10 ingredients or less/how to/recipes/Vegetarian Recipes

How to Make: Crispy Oven Baked Popcorn Cauliflower

Posted February 28, 2016 by Stephanie
crispy oven baked popcorn cauliflower with skinny ranch - www.iamafoodblog.com

crispy oven baked popcorn cauliflower with skinny ranch - www.iamafoodblog.com

Are you guys watching the Oscars tonight? I’m going to try to catch it, but since I haven’t watched many of the movies nominated, I might just be munching on popcorn cauliflower, sans Oscar. I love these cauliflower popcorn guys so much. Almost as much as I love roasted cauliflower, but maybe even a little bit more because I like a little bit of crunch. You have the best of both worlds with these guys: the outsides are crisp and crunchy and the insides are meltingly tender like the roasted cauliflower you know and love. Add in some skinny ranch dip (thanks to the lack of mayo) and you’ve got the best healthy TV watching snack ever!

crispy oven baked popcorn cauliflower with skinny ranch - www.iamafoodblog.com

PS – Who am I kidding anyway? I’m totally going to watch the Oscars, even if it’s just to see the dresses!

Crispy Oven Baked Popcorn Cauliflower
serves 2, generously


  • 1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 – 1.5 cups panko

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Dip the cauliflower bits into the egg, shake off excess and dip into the panko, making sure each floret is coated. Place on prepared parchment paper. Repeat until all of the cauliflower is coated.

Bake for 30-35 mins, or until deeply golden and crunchy. Enjoy hot with skinny ranch for dipping, if desired.

Skinny Ranch Dressing
makes about 1 cup


  • 1/2 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bite-Sized! Bite-Sized is a recipe series that don’t have any deep and ponderous thoughts: they’re just yummy in my tummy and they can be yummy in yours too. They’re quick and easy recipes that I don’t have much to stay about, but I couldn’t go without sharing the deliciousness. I hope you give them a go!
crispy oven baked popcorn cauliflower with skinny ranch - www.iamafoodblog.com

21 Comments

  1. Sounds delicious! Love that it is a little more guilt free for a snack :)

  2. Fernando says:

    Crunchy and guilt-free :)

  3. Kelsey M says:

    Ooh this sounds fantastic!

  4. The video for this was so on point. I felt like I was really experiencing the flavours and textures just by the sound! Like the chopping of the green onions and the lemon zesting. SO GOOD.

  5. Helen says:

    love the video, stephanie!

  6. Erika says:

    Looks yummy! I am trying to eat more cauliflower (I’m a little afraid of it!), so this looks like a good option. :)

  7. MizzJ says:

    Yum!! And guilt-free compared to my snack of choice, nachos haha

  8. Kate says:

    Is there nothing cauliflower isn’t capable of?!! Looks fantastic!

  9. THIS!!! I am so down for anything that reminds me of healthy tots. Yumm!!!!

  10. Mind = blown. I love the video, too!

  11. These look so good its 5:59 am in the morning here, but don’t care would eat those in a split second for an early breakfast. They look so crispy then could only imagine when you bite into them and you feel that soft mash of flavor inside. That’s a double yum on my scale.
    Great job!

  12. i love veggie tots but i think i love your love of veggie tots even more, steph – your ideas make my heart sing…and mouth drool, thanks to the video! really like how it was a quickie + entertaining to watch.

  13. Jenan says:

    Looks so yummy!

  14. Oh my goodness. This is the perfect way to get a vegetable hater to eat vegetables and really like them! Love.

  15. Priya says:

    This is very tempting and easy recipe and since we are cauliflower (Gobi) lovers by heart I am damn sure my family gonna like this

  16. Monica says:

    I was excited to make this, because I love cauliflower & love the idea of making them crispy.

    Unfortunately, the recipe didn’t work out so well. The egg wash was overly-eggy – I think it should have been thinned with milk or water. You could taste the egg really strongly in the final dish. Also, 1/4 tsp salt is far too little – the cauliflower was under-seasoned. I think maybe with some retooling this could be really great.

    1. Stephanie Le says:

      hi monica! happy you tried it out – i think thinning out the egg wash would work if you’re not fond of eggs and salt is definitely a personal preference! hope you try it again soon with your personal tweaks :)

  17. I make all my meal into meal prep to stay healthy and recently into cauliflower. Would this be able to be reheated in the over during the week? Or a one time thing? Looks delish!

    1. Stephanie says:

      hey rachael,
      i wouldn’t recommend it – it won’t stay crispy when you reheat it.

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