These Mexican low carb cauliflower patties are gluten-free, vegetarian, and deceptively easy to make! The Mexican spices transform this vegetable into a main dish that’s bursting with flavor. They taste so good they will disappear in a flash!

Mexican low carb Cauliflower Patties on a baking tray

Why We Love This Recipe for Low Carb Cauliflower Patties

These Mexican cauliflower patties are everything! They’re so great that my kids ate them for an afternoon snack and then wanted to eat the entire pan even though they were supposed to be our dinner. To be honest, I ate so many while doing the dishes that there actually weren’t any left for dinner. Oh well!

This actually seems to be a recurring theme in my household when it comes to cauliflower, and don’t even get us started on air fryer recipes! We’re always gobbling up air fryer buffalo cauliflower wings, air fryer bang bang cauliflower, and classically simple air fryer cauliflower! Then, on particularly cold days, we warm ourselves from the inside out with Instant Pot Cream of Cauliflower Soup.

Cauliflower really does put in a lot of work for our family, doesn’t it? Well, that’s not going to stop anytime soon, especially since I created this healthy cauliflower fritter recipe! The flavoring of these patties is irresistible, so I hereby give you permission to enjoy them whenever the mood strikes. They transcend meal times!

Key Ingredients for These Low Carb Cauliflower Patties

Cauliflower

Purchase fresh cauliflower that is creamy white with florets free from blemishes, browning, and wet spots. It’s safe to say that if they don’t smell like the familiar cauliflower smell – steer clear! For this recipe, I used a small head of cauliflower chopped into large florets.

Mexican Spice

The spice makes these patties so delicious. It’s a seemingly small amount, but don’t neglect it! I used this one from a teeny tiny spice company Mexican spice blends to make these. I highly recommend ordering a tin because they’re awesome and they make healthy cooking easier.

(Once you buy the tin, you can also use it for these recipes: Chicken Chilaquiles, Chicken Fajita Salad, Easy Mexican Sauteed Peppers.)

You can also use any Mexican spice blend from your grocery store, or you can make your own by mixing together: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

Additional Ingredients

  • Scallions
  • Eggs
  • Cilantro
  • Almond flour
  • Salt, plus coarse kosher salt to serve
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Coconut oil
  • Lime wedges
low carb cauliflower patties with mexican flavoring on a tray

Step by Step Instructions to Make These Healthy Cauliflower Patties

Step 1: Heat Water and Oven

Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Step 2: Steam Cauliflower and Combine Other Ingredients

Add cauliflower to the steamer basket, cover, and steam until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove basket from the saucepan and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, stir scallions, eggs, cilantro, almond flour, spice mix, and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 3: Puree Cauliflower and Combine Spice Mixture

Puree the cauliflower in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until the cauliflower is paste-like, and becomes a little moist. It will not be completely smooth, more like small grains of rice. Add the cauliflower to the spice mixture and stir to combine. Add the cheddar and mix in evenly.

Step 4: Cook Cauliflower Fritters

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Mound scant ¼ cup portions of the cauliflower mixture into the oil. Cover with a lid and cook, adjusting heat to prevent scorching if necessary, until the cauliflower patties are set up and the bottoms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. (If the patties seem like they will break apart they are not ready to flip.) Carefully flip the patties over and continue cooking until the second side is browned, and the patties are cooked through.

Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 4 portions of the remaining cauliflower mixture, adjusting the heat if necessary.

Step 5: Keep Patties Warm and Serve

Transfer the patties to the baking sheet and transfer them to the oven to keep warm. Serve with lime wedges and kosher salt.

Mexican Cauliflower Patties on a tray with parsley in a bowl and sprinkled around them

FAQs and Expert Tips

What’s the perfect heat to make cauliflower fritters?

Use a cooler skillet than you think! These patties have high-fat almond flour and cheese, both of which brown readily. To keep them from getting too dark, keep the temp low. Medium heat is good to start, but halfway through the first batch of patties, you’ll probably have to reduce the heat a bit. If the pan starts to smoke a bit, you’ll know that it’s time to drop it down.

How do I know when the fritters are ready to flip?

The cheese in these patties has to melt, and the egg has to cook to hold the filling together to make them structurally sound enough to flip. You’ll know if they’re not ready if they seem like they are going to break apart when you go to flip them.

What goes with low carb cauliflower patties?

For a low-carb vegetarian meal with a southwest flavor these patties are great with grain-free Keto Cornbread and Sauteed Mexican Peppers. For meat eaters, serve them with Grilled Sirloin with Chimichurri or Roasted Crispy Skin Chicken.

Additional Low Carb Cauliflower Recipes to Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Mexican Cauliflower Patties on a skillet

Low-Carb Mexican Cauliflower Patties


  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 patties 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These Mexican low carb cauliflower patties are gluten-free, vegetarian, and deceptively easy to make! The Mexican spices transform this vegetable into a main dish that’s bursting with flavor. They taste so good they will disappear in a flash!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 small head cauliflower, cored and chopped into large florets
  • 3 scallions minced
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican spice mix (I used this one)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus coarse kosher salt to serve
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Preheat oven to 300ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
  2. Add cauliflower to the steamer basket, cover and steam until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove basket from saucepan and allow to cool 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, stir scallions, eggs, cilantro, almond flour, spice mix and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Puree the cauliflower in a food processor fitted with a steel blade attachment until the cauliflower is paste-like, and becomes a little moist. It will not be completely smooth, more like small grains of rice. Add the cauliflower to the spice mixture and stir to combine. Add the cheddar and mix in evenly.
  5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Mound scant ¼ cup portions of the cauliflower mixture into the oil. Cover with a lid and cook, adjusting heat to prevent scorching if necessary, until the cauliflower patties are set up and the bottoms are browned, 5 to 7 minutes. (If the patties seem like they will break apart they are not ready to flip.) Carefully flip the patties over and continue cooking until the second side is browned, and the patties are cooked through. Transfer the patties to the baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm.
  6. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 4 portions of remaining cauliflower mixture, adjusting the heat if necessary. Serve with lime wedges and kosher salt.

Notes

Note: The cheese in these patties has to melt, and the egg has to cook to hold the filling together to make them structurally sound enough to flip. You’ll know if they’re not ready if they seem like they are going to break apart when you go to flip them.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 patties, scant 1/4 cup each
  • Calories: 266
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Sodium: 393 mg
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Saturated Fat: 13 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 15 g

Keywords: cauliflower patties, low-carb gluten-free vegetarian recipes, healthy cauliflower patties, cauliflower fritters, mexican cauliflower patties

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