With just 3 ingredients + a little salt and pepper, you can have yourself a basket of healthy, snack-able, pop-able, love-able, and crispy sea salt & vinegar cauliflower “popcorn”.
I consider myself a sort of salt & vinegar chip connoisseur, and if chips offered a bit more in the vitamins/minerals department, I’d eat my weight in ridged salt & vinegar kettle chips annually.
Although that thought is entertaining, I’m 99% certain it’s not the most responsible idea I’ve ever had. The jury is still out on that last 1%.
Since the craving for that tangy, salty flavor strikes on an almost daily basis, I’ve figured out a few ways to get a salt & vinegar fix that also offers a bit of nutritional oomph.
And this crispy cauliflower variation is a force to be reckoned with.
Nutritional perks of cauliflower | rich in vitamin c, vitamin k, folate, and B6. Plus, as a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, it’s been linked to cancer prevention as it helps support the body’s detox system, antioxidant system, and inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system. *see below for source.
To make this dual-purpose snack, you’ll start by cleaning up a large head of cauliflower. Trim away those outer leaves and cut the cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets. Then, pour a generous amount of apple cider vinegar over the florets and toss to coat. Whisk together a bit of oat flour, sea salt, and black pepper in an airtight container, add the florets, cover, and shake to evenly coat the cauliflower in an oat crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp and golden.
You can enjoy the florets as is or give them an extra punch of tang by seasoning them with more apple cider vinegar and sea salt. They’ll maintain their crispness better if you don’t add more vinegar; however, I happily trade a bit of crunch for more of that vinegar zing.
This crispy sea salt & vinegar cauliflower “popcorn” makes an excellent snack, but it would also be great served as a side dish or appetizer.
Crispy Sea Salt & Vinegar Cauliflower "Popcorn"
To make this crispy sea salt and vinegar cauliflower "popcorn" snack, you'll start by cleaning up a large head of cauliflower. Trim away those outer leaves and cut the cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets. Then, pour a generous amount of apple cider vinegar over the florets and toss to coat. Whisk together a bit of oat flour, sea salt, and black pepper in an airtight container, add the florets, cover, and shake to evenly coat the cauliflower in an oat crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, outer leaves removed
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Cut the head of cauliflower into small, bite-sized florets (approximately 1 inch across or smaller).
- Whisk together the oat flour, sea salt, and black pepper in a large airtight container.
- Add the cauliflower florets to a large, nonreactive mixing bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the apple cider vinegar over the florets and toss to coat. If you have an extra 15 to 30 minutes, let it marinate in the vinegar. If not, no worries, you can move straight to the next step!
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower florets into the container with the oat flour. Secure the lid and vigorously shake the container to coat the florets. Dump the florets onto the lined pan and spread them out into a single layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, flip the florets over as best you can, and bake another 15 to 17 minutes or until crisp and golden.
- If you want a bit more vinegar tang, use your fingers to spritz the cauliflower with the remaining tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Season with a bit more sea salt and black pepper, if desired.
- Serve warm.
*Cauliflower health benefits source: World’s Healthiest Foods
This sounds amazing! Might have to make it for my next duvet/movie day!
Thanks so much, Rowan!
This is awesome! What a fabulous idea with the oat flour!
Thanks, Rebecca!
Ashley,
My hubby can’t have oat flour. Do you think almond flour would work just as well in this recipe?
Blanched almond flour might work, but I’m not sure how it will crisp up. You could also try coconut flour, but I would use less of it (a few tablespoons maybe) since it’s so overly absorbent and sponge-like. I hope this helps!
I made this earlier this week, with coconut flour instead of oat flour (it’s what I had in the house). I think you could reduce the amount of flour SIGNIFICANTLY. I used less than 1/2 a cup, as recommended in your note, and there was still SO MUCH flour, and the cauliflower tasted really floury. I ended up whipping up some puttanesca sauce to dip them into, in order to make them edible. Good idea, but the execution might need some tweaking…
Hi, Karen! Coconut flour is essentially like a sponge in terms of its ability to absorb any and all liquid/suck moisture out of things, so it cannot be used as a 1:1 substitution for other gluten-free flours. For coconut flour, you’d want to reduce the amount to 2-3 tablespoons at most for this recipe, but with oat flour you really do need 1/2 a cup.
Oh! I totally misunderstood your note about coconut flour–I thought you meant a few tablespoons less than the half cup! D’OH. I’ll try it another time with just a few tablespoons total–thanks!
Ohhhh, yes, I can see how the way I worded it could be interpreted that way. So sorry about that. I do think it could work well with a small amount of coconut flour, just haven’t had the chance to try it myself yet. If you try it again, I’d love to hear how it goes! Coconut flour is really tricky, and I certainly learned that lesson the hard way once when I subbed it, 1:1, in shortbread cookies. Driest cookies I’ve ever eaten and completely inedible!
I could easily eat my weight in potato chips too! And salt and vinegar chips are some of my favorites! I love that you made a healthier version with cauliflower! I could eat my weight these and not feel nearly as guilty :)
I’m so glad I subscribed to your blog because I had missed too many of your posts like this amazing creation! You are so creative! I would never think to make popcorn out of cauliflower! Definitely trying this :)
Aww! Karissa, your sweet words always touch my heart! Thanks for your kindness and for subscribing. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
I wonder how rice flour would work instead of oat flour? I have rice and tapioca in the house currently .
I think rice flour could work, but I often find it to leave an unappealing grittiness on its own. You could also try tapioca, but I would start with just a tablespoon otherwise it could become gummy. Do you have rolled oats on hand? You could always toss some in a food processor and make homemade oat flour!
What a great idea! Never would have though of that…
Could I use arrowroot flour instead?
Hi, Stephanie! Substituting arrowroot would require different proportions as its absorbency and texture is quite different than oat flour. While the swap might work, you’d likely need to significantly adjust the amount used to yield similar results.
Could I use regular flour? If so, what would the proportions be? Thanks!
Hi, Naomi! I haven’t tested the recipe with regular flour myself, so I can’t say for certain but a 1/2 cup would be a good place to start.