I’m excited to share my crispy baked cauliflower bites drizzled with a silky garlic sauce and a little secret that makes these roasted cauliflower bites stand out for a dinner for two.

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I love taking a humble head of cauliflower and turning it into something unexpectedly addictive. These crispy baked cauliflower bites come dressed in a punchy garlic sauce made with minced garlic cloves that sneaks up on you, bold but not showy.

They’re perfect as Finger Food Dishes when company drops by, and also slide in as Dinner Sides Easy Healthy for a weeknight that still wants to feel special. I promise you’ll get curious at first bite, wondering why something so simple tastes so full.

I kept telling myself one was enough, but well, I failed at restraint.

Ingredients

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Cauliflower: High in fiber and vitamin C, it’s low calorie, makes bites hearty and slightly nutty.
Flour and cornstarch: Carbs and starch, give batter structure and crispness when baked, simple pantry staples.
Olive oil: Healthy monounsaturated fat, adds richness and helps browning, use sparingly.
Mayonnaise and Greek yogurt: Creamy base for garlic sauce, yogurt boosts protein while mayo adds richness.
Garlic: Powerful flavour and aroma, tiny slivers pack pungent punch and healthful compounds.
Lemon juice: Bright acidic note, balances richness and adds Vitamin C, keeps flavors lively.
Parsley: Fresh herb, adds color and slight bitterness, contains vitamins A and K.
Smoked paprika: Smoky spice, adds warmth and color with little heat, mostly flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

1 medium head cauliflower about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cut into bite sized florets

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

3/4 cup cold water

2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 to 3 garlic cloves minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cooking spray or a little extra oil for the baking sheet

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil it or spray with cooking spray so the florets don’t stick.

2. Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets and pat them dry with a towel so the batter sticks better.

3. In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.

4. Stir in 3/4 cup cold water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the dry mix until you have a slightly thick, smooth batter; cold water keeps it extra crispy.

5. Toss each floret in the batter so it’s well coated, shake off excess and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet leaving space between pieces so they crisp up. Don’t overcrowd the pan or they steam.

6. Lightly spray or brush the tops with a little extra oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the florets about halfway through so both sides get golden; if you want them extra crunchy, broil 1 to 3 minutes at the end but watch them close so they don’t burn.

7. While cauliflower bakes, make the garlic sauce: in a small bowl mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Taste and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.

8. When the bites are crisp and golden, remove from oven and let them rest a minute on the sheet so they firm up; transfer to a serving plate.

9. Drizzle or spoon the garlic sauce over the cauliflower bites, sprinkle a little extra chopped parsley or smoked paprika for color, and serve hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment or lightly oiled so the florets dont stick
2. Large mixing bowl, for the batter and tossing the cauliflower
3. Whisk, to get a smooth, slightly thick batter
4. Measuring cups and spoons, for flour, cornstarch, water and seasonings
5. Kitchen towel or paper towels, to pat the cauliflower dry so the batter sticks better
6. Tongs or a slotted spoon, to coat pieces and flip them halfway through
7. Small bowl and spoon, to mix the garlic sauce
8. Silicone brush or cooking spray, to oil the tops before baking
9. Oven mitts and a spatula, for safely handling the hot sheet and transferring bites to a plate

FAQ

Q: How do I get the cauliflower extra crispy? A: Use the flour + cornstarch batter, keep the water cold, spread florets in a single layer so they dont touch, spray or brush a little oil on them and bake hot 425 to 450°F until golden. If you want more crunch, finish under the broiler 1 to 2 minutes or use an air fryer at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes shaking once.

Q: Can I make this gluten free or vegan? A: Yes. For gluten free swap the all purpose flour for a 1 to 1 GF flour or rice flour and check your baking powder is GF. For vegan use plant based mayo and a dairy free yogurt or just extra mayo plus a splash of plant milk, same method works.

Q: Do I need to parboil the cauliflower first and how long do I bake? A: You dont need to parboil if florets are bite sized; baking 22 to 30 minutes at 425 to 450°F usually does it depending on your oven and floret size. If your pieces are huge you can steam them 3 to 4 minutes then pat very dry so batter sticks.

Q: Can I use frozen cauliflower? A: You can but you must fully thaw and pat it very dry or it will go soggy. If it stays wet the batter wont crisp no matter how hot the oven is.

Q: How should I store and reheat leftovers? A: Keep sauce separate and store bites in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat on a sheet pan in a 375 to 400°F oven for 8 to 12 minutes to bring back crispness, avoid the microwave unless you dont mind limp texture.

Q: The garlic sauce is too strong or too tangy, how can I adjust it? A: For milder garlic use 1 clove or roast the garlic first; for more tang add a bit more lemon or swap some mayo for extra yogurt. Let the sauce chill 20 to 30 minutes so flavors mellow and blend.

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites With Garlic Sauce Recipe Idea Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap with chickpea flour 1:1 for a nuttier, protein rich crust that gets crisp but can be a bit denser; or use a gluten free 1:1 baking blend cup for cup; or try rice flour plus a little tapioca (3 parts rice to 1 part tapioca) for an extra light crunch.
Cornstarch: replace with arrowroot powder 1:1 for a similar glossy crisp, it works best at lower temps; or potato starch 1:1 for very crispy results; or tapioca starch 1:1 though it can get slightly gummy if overbaked.
Mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (for the garlic sauce): use vegan mayo 1:1 for a dairy free version; or swap mayo with sour cream 1:1 for tang; or blend silken tofu with lemon and garlic for a healthier, creamy alternative.
Olive oil (for coating / baking): use avocado oil or sunflower oil 1:1 for a higher smoke point and neutral flavor; or melted coconut oil 1:1 if you don’t mind a touch of sweetness; and for the chopped parsley try cilantro or chives same amount if you want a different herb vibe.

Pro Tips

1) Get them super dry and let them rest after baking — ok wait, dont use that symbol. Pat the florets really well or spin them in a salad spinner so the batter sticks and you get crunch. Let the bites sit a minute on the sheet after they come out so they firm up instead of collapsing.

2) Keep the batter cold and a little bubbly. Use ice cold water or even cold club soda, and mix it just until combined, dont overwork it or the batter gets heavy. If you want extra crispness, chill the battered florets for 10 minutes before baking.

3) Dont overcrowd the pan and create airflow. Give each piece space or put them on a wire rack over the sheet so hot air circulates and they crisp evenly. If you have a convection setting use it, or try the air fryer at about 400F for a shorter time, flipping once.

4) Make the garlic sauce ahead and taste it. Letting it sit 15 to 30 minutes mellows raw garlic and blends flavors better, and you can tweak salt, lemon or heat. Keep some sauce on the side for dipping so the bites stay crunchy when served.

Crispy Baked Cauliflower Bites With Garlic Sauce Recipe Idea

Recipe by Jot Punji

0.0 from 0 votes

I'm excited to share my crispy baked cauliflower bites drizzled with a silky garlic sauce and a little secret that makes these roasted cauliflower bites stand out for a dinner for two.

Servings

servings

Calories

454

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment or lightly oiled so the florets dont stick
2. Large mixing bowl, for the batter and tossing the cauliflower
3. Whisk, to get a smooth, slightly thick batter
4. Measuring cups and spoons, for flour, cornstarch, water and seasonings
5. Kitchen towel or paper towels, to pat the cauliflower dry so the batter sticks better
6. Tongs or a slotted spoon, to coat pieces and flip them halfway through
7. Small bowl and spoon, to mix the garlic sauce
8. Silicone brush or cooking spray, to oil the tops before baking
9. Oven mitts and a spatula, for safely handling the hot sheet and transferring bites to a plate

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cut into bite sized florets
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons olive oil or neutral oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 to 3 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cooking spray or a little extra oil for the baking sheet

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil it or spray with cooking spray so the florets don't stick.
Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets and pat them dry with a towel so the batter sticks better.
In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Stir in 3/4 cup cold water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the dry mix until you have a slightly thick, smooth batter; cold water keeps it extra crispy.
Toss each floret in the batter so it's well coated, shake off excess and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet leaving space between pieces so they crisp up. Don’t overcrowd the pan or they steam.
Lightly spray or brush the tops with a little extra oil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the florets about halfway through so both sides get golden; if you want them extra crunchy, broil 1 to 3 minutes at the end but watch them close so they don't burn.
While cauliflower bakes, make the garlic sauce: in a small bowl mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 to 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Taste and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed.
When the bites are crisp and golden, remove from oven and let them rest a minute on the sheet so they firm up; transfer to a serving plate.
Drizzle or spoon the garlic sauce over the cauliflower bites, sprinkle a little extra chopped parsley or smoked paprika for color, and serve hot.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.