Baked Cauliflower & Spinach Fritters
It’s no secret that I love a good veggie burger since I can prep them as an easy meal for busy weeknights.
I wanted to make something similar to a burger but without the extra carbs from a bun and fritters came to mind. But then I started thinking about a cauliflower pizza crust which is why I ended-up baking them instead of frying.
I guess that kind of demeans the whole fritter part, doesn’t it?
Well, these wannabe fritters are made from oats, white beans, spinach, and cauliflower to give you a daily dose of heart healthy fiber, lean protein, and antioxidants.
They do require a little elbow grease but it’s nothing a food processor can’t help you tackle. You put in a little time on a Sunday afternoon and it gives you six servings, if you’re eating two per person.
They take all of one minute to reheat in the microwave and pair well with quick and easy side items like roasted red potatoes, brussel sprouts and green beans. I usually roast my veggies and potatoes for twenty minutes while I take a shower {leaving Brandon to supervise in case of a fire, of course} and dinner is served as soon as I’m done.
Efficient and healthy. My favorite combination.
My favorite way to eat these is with a touch of ketchup on the side but apparently, not everybody likes ketchup. Ahem, Brandon.
In that case, you could serve them with lemon juice or your favorite marinara sauce as a tasty alternative.
Actually, the marinara idea came from one of my favorite bloggers, Kiersten. Just as I was feeling all original about my recipe (which is nearly impossible in the world of food blogging), I stopped by her site and saw she whipped up her own drool-worthy cauliflower fritters. I left a comment explaining the differences between my version and hers and she suggested that marinara would go well with them and I have to agree. Thanks for the suggestion Kiersten!
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower florets (about 2 cups)
1 cup rolled oats
3 garlic cloves
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1 and 1/2 cup baby spinach
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3/4 cup Italian blend cheese
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon oregano
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest + lemon juice for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly steam the cauliflower florets for about five minutes, until tender. Allow to strain for a few minutes then transfer to a few paper towels and dry thoroughly.
- Next, place the oats in a food processor and blend on high for about twenty seconds. It should resemble flour but it’s okay if the texture is a little chunky. Remove from processor and add to a large bowl.
- Then use the processor to mince your garlic and parsley by blending for about ten seconds. Add the spinach and pulse until finely chopped then set mixture aside in the large bowl with the oat flour.
- I also use the processor to finely chop the onion but you can do this by hand if you wish. Add the onion to the bowl as well. Then add the beans to the bowl and mash slightly with a fork.
- This is a good time to start preheating the oven to 400°F, if you plan on cooking them right away.
- Lastly, pulse 1/2 cup of the cauliflower at a time until it is finely chopped, but not minced. Set aside into the large bowl and continue until all of the florets are chopped.
- Add the seasonings (oregano, salt & pepper, and lemon zest if using) to the bowl and mix all of the ingredients until well-combined.
- Then add the egg, egg white and cheese and mix well. Using about 1/3 cup of mixture at a time, form twelve separate patties with your hands and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes on each side. They should be a light golden brown when finished. Transfer to a plate and serve with a touch of lemon juice, ketchup, or marinara.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator for at least a few hours before cooking.
Oh wow, these look yummy! I love that there’s plenty of veggies hidden in these fritters. I’m so down with this recipe.
These look delicious and I love that you baked them :) do you think another bean would work? Maybe chickpeas? I love white beans but they don’t love me.
Absolutely, I think chickpeas would work great!
These fritters sound amazing! Can’t wait to try them, NO, I hate ketchup!! I would use Tzatziki sauce to dip them in! The cucumber/garlic flavor would add an interesting dimension to the flavor! You amaze me with all y ou accomplish while working full time! Awwww, youth!!!
Haha- what’s wrong with ketchup? ;) I think Tzatziki sounds like a delicious option!
Trust me, it’s not as smooth as it seems when it comes to the blog. Lots of trial and error and exhausting weekends but it’s worth it. :)
Love this! And I feel ya on thinking you’re all original and then you wake up and your favourite bloggers have all made the same recipes. Happens to me and Lee (Fit Foodie Finds) way too often. But that’s because there’s a reason you love their blog right?
I made this amazing cauliflower pasta dish yesterday and it was just way too ugly to photograph. Makes me sad to deprive the world of such deliciousness but there are worse things in the world than an ugly recipe…right? Maybe not haha
Have a wonderful weekend!
These look awesome! I’ve never made fritters before, but these look like a great place to start with them ;-)
When the snow comes, I hibernate – I’m not a cold-weather or snow person, to say the least ;-)
It’s amazing all the different kinds of things you can do with cauliflower. I never realized how versatile it was. These look amazing!
It has snow yet here but when it does, I like to light a fire and cozy up on the couch and watch the snow fall.
I love a good veggie burger as well and yes i like ketchup. These fritters look fantastic and delicious Sarah.
Yum these look great Sarah! Props on the photo skills as well. You think a flax egg would work for this recipe?
Thanks girl! I think a flax egg would work but I would refrigerate the mixture for about an hour before making patties. I think that would help it to ‘set’ better. Let me know if you end up trying them!
I like ketchup on very conventional items like fries, breakfast potatoes, and kale chips (oh, that’s not conventional?). I don’t really like it on much else. Someone mentioned a tzatiki sauce for these, and I think that sounds delicious!
I love ketchup, on anything and everything (<< mostly). I can't believe these are baked — they look SO crispy and amazing!
I love the sound of these fritters! I am a huge fan of cauliflower and I really like that these are baked instead of fried. And yes, I do love me some ketchup. I always eat my roasted red potatoes with it – my husband thinks I’m nuts but I love them that way!
I am all for baked instead of fried! I haven’t made any veggie burgers in a while, and am definitely feeling like it’s time. I love all the veggies and beans in here! Have a great weekend :)
These look amazing!! Again, so creative! I mean, I want them in my mouth right now. Can you make that happen for me, please?? Girl, sorry, I’m with Brandon. I HATE ketchup. Yuck. Bleh. Don’t make me eat it, mommy! Haha, on that note, have a wonderful weekend.
These look like a perfect healthy dinner (my favorite kind!). I’m a big fan of veggie burgers, though I’d never thought of abking them. Yours look lovely, so I’ll try this version soon. Thanks for sharing!
And I hope you have a wonderful weekend :D
I love ketchup. It’s basically a food group in my house but anything with a tomato base is delicious in my book. I love this recipe! I was thinking of making some type of fritter soon so I’ll have to try this out! Have a great weekend! :)
Oh bummer! I hate when a recipe that starts out so well just totally flops :( These veggie-filled fritters look like a great replacement though. And ketchup – I can take it or leave it, it really just depends on my mood!
Yum, these sound delicious!! I love cauliflower and spinach, and I can’t imagine anything in fritter form being bad!
Wow!! What a genius idea!! This sound and look amazing! Healthy and delicious! My favorite combo :)
Efficient and healthy meal with fantastic cauliflower fritters… can’t think of a better dinner! It’s also good to see something other than pumpkin :) :)
Yum these look delicious!! Any chance you think they would work without the beans? I’ve been wanting to make something like a veggie burger but every recipe I’ve seen has beans which my stomach doesn’t do well with.
Yes, I think they would be even crispier without the beans. They would probably have to be cooked for less time though so I would keep an eye on them and maybe try 10-15 minutes on each side.
You know, I’m not a huge ketchup fan either. I prefer honey mustard or some kind of spicy mustard for dipping. Also? I don’t like ranch!!!
Do they really take 30 hours to prep? :) They look awesome though and such a good alternative to veggie burgers! I am definitely going to be trying these!
Bah! Whoops. Thanks for the heads up! ;)
Ooh these look absolutely marvelous! I’ve just recently started using cauliflower as replacements for things such a pizza crust. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how good it is! As for the spinach and all those other veggies, love it! Any way to get extra veggies without noticing is great in my book!
Oh, Im always on the hunt for another veggie burger recipe – and a baked one to boot! Love your photography too :)
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Yep, another recipe I will have to make. This look so good and sound amazing. Love everything about it. And the sides sound good too!
I don’t even know what a fritter is, but what I do know is that these look quite tasty!!! You are always exposing me to awesome new foods, dear!! Love it!
Thanks for the recipe. I made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious.
It seems that you forgot to mention when to add the beans. I added mine at the end. I also used chick peas.
Thank you, Sue! I appreciate you letting me know you liked them and that I forgot that part of the recipe. Woops! :)
Is there a difference between plain oats and rolled oats? Can I use rolled oats for this recipe?
Hi Mary! Yes, you can use rolled oats. That is what I used for this recipe. I hope you enjoy them!
Oh my goodness. What a great recipe! I switched out the beans and used black beans since they are my favorite. These are so delicious they are a staple in my home now and we have them once a week. Thank you for this great recipe.