Cauliflower Hash Browns (Low-Carb, Whole30)

These Cauliflower Hash Browns are a delicious and healthy alternative to potato originals. The recipe is also low-carb, paleo, nut-free, gluten-free and Whole30-friendly. Serve these with a side of eggs, smoked salmon, avocado or crispy bacon. 

---

Cauliflower Hash Browns

In case you didn’t know, cauliflower is one of the most versatile vegetables when it comes to healthy eating. You can use it to make low-carb, grain-free variations of pizza, fried rice, couscous and even cauliflower bread. So, naturally, I thought I should try using cauliflower to make a low-carb, paleo version of hash browns.

Hash browns are a classic breakfast dish of fried patties made with shredded or grated (hashed) white potato. They are soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy and golden brown on the outside. In some cases, hash browns resemble potato rosti and others they look more like fritters or fried patties.

These hash browns, made with cauliflower crumbs (or cauli rice) as a base, have a slightly different texture to the originals, mostly because they lack the starch of the white potatoes. They are nevertheless very tasty and a pretty great alternative to potato hash browns.

Obviously, the cauliflower hash browns are much lower in carbohydrates and they are perfect for those of you following a low-carb paleo or keto diets, or trying to avoid nightshades (white potatoes, tomatoes and chilli). They are grain-free, gluten-free and nut-free, making these patties perfect for a school lunchbox.  

You can have them warm with eggs and bacon, or as a cold snack, dipped in some garlicky mayo or used as a sandwich vehicle.

How To Make Cauliflower Hash Browns

I tested two different cooking methods to make these cauliflower hash browns: baking and pan-frying.

Baking takes a little longer but is more fuss-free, requires no cooking oil and in my opinion results in slightly firmer and more stable patties.

Pan-frying is quicker, requires some coconut oil for cooking and produces crispy patties but softer on the inside. Personally, I think I liked the baked ones a little bit more but, seriously, both are delicious and easy to make.

You will find more step-by-step pictures further below.

Storage Tips

They will last for 2-3 days in the fridge. Make sure to keep them in an air-tight container. As I mentioned, you can eat them cold or reheat in a frying pan/oven. I haven’t tried freezing them, so no idea if that would work well. If anyone tries freezing, do let me know if they were still good when defrosted.

Love all things cauliflower? Try my crack cauliflower with spicy red sauce.

Recipe Tips

• I used a food processor fitted with an S-blade to grind the cauliflower into a small crumbly texture. You can also grate the cauliflower, in which case you would leave the vegetable whole and grate into a large bowl or onto a cutting board.
• If dairy is not a problem, you can add some grated Parmesan cheese, about 1-2 tablespoons, instead of nutritional yeast flakes. They can also be omitted altogether, although they do add a nice cheesy flavour to the patties. If omitting nutritional yeast and not using Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, add a little more salt to the mixture.
• If tapioca or arrowroot flour is not available, use 2 teaspoons of coconut flour OR 2 tablespoons of buckwheat or quinoa flour, or almond meal (unless nuts are an issue).

---

More Low-Carb Patties (Fritters)

---

Full Recipe 

Find the full list of ingredients, instructions, and a nutritional breakdown below. If you have questions or cook this recipe, please let me know in the comments, and make sure to rate this recipe so it’s easy for others to find.

Print