roasted!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Garlic – Choose two heads that are similar in size to ensure that both are finished cooking at the same time.
- Olive oil
What Should I Look for When Buying Garlic?
Look for heads of garlic that are large and firm, with plenty of cloves. Avoid any heads that are starting to sprout, or that feel either mushy or “empty” when you give them a squeeze. (That empty feeling means the head is drying out.)
How to Make Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
So, how do you make roasted garlic in an air fryer? It’s this easy:
Prepare the garlic. Cut the tops off of the garlic heads, exposing the cloves. Place each head on a piece of foil, then drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap the foil around the garlic.
Air fry. Air fry the garlic at 380°F/193°C for 25 minutes. Let it cool in the air fryer with the door closed for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the garlic cloves . If you want whole or sliced garlic cloves, use your fingers to peel off the skin to remove them. If you’re using the roasted garlic as a spread, you can simply squeeze them out into a bowl.
Tips for Success
There’s really not much to this recipe, but here are some must-know tips before you get started.
- Make sure all of the cloves are exposed . Sometimes there are smaller cloves on the side of the head of garlic that you miss when you lop off the top. Don’t forget to cut those open too!
- Doubling or tripling the recipe . As long as you don’t crowd your air fryer basket, you can make more than two heads of garlic. Since it can be frozen, you might just want to make a big batch!
- Let it cool . Even if it feels cool on the outside, the cloves inside can burn your fingers when you try to squeeze them out if you’re not careful.
How to Store
Roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
To freeze roasted garlic, simply place the cloves in a freezer-safe bag or container and store in the freezer for up to six months.
When you’re ready to use, you can immerse the freezer bag in hot water to soften them, let them thaw in the fridge, or simply throw them into the pot of whatever you’re cooking while they’re still frozen (the heat from cooking will thaw them).
10 Ways to Use Roasted Garlic
And here are some of my favourite ways to use this air fryer roasted garlic!
- Add it to homemade salad dressings for a flavour boost.
- Stir it into marinara sauce for an instant upgrade.
- Use it as a spread on sandwiches or veggie burgers .
- Mix it into vegan meatballs , or press a whole clove of roasted garlic into the centre of each one.
- Spread it onto a loaf of bread for the best garlic bread ever.
- Toss it with roasted balsamic vegetables for an extra-flavourful side dish.
- Swap it in for regular garlic in your next batch of homemade hummus .
- Scatter whole cloves onto a pizza , or use mashed garlic cloves instead of a traditional pizza sauce.
- Puree it into creamy soups like vegan potato soup.
- Make roasted garlic white bean dip .
Ingredients
- 2 heads of garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Cut off the top of the head of garlic, with the cloves still connected, but just enough to expose them a bit. You want all the cloves slightly exposed. Place in some foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the top of each head. Wrap the foil around the garlic and air fry at 380°F/193°C for 25 mins. Let it cool in the air fryer (with the door closed) for about 5/-10 minutes before squeezing – else it’ll probably burn your fingers!
- Remove softened cloves from the skin if using in a recipe with a knife or a tiny spoon or squeeze the cloves out. If not using immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 days (or freeze). Enjoy!
