Skip the spuds and ditch the deep-fryer in favor of this quick and healthy recipe for 5-Ingredient Baked Cauliflower Tots.

There are two things I always scour a restaurant menu for: doughnuts and tater tots. My obsession with the former has been well documented around these parts (See: Easy Glazed Doughnut Holes and Doughnuthon), while the later is just now making its debut. But before you go reaching for the potatoes, can I gently encourage you to make a mad dash for the cauliflower instead?

Yes, indeed. Potato-less cauliflower tots, a.k.a. a veggie-packed, slightly cheesy, absolutely easy alternative to the traditional finger food we all know and love.

Aside from being the ultimate way to sneak veggies into any meal, cauliflower tots have many redeeming qualities:

• They’re made with only five ingredients. Sweet!
• They’re baked, rather than fried.
• They’re a (nearly) starch-free side dish or snack.

Suddenly craving cauliflower? Preheat your oven, grab the veggies and feel free to fancify these tots by tossing in fresh herbs or spices for added zing.

Then all that’s left to do is dip and dunk in your choice of sauces, from ketchup to roasted garlic aioli and beyond. Phew. An entire post about tots and not a single Napoleon Dynamite reference.

(Now give me some of your tots!)

And for all those with even more cauliflower cravings, don’t miss my top-rated recipes for Mashed Cauliflower with Cheese and Chives, Cheesy Roaster Cauliflower Dip and Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Lemon Dressing.

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Find more healthy snack inspiration with additional quick and easy recipes.

Baked Parmesan Zucchini Chips: Get the Recipe

Easy Baked Broccoli Tots: Get the Recipe

Healthy Homemade Mango Fruit Roll-Ups: Get the Recipe