Shockingly Delicious Crunchy Cauliflower

A crunchy, low calorie and very tasty dish for any occasion. Spice it up just the way you like it. 
Easy to make Low Calorie Crunchy Cauliflower

Party Dish
Since this post was so popular, I thought I would repost it for all the recent followers of Going Cavewoman. So many of us are going to parties throughout the year.  This is a wonderful party dish if you want to take something low calorie, healthy and gluten free for yourself.

It’s hard to stay on track, so take something that is tempting, but it won’t blow your diet.

For my vegan version check out my Paleo Crunchy Cauliflower.paleo crunchy cauliflower

Low Calorie Comfort Food
This is a crunchy comfort food, made into a diet dish. I kept the calories to a minimum, so there is no cheese and they are baked, not deep fried. Just a little oil, lightly sprayed just before cooking (will brown without the spray).

Easy To Make
It was so easy to make and took less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

You could also pre-bake these for an appetizer for a  dinner party and then just reheat before serving. Make enough for another snack by doubling the recipe and keeping in an airtight container.

If you want to get creative, you can use broccoli or even thick stem asparagus.  Here is my Low Calorie Crunchy Asparagus with Ranch Dip recipe.

gluten free crunchy asparagus

If you like cauliflower, you will love this dish. I used horseradish in the marinara dip, and mustard in the egg coating. You can use anything you like to make this tasty, just the way you like it. Hot sauce, cayenne pepper, fresh basil, you can really go to town because cauliflower can be bland. Husband suggested tomato ketchup with horseradish instead of marinara.  He also wants to wear his baseball cap backwards. Need I say more?

TIP:

One thing I would take with me to my desert island is my mini Food Processor.  It is a small 3 cup version, so it can pop int0 a draw and save 0n counter space. I make a lot of chopped cauliflower to add to various dishes, so it’s very handy for saving time.

Low Calorie Crunchy Cauliflower

Low Calorie Crunchy Cauliflower
 
110 Calorie Per Serving
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • ½ Head of Cauliflower Florets (4 cups)
  • 2 Cups Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tsp Taco Seasoning ( or your favorite blend )
  • 2 Free Range Eggs - Beaten
  • 1 Tsp Mustard
  • Oil Spray - Optional
  • Dip
  • ½ cup Marinara
  • 1 Tbs Creamed Horseradish
  • Freshly Ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
  1. Break cauliflower into florets.
  2. Beat 2 eggs into a bowl and add 1 tsp mustard.
  3. In a bowl with the breadcrumbs, add 1 tsp taco mix and seasoning.
  4. Dip cauliflower into egg and then drop into breadcrumbs and coat.
  5. Place on baking sheet covered in parchment paper, spray with a little oil and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes. Turn half way through.
  6. Heat marinara sauce and add the horseradish (or any herb/ seasoning mix you like) and serve immediately.
Low Calorie Crunchy Cauliflower

56comments
Leslie Hoffman - April 29, 2013

Thanks so much for the bouillon! Nothing really is better for making a soup stock that’s got a ton of flavor in it. I don’t ‘win’ much in general, so I consider myself lucky for having won this little treasure. Thanks, Monica.

Your cauliflower bites look so good. Dane and I will have to try them soon!! All of your recipes look way too healthy to pass on. I think the bean soup is next.

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Brooke Schweers - May 4, 2013

Yum! What a perfect snack :) Great recipe!

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    Monica - May 4, 2013

    Thanks, let me know how this turns out if you make it.

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claire - July 6, 2013

Looks delicious! Your comment about the ketchup and baseball cap made me laugh out loud!

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    Monica - July 6, 2013

    Claire, Thanks so much for your comment. I hope we see you again on Going Cavewoman. I am glad you were amused. Monica

    Reply
Keelie - July 10, 2013

I tried this recipe, and it was delicious! Everyone loved it! I made some bread crumbs out of crushed up crackers and seasonings.

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    Monica - July 10, 2013

    Thanks Keelie,
    We loved this recipe too. And so healthy and low calorie. Hope we see you at Going Cavewoman again.

    Reply
Jess - July 12, 2013

Can I use frozen cauliflower or does it have to be fresh? Thanks!

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    Monica - July 12, 2013

    If you defrost the cauli and it’s still firm enough to coat with breadcrumbs and then bake, go for it. If it’s soft then it’s not going to work. Some veggies do well frozen so it’s worth a try. Just take out one and see how firm it is after 30 minutes.

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Laura - December 3, 2013

This looks delicious! Is it prepared mustard or ground mustard that you used? Thanks!

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    Monica - December 3, 2013

    You can use either. You use such a small amount that it doesn’t affect the consistency, so use what you have. Thanks for dropping by Laura.

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LaNeshe - December 27, 2013

What isle in the grocery store would creamed horseradish be?

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    Monica - February 3, 2014

    I would think it would be with all the condiments. I get Amazon to deliver this kind of thing. Go ‘Prime” and get free shipping.

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Donna - December 28, 2013

I just found this recipe today and it sounds delicious! Lots of left overs from Christmas veggie tray, so I think I’ll try it with broccoli too!

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    Monica - December 28, 2013

    Let me know how it turns out for you. It will look so good with both colors and the red sauce. Thanks for dropping by.

    Reply
Ashley T - January 2, 2014

Do you happen to have nutritional info for these? With and without the sauce?

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    Monica - February 3, 2014

    I am going to put this information onto the post. Thanks for dropping by and I hope we see you again on Going Cavewoman.

    Reply
pamela - January 5, 2014

Do you know the nutrition info for this wonderful snack?

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    Monica - February 3, 2014

    A very good question Pamela. I will put that on the post. Hope to see you here again.

    Reply
Chris - January 15, 2014

Can it brown without oil

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    Monica - January 16, 2014

    Yes, it browns beautifully. In fact, I didn’t spray with oil. Thanks for dropping by Chris

    Reply
Connies Vegan Kitchen - March 15, 2014

I think this is a GREAT idea except for Free Range Eggs. I would need to use a non-animal product to make the breadcrumbs stick…. :-)

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    Monica - April 2, 2014

    The vegan egg alternative may work. The cauliflower just needs to be wet. You could try just using milk (almond, rice, flax) or oil (coconut, olive). Let me know what works for you. Thanks for your comment.

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PatB. - March 30, 2014

Saw this today on Pinterest and made it for dinner. Really delish. I used Panko breadcrumbs and threw in 2tbls toasted sesame seeds just because I had them. Could have doubled the seasonings and will add a pinch more salt next time. (My taco seasoning is salt free and I underestimated how much salt to add.) Love it has no added fat beyond the bit of spray. We didnt care for the marinara dipping sauce. I ended up dipping in the very spicy thai peanut dressing I had on my salad and my dh liked them plain. Next time Im trying a curry dip. Really nice to get something crunchy with no greasy frying. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing it.

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    Monica - April 2, 2014

    I have tried a few other sauces but your idea sounds wonderful. A curry sauce. Thanks for your comment and I hope we see you here again Pat.

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Greg Pretz - April 7, 2014

Hi Monica,

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Deb - May 22, 2014

Going to try this tonight. It looks yummy

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    Monica - May 22, 2014

    Thanks for visiting. I am sure you will love it…See you again I hope

    Reply
Fat-Bottom-Fifties Get Fierce - September 20, 2014

This picture and recipe has made me want to eat cauliflower for the very first time – and I’m actually looking forward to it!

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    Monica the Cavewoman - September 20, 2014

    It is a wonderful dish. You can spice it up as much as you want. I am so glad you like the picture. Hope to see you here again.

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hannah - November 30, 2014

My children loved roasted broccolii, so we are game to try this! Dipping in a gourmet dressing (given as a gift and had no clue what to use it on). Thank you and will be a frequent visitor.

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    Monica the Cavewoman - November 30, 2014

    Hannah, You have one of my favorite names. Let me know how this recipe turns out for you with your yummy dressing. I am so glad you found Going Cavewoman and I look forward to seeing you again soon. Monica

    Reply
Josee Vachon - February 6, 2015

Looks delicious! I will try it for sure. I was wondering if you have tried it yet
with crushed nuts instead of bread crumbs?

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Mickey - February 25, 2015

The ingredients list horseradish, but it is not included in your directions? What’s the horseradish for?

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    Monica the Cavewoman - February 25, 2015

    It is just to add flavor. I also like mustard, Basil or taco seasoning mix or any fresh herbs will zing it up. It’s just to give a zip to the marinara. You can also put sun-dried tomatoes or garlic. Be creative and have fun. Thanks for your comment Mickey.

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laura utley - March 11, 2015

low carbs great foods

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Marie-Jeanne - April 11, 2015

I am going to try this tomorrow and am looking forward to it. I will make cauliflower three ways : very thinly sliced and “burned” with a blowtorch, once with a little cream and once with your recipe. My husband being a chef is always extremely happy when I cook, so I’m looking forward to his comments. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks. Marie-Jeanne

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    Monica the Cavewoman - April 12, 2015

    I am Almost as excited as your husband to find out how this dish works out for you. It is hard being married to a chef and making food to their standard. I bet he just loves to eat something that someone else has made, So I am sure he will happy no matter what. Good luck and let me know how it turns out. Grab a quick picture and send it to me if you remember! Speak soon Marie-Jeanne (I love that name BTW).

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Claudia - May 5, 2015

Perfect snack!

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    Monica the Cavewoman - June 12, 2015

    Thanks Claudia, it is a great snack. I hope you enjoy it and we see you back here on Going Cavewoman.

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linda - June 12, 2015

I noticed you said to use range free eggs, I am not used to using these if I use regular eggs will it be ok or do I need to add something. The cauliflower looks great and I am looking forward to making it.. Linda

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    Monica the Cavewoman - June 12, 2015

    Linda, This is my favorite question. Yes, you should use always free range eggs going forward. Every store has them now and it will be proudly written on the box. Chickens that are not free range are kept in tiny cages. They peck their own feet off due to boredom. Imagine being trapped your entire life in a small cage where you can’t move. Free range eggs taste very different and it’s worth the extra few pennies to be a conscious human to this plight. I hope you will never consider getting anything but free range again. I hope this helps. Good luck with the cauliflower recipe.

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Susan - July 12, 2015

My family and I thought this was tasteless especially compared to the other recipe I normally make.

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    Monica the Cavewoman - July 12, 2015

    Thanks Susan. I love feedback. I did say that this dish could be bland if you were not careful. We don’t eat any processed foods and are used to the more subtle flavors of real vegetables. If you eat a lot of processed foods, I suggest you double up on the ingredients that give it the flavor. You can use all kinds of things to pet up the flavor…Hot sauce, fresh herbs, spices, flavored mustards…. Sometimes we need to make a dish a few times before we get it right.

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Sophie - December 30, 2015

I love this site because of the creative recipes, this is one of them. I will try this only with a twist. I will use Caesar salad dressing instead of mustard and Italian bread crumbs instead of regular because they will add flavour. Just an idea if anyone else is interested.

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    Monica the Cavewoman - December 30, 2015

    Sophie, what a great suggestion. Sounds like you are pretty creative yourself. Thanks for the comment and hope to see you on cavewoman again soon.

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Melinda - January 10, 2016

I made these using ras al hanout instead of the taco seasoning, added the horseradish to the egg, and used gluten free panko crumbs. SOO good!!! Since the flavors were more mediterranean, I made a tahini dipping sauce. The whole thing was a great hit with my family,. Thanks for the method, and the great recipe starter.

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    Monica the Cavewoman - February 15, 2016

    I am so glad this recipe worked out. Looks like you got creative too. Hope to see you again Melinda.

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Ken - February 6, 2016

Awesome

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    Monica the Cavewoman - February 15, 2016

    Thanks for dropping by Ken.

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Angela - February 22, 2016

This looks awesome and I’m going to try it. I have a question, the ingredients call for spray oil but the recipe didn’t use oil at all. At what point should the oil be used?

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    Monica the Cavewoman - February 22, 2016

    You spray the cauliflower florets right before you bake them. It just makes them a little more crunchy. It is optional. Thanks for coming by Angela, hope to see you here again.

    Reply
YummyDan - February 29, 2016

Any suggestions for making this dish without any form of bread crumbs, but still keeping the cauliflower crunchy?

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