Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks for Dipping
Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks will be your new favorite healthy snack!
Say hello to this amazing cruciferous vegetable. Who knew cauliflower could be so versatile and used in so many dishes to bump up the nutrition!
Why Cauliflower is Healthy For You
The great thing about this recipe is you get the flavor of a bread stick, with the added nutrition of cauliflower. You will probably want to double this recipe because these dippers will be gone in a flash. They really are that good. Now don’t get me wrong, you can tell it isn’t bread, but the flavor is so good you won’t mind that. My kids certainly didn’t.
Top Reasons Cauliflower is good for you
- High levels of vitamins and minerals. Cauliflower is high in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, and B Vitamins. It is packed with these vitamins and minerals and is low in calories making it a really nutrient dense food.
- High in Fiber. Fiber helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut that can reduce inflammation and also is good for general digestive health.
- Good Source of Antioxidants. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower are high in specific groups of antioxidants which have been shown to slow the growth of cancer.
- Great for people who have to replace grains. Cauliflower is so versatile that it can be a great substitute for recipe that include grains. Some replacements are cauliflower rice, cauliflower crust, cauliflower tortillas, and cauliflower mac and cheese.
You can buy cauliflower rice from your local grocery store already done for you, or you can make your own with the directions below! Now that cauliflower rice is so popular, it is much easier to find in stores than it used to be. If you can find it, this recipe will come together in just a few minutes for an amazing healthy snack.
How to Make Cauliflower Rice
You begin by rinsing a head of cauliflower and roughly chopping.
In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until it is chopped into very fine pieces.
Next, heat about 1 inch of water in a pot until it boils. Then place the cauliflower mixture in the water and steam for about 4-5 minutes. Cover with a lid, but watch it close because it can boil over quickly. Don’t ask me how I know this…….. Once the cauliflower is steamed, place in a fine mesh strainer. If you put in a regular colander it will run through the holes. Squish as much water out of it as you can with a large spoon.
When you have squeezed as much water out of the cauliflower as you can, place in a clean dry towel. Squeeze in extra water out. Be careful because HOT water will come out! This step is important because it helps your ‘crust’ to get crunchy.
Next combine the cauliflower and the rest of the ingredients in a bowl (Use only 1/2 the mozzarella and none of the Parmesan – that is to go on top) Mix well.
How to make the cauliflower breadsticks
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Then spoon the mixture onto the parchment paper and form a ‘loaf’ with your hands. This recipe makes enough to form a square about 8 1/2” x 11”.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until it is golden brown and the crust is set. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Place in the oven for 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove and slice. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.
This is one of our favorite healthy snacks! My kids love helping make it and are amazing how it turns out every single time!
For more cauliflower recipes:
Cheesy Cauliflower Dippers
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 2 ounce mozzarella cheese
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon oregano, dried
- 1 teaspoon basil, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Serve With
- 1 cup spaghetti or marinara sauce
Instructions
- Wash and clean cauliflower; remove the florets from the bunch and discard the core.
- Place the florets in a food processor and pulse until it is of a “rice” consistency.
- In a large saucepan, heat one inch of water until it boils. Add in the cauliflower, cover with a lid, and allow to steam for 4-5 minutes. Watch closely so it does not boil over!
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the steamed cauliflower. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, then place in a clean dish towel (or even a paper towel) and squeeze as hard as you can to remove any excess water; add to a large mixing bowl.
- Grate the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
- Add 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, egg (slightly beaten), oregano, basil, and garlic salt (or garlic powder and regular salt) to the cauliflower. Stir well to combine.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Spoon the cauliflower mixture onto the pan and use your hands to form it into a 8 1/2 x 11-inch rectangle.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and firm.
- Remove the crust from the oven and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 7-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Cut into “breadsticks” and serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Learn More about Natalie
I love this! But, I don’t own a food processor – what can I use instead?
A blender would probably work, too.
You could use a grater and just grate it on the fine side of the grater.
I just made these for my daycare kids and they loved them!! I don’t have a food processor either. What I did was steam the cauliflower first and then mash it with a potato masher. Then drain liquid. It worked great!!
Thanks for sharing! I’m going to try this.
As always I love you! Lol I was just trying to figure out what to do with mine from bountiful baskets cuz no one in my family likes it!! So this is what ill be trying today!
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Aw – thanks! They won’t even know it is cauliflower if you don’t tell them! Good luck!
Thanks for sharing Kristina!
Just made this tonight and it was absolutely FABULOUS. My husband didn’t even know it was cauliflower!!! A HUGE hit. I could have eaten the whole pan. Thank you so much.
So glad!
Am so looking forward to making these!!
My 15 month old loved these! It was a great quick week night meal that I added fruit and a protein to! Thanks so much for sharing!
Just made this, put it on a plate and didn’t say a word. Kids ran over and said “yay, pizza!!” Gobbled up 3 slices. Great recipe.
This is a great idea. I posted a cauliflower crust pizza recipe a year ago on my site and have become addicted to it since. Can’t wait to try these!
I can’t wait to try these either!
The cauliflower-cottage cheese mash sounds interesting, too. Did you have any ideas to jazz it up?
These look delicious! Do you know if they would work on the grill? So hard to turn the oven on in the summer 🙂
It might be kind of tricky to do on the grill, unless you have some kind of grill pan. The dough is pretty soft at first. You could definitely try using grill pan though – let us know if it works out!
wow, these look good but a lot of work…i would like to make a bunch a freeze. Would this freeze well?
I have never tried freezing them, but you could definitely try it! I would imagine they might get a little mushy because of a higher water content. Although you never know until you try it – if you do please let me know how they turn out!
I don’t see this as low calorie. I calculate each serving (1 stick, 10 per recipe) as 109 calories each.
I tried this recipe out, thinking it would be delicious, but sadly found out it wasn’t that great. The sticks had way too much sodium in them and I was hoping they would be a bit gooey. Instead, they were stiff and crispy.
Wow! I have used cauliflower in other ways, but these really look yummy. I’m going to make these soon. I bet they would be even more fun for kids if you used the purple cauliflower!
Pinning this idea for a great travel snack as well. Thanks for sharing.
These look amazing! My daughter has a severe egg allergy so I don’t keep them in the house. Would ener-g egg replacer work?
Hi, would like to knw if I can use a substitute for egg in this recipe ?
Thanks
yegammai
i am wondering the same thing and bethany any tips would be greatly appreciated we just foundout last week and ihave never cooked but looks like i have to start bc eggs are in everything
Curious about egg substitute as well. My son has an egg allergy too.
I’d love to know if you try the ener-g or other egg replacer with this. My husband is also allergic to eggs. We’ve used gelatin in some other recipes too, I wonder if that would work.
Not sure why yours were stiff and crispy? When I make them they are definitely soft and gooey. Sorry!
I haven’t worked with egg replacers very much, but it is definitely worth a try!
This is VERY similar to a recipe I use as a pizza crust. Bake the crust, then put the toppings on and bake until cheese is melted. SO good.
Avacado maybe?
ground chia seeds soaked for a bit should work fine. they get gelatinous and are a good emulsifier. added fiber too!
Rather than boil the Cauliflower can one use a steamer?
Natalie, rather than boil the cauliflower could I steam it? That would be a great way to reduce the amount of water absorption.
does cooking the cauliflower kill at the vitamins/minerals though?
Definitely not! There are some vitamins/minerals lost, but there are still a lot left. Using different cooking methods and eating a variety of cooked and raw vegetables helps provide the most nutrition in your diet.
Yes you can. Just make sure it is very soft.
me too, my son is allergic to eggs and milk.
I think this sounds great will be making these I already steam and mash my cauliflower and use it in place of mashed potatoes. we love it always looking for healthy alternatives
Just made these…awesome! ! Kids loved them. Thank you 🙂
I’m about to make these for my grandson’s 3rd birthday party tomorrow. Any suggestions for traveling?
I thought i’d bake it the first time then do the rest at my daughters house? What do you think?
Definitely. Let me know how they turn out!
Yes, I would do exactly that. Good luck!
Which way of cooking the cauliflower would be the most effective for keeping the most nutrients in it?
Thanks.
This is a great article on cooking methods: http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Microwave-cooking-and-nutrition.shtml
Do you think steaming & mashing frozen cauliflower would work? We have a stock pile in the freezer at all times! It’s a staple here! LOVE IT.
It might have extra water in it, which you could probably squeeze out. Definitely worth a try!
These were amazing!!! I steamed and mashed the cauliflower in the pot, drained it, then put it back in the hot pot to let some of the extra water evaporate. My husband loved them, as well.
I just made these again, and didn’t cook the cauliflower at ALL! Just pulsed in the food processor then made sure I squeezed out all the water I could. There was no difference in texture, and no difference that I could detect in taste.
Amazing! So good to know – that would save a ton of time! Thanks for sharing.
Way cool! Some extremely valid points! I appreciate you writing this write-up and the rest of the site is really good.
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I always make mashed “potatoes” using frozen cauliflower. I wonder if there’s a way to make these using the frozen cauliflower. I’d have to find something to soak up the moisture. Maybe tapioca flour.
I couldn’t wait to make these – I had a big batch of steamed cauliflour in the fridge. I used the towel method and was surprised by how much more liquid came out. I used my pizza cutter for even slices then put it back in the cooling oven to make sure all the edges were crisp. Wowzer, this is definitely a keeper. Thanks.
Made these tonight, and my nieces loved them! Me too :). Thank you!
Hi Natalie, I’m new to pinterest thanks to my 17 year old granddaughter & don’t know how I survived this long without it. Lol! I Came across a pin for your Portable Pancake Pockets & fell in love with your blog. I have 14 grandchildren & of course I’m always looking for ways to encourage them to try healthy & nutritious food. I have 2 grandchildren that are super picky & pretty much live off of chicken nuggets, french fries & bagged snacks like chips. My daughter is at her wits end trying to get them to try new things. I can’t wait to try this recipe the next time they spend the night. Thanks for your great ideas & recipes.
I do not have a mesh strainer any suggestions?
Can you tell me if these freeze well?
Add a lemon slice or two to the boiling water to cut the smell.
Thank you! If your kid is allergic to cheese, what can I use?
There are dairy free cheeses in most supermarkets.
My boyfriend and I made these last night and they were great! I have celiac’s disease, so this was a great gluten free treat. Thank you for posting this! I have already shared it with all my friends. 🙂
Made these last night………. WOW WOW WOW! I’m sitting at my desk at work today, wishing I had some for lunch right now!! I used my nut milk bag to squeeze the water out, and that was super helpful! It browned so nicely, I ended up putting slices of tomato on it, before the final cheese went on, and it made a pizza type. My hubs and I snarfed the whole thing down in no time with a salad. I suggest doubling this recipe FOR SURE!! I am thinking of making a bunch and freezing them before the second cooking/cheese step, since it is a bit of work. We love pizza, and try to eat clean, so this is def about to be a regularly made item in my house!! For those that want even less fat/calories, add less cheese, and use your imagination to add yummyness …….. my mouth is watering now just thinking about it again. : ( sad I don’t have some to eat for lunch!! : ) thanks for the awesome recipe!
How thick should these be? They were really yummy and truly a great disguise for the cauliflower, but they didn’t hold together well like breadsticks. Just as delicious with a fork, though!
The consistency is definitely different than actual bread, but they should be about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.
These are great! Any thoughts on freezing them? I’d love to try it to have some as easy lunches for my kids. Just not sure if they would be soggy. Wondering if anyone has already tried freezing them.
My kids love these! They even request seconds. These are delicious.
This looks really good! Can’t wait to try it ???? Do you by any chance know how many to have for 1 serving?
Super easy if you use cauliflower rice, and it tasted wonderful! Even picky kids liked it!
I keep striking out with all of the recipes on this website. Did anyone else have a problem with it sticking to the parchment paper… complete waste…
Oh darn! We love this recipe. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
My kids love this recipe and it’s the only way they’ll eat cauliflower. I’ve subbed nutritional yeast for the parmesan on occasion and it’s been delicious!
I can not wait to make these for my 2-year-old! He can be a picky eater at times, but he loves breadsticks. This healthy alternative will make us both happy!
Hello! Can I use riced sweet potato/cauliflower for this? I’ve used riced cauliflower before but didn’t know if I could use the combo? Thank you
We haven’t tried it- but it should work! Let us know how they turn out!