Cauliflower Nuggets For Kids
2015-10-02
- Yield : 24
- Prep Time : 10m
- Cook Time : 20m
- Ready In : 30m
Cauliflower nuggets for kids
We have a few chicken and vegetable nugget recipes (see below) and there’s one thing they all have in common – creative and interesting ways to include goodness. Whether you need to hide veggies, or you just love packing every meal full of them, classic favourites are a great place to do it. Kids love nuggets because they are usually crispy, delicious and easy to eat. These cauliflower nuggets are no different, and they are a great budget and vegetarian meal option too.
5 other nugget recipes:
Chicken and cannellini bean nuggets
Chicken sweet potato and apple nuggets
Nutrition Note: Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, is high in fibre and contains folate. Folate is necessary for making red blood cells which helps give kids the energy they need to play and learn.
Want more vegetable inspiration? See 80+ vegetable recipe ideas.
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Ingredients
- ½ head of cauliflower (250g), chopped
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup fresh multigrain or sourdough breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp dried parsley or thyme
- ½ tsp celery salt (optional)
- 1 cup grated cheese
- Tip: if making for older children or adults, try adding a few tablespoons of crumbled feta or haloumi cheese at step 3.
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper -
Step 2
Steam the cauliflower for 5 minutes on the stovetop or in a Thermomix until tender. Drain thoroughly and use paper towel to blot away the excess water -
Step 3
In a food processor or Thermomix, combine the cauliflower, eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley or thyme, celery salt and grated cheese. Process for around 10 seconds or until the mixture combines. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too runny -
Step 4
Take teaspoon-sized amounts of the mixture and use your hands to form into nuggets. Place on the baking tray and continue with the remaining mixture -
Step 5
Bake for around 10 minutes, turn the nuggets and bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown. -
Step 6
Storage: freeze raw or cooked nuggets in a freezer proof bag for up to two months. -
Step 7
Tip: for extra crunch brush the nuggets with some melted butter or olive oil -
Recipe Comments
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Average Member Rating
(4.2 / 5)
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posted by Ruthann on October 7, 2015
Would these turn out okay without cheese? Maybe add a little nutritional yeast? We have dairy allergies.
posted by Allie on October 7, 2015
Worth a try, I would love to hear how you go. Ax
posted by EwenLouis on October 7, 2015
I’d be interested in how this goes dairy free too! Not sure how the texture of nutritional yeast would go down as I’m assuming the cheese is used as a binder? I might have to try it with some daiya shredded ‘cheese’
posted by Michelle on October 12, 2015
Have u tried ‘mini cole cheese’ available in coles deli section, i have a lactose intolerance amd this cheese is great.
posted by Simone on December 8, 2015
Mini Chol is cholesterol free and lactose free but sadly contrary to popular belief it is not dairy free.
posted by Sarah on January 1, 2016
Hi, I just made these using violife soft cheese instead of grated cheese and egg as my son is allergic to both. They turned out great! Am going to try the chicken and cannellini bean ones next. X
posted by Jennifer on October 8, 2015
Hi there- I love your site and all of the wonderful recipes. Thank you for all of your research. My 15 month old son is allergic to eggs. What could I substitute for eggs in this recipe? Thank you!
posted by caro on January 8, 2016
Chickpea flour is an excellent egg substitute in savoury recipes. 1/4 cup chickpea flour mixed with 1/4 cup water and you have the equivalent of 1 egg. You can get it at health stores but it’s much cheaper if you have an Indian supermarket nearby 🙂 It’s perfect for recipes like this and you will probably find lots of other egg-free recipes that you can use it in.
posted by Rebecca on February 7, 2016
My 13 month old has an egg allergy… i made these using a flax egg, which is usually 1 tbsp ground flax to 3 tbsp water. As a few ppl have commented on mixture being too wet i did 1 tbsp ground flax in 2 tbsp water. I also roasted the cauliflower for 25 mins instead of steaming to reduce moisture. They worked great and mixture was perfe t consistency, rolled into balls really easily
posted by Beth Sowell on March 18, 2016
I made mine with the brine from the can of chickpeas instead of the egg and they worked out beautifully. It’s the same measurements.
posted by Melanie on March 19, 2016
Chia seeds are also an excellent egg replacement. (Similar to the flaxseed idea but basically no flavour, so great for cooking & baking)
1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
3 Tbsp. Water
Grind the chia seeds into a meal (using a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar & pestle)
Mix the water and ground chia seed meal in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or so, or until it takes on a goopy texture similar to raw egg yolk.
posted by Rachel on October 9, 2015
Had to add quite a bit more breadcrumbs and flour to dry the mixture out – and therefore cooked for double length of time but my little one gobbled them up. Will try other nugget flavours next time as could just taste the ‘earthyness’ of the thyme and the breadcrumbs.
posted by Mel on October 10, 2015
These are great, just made them. I added (left over) boiled potatoes and pumpkin as I didn’t have enough cauliflower. Also added soft feta. Thanks for another fab cooking idea.
posted by Alex on October 16, 2015
Hey! Would like to start off buy saying, I love your recipes! My bubba is 12 months and he loves everything we make on here.
I went to make these nuggets, however they turned out super sticky and impossible to roll into nuggets. I kept adding breadcrumbs but no luck :(. Can you help? I really want to try them!
Thanks heaps
posted by Allie on October 16, 2015
Hi Alex, it is a wet mixture – try ‘dolloping’ the mixture onto the tray instead, they should firm up as they cook. Hope that helps, let me know how you go. Ax
posted by Beth Sowell on March 18, 2016
I used one of those small scoops with the release handle, the kind you use for making cookies. I didn’t hand roll mine. I scooped it out and patted it down with a spatula to flatten a bit. No hands needed.
posted by Lisa on November 16, 2015
Hi all,
Love this recipe and have made it a few times now. My daughter and I are wheat intolerant so I use Panko breadcrumbs instead and it works great! Just trying to mix it up a bit now and adding feta cheese. I assume that is instead of the cup of grated cheese?
Thanks again for another easy and yummy reciepe!
posted by Lisa on November 16, 2015
Don’t know what I was typing then! Meant to say I substitute with Quinoa flakes, not Panko breadcrumbs
posted by Amy on November 25, 2015
Could you use cottage cheese instead of grated cheese?
Thanks
posted by Allie on December 21, 2015
Might be too runny but give it a go and let us know! Perhaps ricotta? Ax
posted by Sarah on January 18, 2016
I’ve just made this and they were very good. Thanks so much for sharing a different way to cook with cauliflower! 🙂 Some things I found that might help other people:
– my standard size 1/2 cauliflower weighed 600g after removing stalk and leaves (recipe says 250g). I think a 1/4 cauliflower is better for this recipe (I just doubled the recipe).
– dried parsley is mild and 1 tsp would be fine but dried thyme is quite a strong flavour . I used 3/4 tsp of dried thyme in the double recipe (so less than half what the recipe calls for) and it was about right; still very thymey.
– because I made double I cooked in batches and the last batch that had been sitting for 30 minutes was so much easier to work with and produced much better results. I could almost roll the nuggets, whereas the first batches were really sloppy and had to be spooned onto the tray. Next time I will chill the mix for 30 minutes before I cook.
– I cooked for 13 minutes on the first side and 10 minutes on the second side for perfectly golden patties.
– I served with baked beans for lunch and the kids used the baked beans as a dipping sauce for the nuggets. Happy faces all round!
posted by Mina on January 21, 2016
Just made these for my 11m old and, while sometimes she can be a little fussy or sceptical of new foods she just picked it up and ate it! Nothing more heartwarming than seeing bubs eating something I’ve made for her!
(Or conversely devastating when she won’t touch it!!!)
Great recipe, super easy to make and they came out the way they should – always a plus!
I’m not sure how to vote on this site but I’d give this recipe a 5/5!
posted by Danielle on February 8, 2016
I have been hoping to find a recipe like this, it has been difficult to get my 18 month old to eat veggies. They were eaten happily tonight, so this one is definitely a keeper (and I found them pretty moorish as well!)
posted by Beth Sowell on March 18, 2016
We had these for dinner earlier this week. They were awesome. In order to cut the calories down a bit, I used 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast instead of the full cup of cheese. I added 2 small minced scallions because I had a bunch I needed use up. They were amazing! Thanks for a great recipe that we’ll use over and over.
posted by courtney on April 24, 2016
can i ask if you can make these and freeze them as in make mixture cook cool and freeze??
posted by KatieK on April 29, 2016
I accidentally left the egg out of this recipe (#mummyfail) and, although they were a little soft to turn at the halfway point, these still turned out really well. Just thought I’d share in case anyone wants to (deliberately) leave the egg out 🙂
posted by Katie on May 25, 2016
These are incredible! Cauliflower cheese in one delicious bite. I don’t think my daughter will be getting many of these, they’re too good to share! Thanks very much guys.
posted by Hannah on July 29, 2016
I made these without cheese and they turned great. I replaced 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs with phyllium husk to help bind them.