Oh friends, you’re in for a treat today. Ever since I made my Quinoa Pizza Bites, I’ve been thinking of other ways to put the flavours of pizza into convenient bite-sized snacks. These Cauliflower Pizza Bites fit the bill PERFECTLY. They’re low-carb, so delicious that even kids will devour them, and you can keep them in the freezer for whenever you need to satisfy a pizza craving. You’ve got to try these. Once you add the vegan cheese, sauce, and seasonings, the flavour of the cauliflower fades into the background, so even if you’re not usually a fan, you’ll still enjoy these Cauliflower Pizza Bites. You can add any toppings you’d like to your bites. I like to just add cheese, but a plant-based pepperoni would be delicious (just chop it up so it mixes in well!), as would olives, diced onions and green peppers, or mushrooms. Even roasted garlic would be good in this recipe!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
Cauliflower – You’ll need a medium head of cauliflower for this recipe.Vegan shredded cheeseFlax egg or egg replacement – This, along with the vegan cheese, will help hold the Cauliflower Pizza Bites together.Sea saltGround pepperMarinara sauce – Use store-bought or homemade marinara.Garlic powderItalian seasoningCrushed red pepper flakes
Does Any Vegan Cheese Melt?
Daiya cheese is known for its melting abilities and it’s one of the most widely-available vegan cheese brands, but these days, there are a number of different varieties that melt well. Generally speaking, any vegan cheese that comes in shredded form will be formulated for melting, while blocks of cheese may or may not melt smoothly. I used vegan mozzarella for these Cauliflower Pizza Bites, but you could also use a blend of plant-based mozzarella and Parmesan.
How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites
If you want to get a head start on this recipe without making the whole thing, you can prep the cauliflower rice a day or two ahead of time. Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a 12-cup mini muffin pan with parchment paper strips. Make the cauliflower rice. Use a food processor or grater to rice the cauliflower, following the instructions in my tutorial on how to make cauliflower rice. Cook the cauliflower rice. Place the cauliflower rice in a large bowl. Set a paper towel over it and microwave for 5 minutes. Let it cool enough to handle, then transfer the cauliflower rice to a clean, thin kitchen towel. Wrap it up and squeeze it over a sink to get the liquid out. The cauliflower should be light and fluffy. Make the pizza bite mixture. Place the riced cauliflower in a bowl, along with the cheese, flax egg, salt, pepper, marinara sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Set aside the extra 2 tablespoons of cheese for topping. Form the pizza bites. Use a tablespoon to scoop the cauliflower mixture and divide it into the prepared cups. Press the mixture into the cups to compact it; this will help it stick together! Bake. Bake your Cauliflower Pizza Bites for 12 to 15 minutes. Top them with the remaining cheese, then broil them for about a minute more. Cool. Let the bites cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then remove them from the pan by lifting the parchment paper.
How Do You Make Cauliflower Rice Not Soggy?
The answer is to cook it properly and to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before moving onto the next step of the recipe. The soggier your cauliflower rice, the harder it will be to get your Cauliflower Pizza Bites to stick together, and the more watered-down the flavour will be.
Tips for Success
Here are my best tips on how to make perfect vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites:
Don’t use frozen cauliflower rice. It has a tendency to be much “wetter” than fresh cauliflower rice, so it’s harder to get it to hold together.Cook any veggie add-ins first. If you decide to add other veggies to this recipe, sauté them to cook them through and remove any excess moisture.Season to taste. Feel free to add more spices or salt to the recipe. Since it’s made with vegan egg, you can taste it and adjust as needed!
Serving Suggestions
These Cauliflower Pizza Bites are perfect as a snack or appetizer. In addition to serving them with marinara, you could pair them with vegan ranch dressing (hey, some people love pizza and ranch together!), spicy arrabbiata sauce or sprinkle them with homemade vegan Parmesan.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Cauliflower Pizza Bites will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat, simply pop them in a 350ºF oven or the microwave until heated through.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze these bites and reheat them from frozen. Simply place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, simply reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan cauliflower pizza bites recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
