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Shake & Bake Cauliflower

5 from 22 votes

Is it possible to be addicted to cauliflower???

parmesan cauliflower

I swear, this shake and bake cauliflower is possibly even more addictive than popcorn or potato chips.

One taste and it’s impossible to stop… until suddenly the entire bowl is gone!

Luckily, it’s super easy to make more.

Like the name says, you simply throw the ingredients into a bag, shake it all together, and bake until crispy.

Then you can devour the evidence and repeat the process all over again!

Growing up, I always loved Shake’n Bake Chicken, more for the addictively crunchy breadcrumb coating than for the actual chicken.

So, after the incredible success of my Sticky Sesame Cauliflower recipe, when I started brainstorming additional recipes I could make using cauliflower instead of chicken, the “shake and bake” idea was an immediate next choice.

Obviously this does not taste exactly like chicken… but if you are a cauliflower fan, you might like it even more than the original chicken version!

shake and bake cauliflower

I once read an article where the author claimed it’s only possible to become addicted to processed foods and that no one can be addicted to vegetables.

This made me laugh and think that the author clearly had never tried roasted cauliflower!

Crispy Shake & Bake Cauliflower Recipe
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Shake & Bake Cauliflower

Simply throw everything into a bag, shake it all together, and bake until crispy!
Total Time 40 minutes
Yield 3 – 4 servings
5 from 22 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 a large head of cauliflower
  • 1/4 cup milk of choice
  • 1/4 cup fine cornmeal or flour
  • 1-2 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup Italian panko breadcrumbs (regular or gf)
  • 3-4 tsp nutritional yeast or parmesan (such as vegan Parma)

Instructions

  • Finely crush the breadcrumbs, either in a blender (easiest method) or by placing them in a bag and crushing with a rolling pin or heavy object. Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut the cauliflower up into florets. Whisk together the other ingredients except breadcrumbs, then toss everything (except breadcrumbs) together in a large ziploc. Put the cauliflower in a colander to drain off excess batter. Toss with the breadcrumbs. Arrange in 1 layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven. (Note: If you want to use oil spray instead of oil, feel free to experiment. I’ve not tried it and so can’t say how it would affect the taste/texture. Plain breadcrumbs can be subbed for the Italian, but you'll probably want to add some Italian seasonings.)
    View Nutrition Facts

Notes

Leftover cauliflower? Make this Cauliflower Alfredo Recipe.
 

Have you made this recipe?

Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram

More Healthy Cauliflower Recipes:

sesame cauliflower

Sticky Sesame Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

white enchiladas

Vegetarian Enchiladas – with Cauliflower Sour Cream

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

What’s your favorite way to eat cauliflower? Roasted in the oven? Pureed into a creamy sauce or soup?

Or maybe in this Healthy Chocolate Cake???

Published on June 5, 2017

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59 Comments

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  1. Melissa Griffiths says

    We make something really close to this and my kids don’t even know it’s a vegetable, they taste so good! I’m going to have to try your sticky seasame cauliflower, it looks delicious!

  2. Kat says

    This looks absolutely phenomenal! Such a great idea, wish I could have some right now. I bet you could do it with other veggies too

  3. claudia says

    Katie’s gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
    And then she’s gonna bake , bake, bake, bake, bake
    Baby I’m just gonna do the same, same, same, same, same
    And eat it all, eat it all

    Next hit!
    Available in iTunes! Lol

  4. Anna says

    I have an extra packet of Shake and Bake in my cupboard. This recipe has inspired me to try the shake and bake on cauliflower directly! I’ll probably need a bit of oil to get it to stick though. I’ll report back if it works out 🙂

    • Jen says

      Did it work??? I have the above recipe in the oven right now but the whole time I was wondering if literal store bought Shake ‘N Bake would work.

  5. Taryn says

    I just made this and it is AWESOME!

    I don’t really remember shake and bake chicken or think I’ve ever had it, but this reminds me of popcorn chicken. It is delicious!

  6. jordan @ dancing for donuts says

    okay these looks DELICIOUS. admittedly, cauliflower is not my favorite thing in the world, but it is SO versatile and whenever i have it out at restaurants i love it. hopefully this recipe will make me love having it at home too! thanks for sharing 🙂

  7. Maria says

    The author who said that is crazy. Wouldn’t most people agree that summer fruit is pretty addictive?

    On a more related note, this will sound crazy, but I have tried so many new cauliflower recipes recently that are based off of some sort of non-cauliflower original, and I have loved them all!! So I can add shake-n-bake cauli to the collection of things I’ve never had but will probably love.

  8. Cathy says

    I have a cauliflower sitting in my fridge. It was just waiting for this recipe! Yummy! And you sure can get addicted to vegetables! I am totally addicted to asparagus right now!

  9. Kathie Arias says

    Whoever said that about not being able to become addicted to vegetables is ALL wrong! They definitely haven’t tried your recipes! It’s a matter of knowing how to cook them and being creative. This recipe sounds wonderful. Cauliflower is delicious and mixing it up with this looks irresistible. Thank you for sharing such a delicious-sounding recipe. I look forward to giving it a go soon!

  10. Karen says

    I’m going out to the farmstead now!
    When you say “Note: If you want to use oil spray instead of oil,” do you mean to spray the cauiliflower before or after it goes in the batter?

  11. Margaret says

    I had to make this right away, and it was amazing! Definitely addictive! I even used frozen cauliflower cause I was feeling lazy, and it worked great.

  12. Cassie Tran says

    I’ve never had Shake n’ Bake chicken before, but I absolutely love the idea of this recipe! The cauliflower looks so crispy and decadent. It’s probably perfect with ketchup, Sriracha, or even barbecue sauce!

  13. Deanne says

    I made this for dinner tonight.. absolutely delicious and so filling.. what a wonderfully healthy and economical meal.. we had it alone with some dippy sauce.. My Husband said this is is new favourite meal..

  14. Janet Paula says

    I forgot the oil but the bread crumbs adhered to all the cauliflower. Why do you need oil in the first place. Is it used only to help the bread crumbs stick to the cauliflower? Thanks.

  15. Crystal says

    This is my first time commenting but I had to. Amazing. I included the nutritional yeast and added garlic powder, giving it a “mac and cheese” feel . I doubled the recipe so I could use a whole cauliflower and between my non-vegan/cheese loving boyfriend and I, it was gone by the end of the night, (followed by your Reece’s eggs, his favorite). All of Katie’s recipes are amazing and, even as a loose vegetarian, I make at least one recipe daily (oats, smoothies, desserts, everything) but I had to comment on this one because, as my boyfriend said, “F&*% cheese”. I now have full permission to feed him your vegan mac and cheese, and I’m going to have fun and add this to it as well as try broccoli done up the same way for a tasty, veggie filled feast. Katie, you really are a step above any other recipe related blog. Thank you!!

    • Jason Sanford says

      This comment made me laugh, mostly because I can relate to your boyfriend in the story. (I’m not a full vegan, but even just a few years ago I never would have thought I’d like any so-called “vegan” recipes.)

  16. Amanda says

    I made this tonight in the air fryer. Yummy! 390 for 13 minutes and the family loved it. Next time I will add some Italian seasoning to give it a bit more oomph.

    • Jason Sanford says

      So cool it works in an air fryer! Italian breadcrumbs should already be seasoned, so yeah definitely add in seasonings if subbing plain breadcrumbs.

  17. Kristen says

    Just made this for dinner and it is so delicious! Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Loved it!

  18. Sue says

    I love your sticky sesame cauliflower and was going to make some tonight, but after seeing this, I think I’ll switch to Shake & Bake!

  19. Symone Clark-McGuire says

    I don’t usually leave comments but just wanted to say that these were amazing Katie, thank you! I was slightly sceptical that they would taste too “vegetable-y” but they are so yummy!

  20. Amber says

    Made this and really liked it! My batter was really thick, though–it wouldn’t drip off, it was so thick, so next time I’ll thin it out more. We dipped ours in spicy marinara sauce and even the Picky Kid liked it!

  21. Hilary F says

    This is my new favorite recipe!! I made it twice this week. I always try to add a veggie side to my dinner. There are only so many ways to roast different veggies. This was a perfect way to keep things interesting. My husband devoured them and thought they were oddly shaped tater tots ☺. Thank You for yet another winning recipe!!

  22. Carol says

    Today is Thanksgiving 2017. I’m waiting for stores to open in the morning, so I can go buy cauliflower! You really do make me hungry! Sorry hubby… You can eat all the red meat you can handle… After reading this blog, i just want to eat!
    Thank You Katie!!

  23. Valerie says

    Really dumb question: The recipe says to put most of the ingredients into a plastic bag, but then it never says to do anything with it!

    It says: “Whisk together the other ingredients except breadcrumbs, then toss everything (except breadcrumbs) together in a large ziploc. Put the cauliflower in a colander to drain off excess batter. Toss with the breadcrumbs. Arrange in 1 layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.”

    If I am reading that correctly, it says to put everything except the breadcrumbs into a plastic bag. Then you toss the cauliflower and the breadcrumbs. But when do you use the stuff in the plastic bag?

    I would appreciate clarification on what to do! Thanks….

    • Jason Sanford says

      Hi, you put the cauliflower in with everything in the bag. Then you take everything out of the bag, drain in the colander, and then toss with the breadcrumbs.

  24. Linda says

    Can someone clarify something for me? Does the cornmeal/flour go in with the milk and oil? And the Panko and nutritional yeast get mixed together for the coating?

  25. Christina says

    Would this work with regular Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, instead of panko? That way, there would be no need to crush them. If it would work, would you recommend using the same amount or less?

  26. Nicole says

    I just tried this for the first time, and the whole family is raving about it. I did try it without any old or cooking spray, and it’s excellent. This is my new go-to cauliflower recipe. THANK YOU!!!

  27. Javva61 says

    Just found your delicious recipes tonight !! Can’t wait to try so many of them…. especially the cauliflower recipes. Your photos are fantastic also ! I think my first two are shake & Bake Cauliflower and Cauliflower pizza crust . I think it will be x simple pizza just thick sliced tomatoes and slices of fresh mozzarella and a few fresh basil leaves…maybe a drizzle of really good olive oil… I want the cauliflower crust to be the star of it… I have a question.. I was reading some of the comments and there was one from June 9 , 2017 (can’t remember the name ) she wrote her husband’s fav recipe of yours was Reece’s ???? until he had the shake & bake cauliflower…..just wondering what that is … I couldn’t find it . Anyway, maybe you know what she meant ??Well , I gotta go get cooking .. Looking forward to trying more recipes and getting more. Thanks so much !!

  28. Flora P says

    Another winning recipe! I used almond milk for my liquid, rice flour imstead of corn meal. The ingredients I used were mainly based on what I had already. Next time, I want to add more flavor – a nice chili lime? Idk yet. Overall – this recipe hit the spot! I served it inside tortillas smothered in roasted red pepper sauce alongside some avocado and roasted serrano pepper. Thank you for making it easier to have meatless meals.

  29. Betty says

    I made this tonight for dinner using the flour in the batter. The batter was so thick it was like paste (I even added a bit of water) and it was difficult to get all the pieces coated. I added some flavorings to the batter. It was ok but I’m not sure I would make it again – or perhaps I just made it wrong.

  30. BK says

    Made this in the air fryer and it turned out really good! 200c/400f for about 17 minutes. (Check after 10 to see how much longer you’ll need.)

  31. Mark Staff Brandl says

    5 stars
    This is wonderful! Thank you! I made a few changes as well to make it even more vegan (for my wife) and diabetes-supportive (for me). I did hardly any milk and that was almond mill, but much more of pungent olive oil (from a friend in Italy), increased the nutr. yeast, and used pea-flower. It was really great too!

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