Cauliflower and Potato Bites (Vegan)

These Cauliflower and Potato Bites are a tasty vegan finger food that are perfect for snacking! The potato and cauliflower together create this somewhat smooth and chewy bite paired with the crispy exterior.I paired this with a Mayo-Ketchup dipping sauce—a combo that I grew up enjoying and we’d have it as dressing for salads (similar to Thousand Island dressing), with Filipino-Style cheese sticks, and for lots of different fried food! These can be baked as well.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 lb raw cauliflower (, 1 medium head)
• 1 small onion (, peeled)
• 2 cloves garlic (, peeled)
• 5.2 oz raw potato (, 1 small yukon gold or other starchy potato (essential, see notes))
• 3.5 oz raw carrot (, 1 small)
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour (or other flour, plus more as needed (see notes))
• 1 tsp baking powder (, optional (see notes))
• 1-2 tsp salt (, adjust to taste)
• Dash ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2-3 tsp sriracha (, optional for spice)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1You can see the photos above for a step-by-step on how to make these.
2. 2Place the cauliflower, onion, and garlic in a food processor and process until minced.
3. 3For the potato and carrot, I simply peeled these and shredded them finely using a cheese grater. You can also opt to process the carrot but I prefer them into very thin, fine pieces.
4. 4Potatoes: place the potatoes in a kitchen towel or cheese cloth and then squeeze out the excess water.
5. 5Place all processed/shredded vegetables in a large bowl. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined.
6. 6The longer the mixture sits, the more liquid the potato can release especially since the mixture is salted so if it’s too wet to the touch, you can add 1-2 tbsp more flour at a time.
7. 7To test out the mixture: get a small amount of the mixture and shape into a ball. It should hold up well. If not, you can add 1-2 tbsp more flour at a time.
8. 8Shaping the mixture: scoop a small amount of the mixture and shape into small balls or form into whatever shape you’d like. Repeat this for the rest.
9. 9Cooking (see baking option below): Heat a large frying pan or wok over med. high heat with enough oil to submerge the pieces. Test the heat of the oil by placing a small chunk of the mixture. If it immediately bubbles, it’s hot enough.
10. 10Carefully add in the balls/pieces. Leave to cook until golden brown and crisp, moving and flipping halfway through if needed. Once cooked, drain from the oil and place in a strainer to drain the excess oil.
11. 11Pair with the dipping sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, etc. Enjoy while hot! You can also refrigerate leftovers. See storage tips below.
12. 12--- Baking option ---
13. 13Preheat your oven to 350F.
14. 14Place the balls/pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the balls with some oil. Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until balls are brown on each side. Note that when baking the balls will not be evenly golden brown compared to frying.
15. 15You can also air-fry these. Be sure to generously spray/brush these with oil. Cooking time may vary depending on the air fryer settings.
16. 16--- STORAGE TIPS ---
17. 17Considering this is a large batch, you can fry everything then store the rest in the refrigerator after cooling them to enjoy the next day. You can reheat them in an oven toaster for 10-12 minutes on 350F until crisp.