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These cauliflower fritters are the perfect side dish. They’re crunchy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside, packed with flavor, and so easy to make.
It’s not exactly a secret that I love a good side dish. And this recipe for cauliflower fritters is absolutely one of my favorite sides. The flavor is hearty and comforting, with cauliflower, potatoes, cheese, onions, and garlic. The texture is perfect, as the fritters are light and fluffy on the inside, and wonderfully crispy on the outside. And to top it all off, I’m including an easy and addictive sauce to dip the fritters in!
I think one of the most important things about a good side dish is that it’s easy to make. You’re already spending time and effort making an entree, so the last thing you want to do is waste time laboring over a side. So for this recipe, I use a steam-in bag of cauliflower and pre-made hash browns. That makes the fritters so easy, and they’re done in just 20 minutes. The next time you need a side dish to go with your dinner, you’ve got to make these cauliflower and potato fritters.
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Veggie Fritters
I make these cheesy fritters all the time. And I promise you that if you make them once, you’ll start making them all the time too! Here’s why I know you’ll love them.
- So easy. This is one of the easiest recipes I know. It uses pre-made hash browns and a bag of steam-in cauliflower to limit the amount of work you need to do. Mix those with a few simple seasonings, fry up the fritters, and your side dish is good to go. Plus, this recipe includes an amazing sauce that you can make in a few seconds while the fritters cook.
- Versatile. Cauliflower fritters are one of those side dishes that you can eat with pretty much anything. No matter what you’re making for dinner, you can fry up some of these fritters to go with it.
- Texture. The texture of these fritters is what makes them so special. The outside gets a perfectly crispy golden brown, while the inside stays soft, moist, and light. These fritters aren’t greasy, soggy, or limp like some recipes.
- Sneak in veggies. This is one of those recipes that unless you tell your family it has cauliflower, they will never know. The potatoes and cheese give it great taste and texture, that you can sneak in some veggies.
Ingredients Needed
Here are all the ingredients that you’ll need to make this tasty recipe. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts for each of the ingredients.
For the Fritters:
- Cauliflower – I use a steam-in bag.
- Onion – Usually I prefer a yellow onion for this recipe, but white or red onions will work too.
- Flour
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper – For best results, use freshly ground black pepper.
- Hash browns – You can use store-bought frozen or refrigerated hash browns, or use leftovers.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredding your own cheese will give you the best results, but pre-shredded works fine, too.
- Egg
- Olive oil
For the Sauce:
- Greek yogurt – Make sure to use plain yogurt.
- Mayo
- Chives
- Lemon juice – Always use freshly-squeezed lemon juice.
How to Make Cauliflower Fritters
Here’s how to make these easy and simple fritters. They only take 20 minutes!
- Cook the cauliflower. Follow the instructions on the package to cook the cauliflower.
- Mash. Add the cauliflower to a bowl and mash it, or use a food processor.
- Make the fritter dough. Add the shredded hash browns, cheese, egg, onion, garlic, flour, salt, and pepper to the cauliflower, and mix to combine.
- Portion. Scoop the dough into ¼ cup portions.
- Cook. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add some oil. Cook the fritters for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 more minutes. Repeat as many times as necessary to cook the entire batch of fritters.
- Make the sauce. While the fritters are cooking, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir to mix. Serve the fritters with the sauce.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
Here are a few things to keep in mind when making these potato and cauliflower fritters.
- Keep an eye on the temp. The hardest part of this recipe is making sure that the skillet is at the right temperature. If it’s too hot, the fritters will burn before they’re cooked all the way through. If it’s not hot enough, the fritters won’t get crispy. Start on medium-high heat, and keep an eye on the fritters. If you notice they’re starting to burn, turn down the heat a little. If they’re not getting a good color, crank up the heat a little bit.
- Use your favorite cheese. I like to use cheddar cheese for this recipe, but you can use pretty much any cheese you want. If you feel like adjusting this recipe, swap out the cheddar cheese for whatever your favorite cheese is.
- Warm in the oven. Fritters are best served hot. If you’re trying to make a large batch to serve, then you’ll want to keep them warm while you finish cooking. The best way to keep fritters warm is by putting them on a plate or baking sheet in the oven and turning the oven on to the lowest temperature. If your oven has a “warm” setting, then use that.
Serving Suggestions
As I mentioned before, this is a side dish that goes well with pretty much any entree. But here are a few of my favorite main courses to serve with cheesy cauliflower fritters.
- Pan Seared Salmon
- Spinach and Artichoke Chicken Skillet
- Instant Pot Corned Beef
- Marry Me Chicken
- French Onion Pork Chops
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Fritters
Leftover cauliflower fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 325F oven for 5 minutes, or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. You can also reheat them in a microwave on 80% power in 20-second increments, though they won’t be very crispy. Leftover sauce will last for 1 week in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
Definitely! This is a great recipe to freeze. Just store the fritters in an airtight container and they’ll last in the freezer for 4 months. Defrost or thaw fully before you reheat.
More Easy Veggie Side Dishes
Side dishes are such an easy way to elevate a meal. Here are some more of my favorite vegetable sides to make.
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Tomato Mozzarella Salad
- Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
Cauliflower Fritters
Ingredients
For the Fritters:
- 1 10 oz package steam-in-bag cauliflower florets
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded hash browns
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 whole large egg
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoon mayo
- 2 teaspoons fresh chives, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare cauliflower according to the directions on the package.
- In a bowl, mash the cauliflower (or pulse in a food processor) .
- Mix in the onion, flour, garlic, salt, pepper, hash browns, cheese, and egg.
- Scoop about 1/4 cup portions and form into patties. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat.. Add 4-5 fritters to the pan and cook for 4 minutes, flip, and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Remove from pan, and repeat with the remaining fritters. You can cook as many as will fit in your pan at one time, just be careful not to overcrowd the pan or they won't crisp up as wel.
- While the fritters cook, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and mix well.
- Serve the sauce with the hot fritters.
Notes
- Adapted from Cooking Light
- Store leftover fritters in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for 4 months.
- Reheat in a 375F oven for 5 minutes, or in a skillet over medium heat.
- Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My family will go crazy over these fritters! It’s a must make recipe!