Easy Cauliflower Tater Tots Recipe

My genius contributor Ginger researched 50 different recipes for this and the biggest complaint was that they didn't stick together, and not 1 of these, baked or fried, fell apart. The best cauliflower tater tot recipe on pinterest? I think so ;) These are great for people who are following the paleo diet or to add some veggies into your kids meals!

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1 egg
• ¼ panko bread crumbs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ½ cup extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley (dried or fresh)

Directions:

To bake: Preheat oven to 375
To fry: Preheat 2 inches of oil to 360

1. Cut cauliflower into large chunks and cook in boiling salted water just until soft, not mushy. Remove, being careful to let the water drain off.
2. Run the cauliflower and onion through a grater of a food processor, or finally chop by hand. Let cool for a few minutes then stir in the rest of the ingredients and salt to taste.
3. Let it set up for 5 - 10 minutes in the freezer, or as long as you want in the fridge. This step is CRUCIAL to them staying perfectly intact. Keep the mix in the fridge while 1 batch is cooking so that it stays cool.
4. Shape into little tater tops using a tablespoon full or so, and either place in oil or on a baking sheet.
5. Fry until golden brown, or bake for 20 - 25 minutes flipping half way through.

*Baking is a healthier way to go, with less hands on time, however they do not get quite as crispy as they do when fried. That being said, my personal preference is the baked. My kids? They loved both.
*Feel free to mix up the Cheddar with your favorite cheese! I would love to do these with pepper jack next.
*After shaping, these can be frozen, pop them into the freezer on a baking sheet not touching and once they are frozen throw them into a ziploc bag and just take out what you need! Making a double batch means you always have these bite size pieces of joy on hand :)

The fried version is on the left and the baked is on the right!