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    Home » Recipes

    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers

    Published: Feb 24, 2021 · Updated: Sep 12, 2022 by Cast Iron Keto · 5 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers are such a fun low-carb appetizer or snack! Serve them up with a creamy yogurt sauce or marinara for dipping.

    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray
    These Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers are sponsored by our friends at Bob's Red Mill. Thanks for supporting the brands that make CIK and our mission possible!

    Crunchy perfection, these Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers are just too tasty. We have been on a cauliflower kick lately and this latest creation is one of our favorites. Let's get to the specifics!

    Ingredients in Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers

    • cauliflower - you'll want medium-sized florets without a lot of stems. Don't toss the stems though! One of our favorite ways to use up cauliflower stems is by pickling them. Just toss them in a jar with some salt, white vinegar, maybe some peppercorns, and other veggies (we like spicy peppers and onions) for one delicious pickle that will go with just about anything. You'll be surprised at how fast you can knock a jar back 😉
    • unsweetened almond milk - a sub for egg whites and we don't know if we'll ever go back to using egg whites for the first step in breading. The almond milk mixed with the spices gets into every nook and cranny of the cauliflower meaning extra flavor 🤤
    • Italian seasoning - use a blend or whip up your own.
    • garlic powder
    • salt
    • olive oil
    • almond flour - we use Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour - it creates the perfect crust along with the other breading ingredients. It's a great low-carb way to bread fried foods.
    • parmesan cheese - grated is best, not shredded, and don't use shelf-stable parmesan as the other fillers don't work great.
    • paprika
    • oil for frying - we like avocado or algae oil for its high heat tolerance.
    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray with one being dunked into a sauce
    almond milk, oil, and Italian seasoning in a bowl for dredging the cauliflower
    almond milk, oil, and Italian seasoning in a bowl for dredging the cauliflower
    cauliflower being dredged through a mix of almond flour and parmesan cheese

    How to make keto cauliflower poppers

    1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
    2. In another medium bowl or high-sided plate, mix together the almond flour, parmesan cheese, and paprika.
    3. In a small bowl or jar, mix together the yogurt dipping sauce ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
    4. Dip each cauliflower floret into the almond milk mixture then into the almond flour mixture making sure to evenly coat each side. Shake off the excess and place on a plate and place a cooling rack over a sheet pan.
    5. In a 10" or larger cast iron skillet, heat about a cup of oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers on top.
    6. Working in batches, carefully add the breaded florets to the oil in a single layer with ample space between them and fry for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the fried florets to the cooling rack to drain excess oil, repeat with remaining florets.
    7. Place the poppers on a serving tray and sprinkle with the parmesan, lemon zest, and fresh herbs along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve with yogurt sauce or marinara.
    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray

    What to serve with cauliflower poppers

    We love the lemon herb yogurt sauce pictured here but marinara sauce is stellar as well. If using marinara, just be sure to use a sugar-free brand or make your own. To make your own, heat a bit of olive oil in a small pot or skillet, add in some Italian seasoning for about 30 seconds, then add in crushed tomatoes. Season with salt to taste. A squeeze of fresh lemon goes great in it too.

    Bake, Fry, or AirFry?

    We've obviously fried these and think that creates the best and crunchiest breading but you can try baking at 400° F for about 30 minutes or air-frying for about 15 minutes at 375°. With each method besides frying, you'll want to spray the poppers with a bit of cooking spray beforehand, we like avocado oil spray.

    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray

    That's it! These cauliflower poppers kind of remind us of our Keto Calamari, so good!

    Looking for more recipes made with Bob's Red Mill? Check these out ↓ 

    Keto Mocha Chocolate Cake in a cast iron skillet
    Keto Buffalo Chicken Tenders in a cast-iron skillet
    a side shot of a skillet full of seeded keto rolls
    A hand picking up a single coconut shrimp from the serving tray
    Keto Confetti Skillet Cookie on parchment paper
    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray

    📖 Recipe

    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers on a black cast iron tray with one being dunked into a sauce

    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers

    These Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers are such a fun low-carb appetizer or snack! Serve them up with a creamy yogurt sauce or marinara for dipping. 
    3.43 from 7 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Keto cauliflower poppers
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 391kcal

    Ingredients

    • ½ head cauliflower cut into florets (about 12 ounces)
    • ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cup avocado oil for frying
    • 1 tablespoon grated fresh parmesan cheese for topping, plant-based if desired, see notes
    • 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs for topping (we used a blend of rosemary, oregano, and parsley)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest for topping
    • Pinch of flaky sea salt

    Breading:

    • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour
    • 1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese plant-based if desired, see notes
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika

    Sauce:

    • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt dairy-free if desired, see notes
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs we used a blend of rosemary, oregano, and parsley
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt.
    • In another medium bowl or high-sided plate, mix together the almond flour, parmesan cheese, and paprika.
    • In a small bowl or jar, mix together the yogurt dipping sauce ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
    • Dip each cauliflower floret into the almond milk mixture then into the almond flour mixture making sure to evenly coat each side. Shake off the excess and place on a plate and place a cooling rack over a sheet pan.
    • In a 10" or larger cast iron skillet, heat about a cup of oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers on top.
    • Working in batches, carefully add the breaded florets to the oil in a single layer with ample space between them and fry for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the fried florets to the cooling rack to drain excess oil, repeat with remaining florets.
    • Place the poppers on a serving tray and sprinkle with the parmesan, lemon zest, and fresh herbs along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve with yogurt sauce or marinara.

    Notes

    Nutritional info is calculated with how much of the oil the cauliflower absorbed while frying, not the full amount listed in the recipe. 
    Plant-Based Options:
    • Sub a dairy-free parmesan for regular, we like Violife.
    • Sub a dairy-free yogurt in place of Greek yogurt. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Italian Cauliflower Poppers
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 391 Calories from Fat 315
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 35g54%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 16mg5%
    Sodium 403mg18%
    Potassium 238mg7%
    Carbohydrates 9g3%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 368IU7%
    Vitamin C 31mg38%
    Calcium 287mg29%
    Iron 1mg6%
    *

    Nutritional values are estimates only and do not include carbs from sugar alcohols.

    # Hashtag with us!Don't forget to mention @castiron_keto or tag #castironketo on Instagram with your creations! We love seeing what you're making.
    « Keto Hot Fudge Sauce 🍨
    Keto Orange Chicken Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ramya says

      February 24, 2021 at 11:19 am

      will be making this soon with few subs i love cauliflower and italian food soooooooooooo much will dm you guys if i make this and let you guys know how it goes Thanks Ramya

      Reply
    2. Lisa says

      February 24, 2021 at 3:39 pm

      Those look delicious!

      Reply
    3. jayulie says

      March 01, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      1 star
      This was an expensive fail. I followed instructions to a tee. The cauliflower looked good going in but every piece came out with no breading and hardly any flavor. Now my cast iron skillet is still sitting on the stove with what looks like an inch of Almond flour in the bottom. Not even sure I can salvage the oil for another deep fry use. Bummed.

      Reply
      • Cast Iron Keto says

        March 02, 2021 at 1:47 pm

        Hey Jayulie, we're bummed to hear this! It sounds like your oil wasn't quite hot enough so the breading ended up falling off. Did the florets sizzle as soon as you added them to the oil?

        Reply
      • Lita says

        March 25, 2021 at 6:54 pm

        1 star
        I was excited about this, but quickly got disappointed!!!!! They looked delicious when going into the oil and yes my oil was hot and breading just melted off! Maybe I’ll try again but out them in my air fryer! 😐

        Reply

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