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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Loaded Cauliflower Nachos

    by Oscar Chimenti, Last Modified: April 19, 2023 This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. See the Disclosure Policy linked in my footer.

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Loaded Cauliflower Nachos are roasted in the oven and topped with melty cheese, taco meat, salsa and sour cream. Just like the usual nachos but with crispy roasted cauliflower that will leave you wanting more.

    cauliflower nachos on a sheet pan

    I was inspired to make these nachos after making my Keto Crack Chicken recipe as I felt it was similar to nachos as it used a lot of the same toppings.

    Nachos are the perfect appetizer or I can eat these as a meal. The added taco meat makes you feel like you are having a meal.

    Jump To:
    • 🥘 Ingredient notes
    • 👨🏻‍🍳 Steps by step instructions
    • 🍴 More appetizers you might enjoy
    • 📋 Substitutions and Variations
    • ⏲️ How to store leftovers
    • 👨🏻‍🍳 Top tip
    • ♨️ Serving suggestions
    • 💭 Frequently asked questions
    • 🍽 Other recipes you may like
    • Loaded Cauliflower Nachos
    • 🌡️ Food safety

    🥘 Ingredient notes

    Made with taco meat, sharp cheddar cheese, creamy sour cream and chunky salsa, these nachos will be a crowd pleaser even without the nacho chips. A healthier option without the carbs.

    • Cauliflower: roasted in the oven until tender and crispy to give more of a nutty and sweet flavour.
    • Taco Meat: browned ground beef with a touch of chili powder quickly made on the stovetop.
    • Sour Cream: tart and tangy with a thick creaminess, a must for nachos.
    • Chunky Salsa: savoury and zesty, use spicy, medium or mild
    JOI Almond Nutbase

    👨🏻‍🍳 Steps by step instructions

    How to make the Loaded Cauliflower Nachos

    STEP 1: Brown the ground beef in a medium frying pan, add chili powder and water and allow to simmer until water is evaporated. Remove from stove top and allow to cool.

    browning taco meat on stove and adding spoon of chili powder

    STEP 2: Preheat oven to 425°F

    STEP 3: Cut, trim and wash the head of cauliflower. Cutting the cauliflower with sharp flat edges to allow more contact with the sheet pan for more browning.

    Cut and clean cauliflower
    • STEP 4: Add the cauliflower to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt and pepper.
    tossing the cauliflower in a large bowl

    STEP 5: Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, toss and bake another 5 minutes. I didn't use parchment as I like the contact with the pan to create crispy edges to the cauliflower.

    adding cauliflower to a sheet pan

    STEP 6: Once cooked remove from oven but leave the oven on. Push the cauliflower to the centre of the baking pan and top with ground meat and cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.

    cauliflower in centre of sheet pan topped with taco meat and shredded cheddar cheese
    BEFORE GOING INTO THE OVEN
    roasted cauliflower with melted cheese and taco meat

    STEP 7: Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Top with salsa, sour cream, sliced green onions and more shredded cheddar if desired.

    loaded cauliflower nachos on a sheet pan

    🍴 More appetizers you might enjoy

    • wooden spoon holding cubes of the air fried butternut squash.
      Air Fryer Butternut Squash
    • Roasted cauliflower in a white bowl.
      Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
    • two bacon-wrapped hot dog on a plate with a dollop of mustard.
      Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs Air Fryer Recipe
    • Stacked corned beef fritters next to a small bowl of russian dressing and another small bowl of sauerkraut.
      Corned Beef Fritters

    📋 Substitutions and Variations

    Nachos can be topped with a variety of ingredients. Here are a few that I think would go well with a cauliflower base.

    • Lettuce - shredded lettuce like iceberg lettuce would go well on top of these nachos. Just make sure the nachos have cooled, because nobody likes soggy lettuce.
    • Jalapenos - spice it up and add some jalapeno slices or any other spicy peppers
    • Guacamole - add some quac to these nachos and load up on that avocado
    • Fresh Cilantro - you either love or hate cilantro but adding some this fresh herb does lighten up these nachos while giving them that "mexican" feel.
    • Vegetarian - skip the taco meat and make these veggie nachos.... yum!

    See this spicy instant pot chili recipe.

    ⏲️ How to store leftovers

    Store any leftover in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to consume heat them up in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes

    👨🏻‍🍳 Top tip

    Use an old sheet pan if you have one. Cauliflower may stick to the pan a bit to get those crispy edges and may scrape the sheet pan. Otherwise you can use parchment paper or spray the pan with cooking spray but cauliflower may not come out as crispy.

    ♨️ Serving suggestions

    • Margaritas: make it a mexican theme and serve these nachos with these Low Carb Margaritas
    • Appetizers: nachos go great with other appetizers like Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings or Crispy Air Fryer Green Beans
    • Salads: Serve with a fresh salad like this Panzanella Salad or a Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad

    💭 Frequently asked questions

    How do I make cauliflower nachos without getting soggy?

    We make the cauliflower extra crispy so they can hold up to moisture. Plus we don't add the salsa or sour cream until after it has baked in the oven and cooled.

    Can I use another low carb option rather than cauliflower?

    Yes, pork rinds chips are a great option to use instead of cauliflower. Skip the cauliflower and simply toss the pork rinds on a parchment lined baking sheet, top with taco meat and cheese and place in the oven just until the cheese melts. Remove from oven and top with the nacho toppings.

    🍽 Other recipes you may like

    • A burrata on a plate surrounded by sliced cherry tomatoes, with dollops of basil pesto and a garnish of basil leaves.
      Easy Burrata Caprese Salad
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      Pesto Di Basilico Ricetta (Basil Pesto)
    • Bowl of cucumber salad mixed with the roasted sesame dressing next to a jar with the dressing and a wooden spoon.
      Cucumber Roasted Sesame Dressing Salad Recipe
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      Sugar Free Salad Dressing Recipe (Toasted Sesame)
    Cauliflower nachos topped with sour cream green onions and cheddar

    Please comment, rate or review my recipe below!

    cauliflot panwer nachos on a shee

    Loaded Cauliflower Nachos

    Oscar
    These Loaded Cauliflower Nachos are roasted in the oven and topped with melty cheese, taco meat, salsa and sour cream. Just like the usual nachos but with crispy roasted cauliflower that will leave you wanting more.
    5 from 44 votes
    Print Pin This Recipe
    Prep Time : 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time : 30 minutes mins
    Total Time : 35 minutes mins
    Course : Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine : American, Mexican
    Diet : Diabetic, Gluten Free
    Servings : 8 people
    Calories : 190

    Equipment

    • Sheet Pan
    • Frying Pan

    Nutrition

    Calories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 11gFat: 14gFiber: 3gSugar: 2g

    Ingredients
      

    Taco Meat

    • ½ lb ground beef
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 cup water

    Cauliflower

    • 1 large cauliflower
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon cumin
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar

    Nacho Toppings

    • 3 tablespoon sour cream
    • 3 tablespoon chunky salsa
    • 3 green onions
    **New** I Hacked Diabetes recipe bookCheck out Low Carb & Diabetes Comfort Food!

    Instructions
     

    Taco Meat

    • Brown the ground beef in a medium frying pan then add chili powder and water and allow to simmer until water is evaporated. Remove from stove top and allow to cool.

    Cauliflower

    • Preheat oven to 425°F
    • Cut, trim and wash the head of cauliflower. Cutting the cauliflower with sharp flat edges to allow more contact with the sheet pan for more browning.
    • Add the cauliflower to a large bowl and toss with olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt and pepper.
    • Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, toss and bake another 5 minutes. Parchment paper or cooking spray is optional.
    • Once cooked remove from oven but leave the oven on. Push the cauliflower to the centre of the baking pan and top with ground meat and cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese melts.

    Nacho Toppings

    • Remove from oven and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Top with salsa, sour cream, sliced green onions and more shredded cheddar if desired.

    Notes

    A serving of Cauliflower Nachos is roughly 4g net carbs.  Depending on how much toppings you garnish the nachos with.  
    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
    • Use an old sheet pan if you have one. Cauliflower may stick to the pan a bit to get those crispy edges and may scrape the sheet pan. Otherwise you can use parchment paper or spray the pan with cooking spray but cauliflower may not come out as crispy.

    This recipe card provides the basic details to make this recipe. For more information, questions or variations please review the content above the recipe card.

    Updates and Revisions

    If conflicting information between the video and recipe card, the recipe card will always have the most up to date information, ingredients and instructions.

    Click here to add your own private notes.

    Nutritional Information

    All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    LOVE THIS RECIPE?Check out I Hacked Diabetes on Pinterest

    🌡️ Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more food guidelines

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Eric

      February 13, 2022 at 11:21 am

      Anyone know how big the serving size is?

      Reply
    2. Ramona

      August 19, 2021 at 7:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was a heck of a delicious cauliflower recipe which I am saving to make again and again. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    3. Addie

      August 18, 2021 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      These nachos are packed with flavor! I love the use of cauliflower for extra veggies!

      Reply
    4. Kasey

      August 18, 2021 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious, I didn’t even miss the tortilla chips! I added cilantro and avocado after cooking and I’ll definitely be making again!

      Reply
    5. Sloan

      August 18, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      5 stars
      I love cauliflower and nacho! Such a winning combo!!

      Reply
    6. Jean

      August 17, 2021 at 11:13 pm

      5 stars
      this is a great guilt-free variation of loaded nachos. The perfect snack we all enjoyed.

      Reply
    7. Megan Ellam

      August 17, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      5 stars
      Right up my alley! served drizzled with a keto queso and I am in heaven!

      Reply
    8. Rob

      August 16, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      This looks delish! Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
    9. Amy

      August 16, 2021 at 7:10 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yum! I love cauliflower anything! What a great idea.

      Reply
    10. Chef Dennis

      August 16, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! My sons and wife really loved this!

      Reply
    11. Colleen

      August 16, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      Why didn't I think of this? These are so yummy and I will be making them again.

      Reply
    12. Michelle | Taste As You Go

      August 15, 2021 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      These were a huge hit. Roasting the cauliflower really added great flavor!

      Reply
    13. Oscar Chimenti

      August 15, 2021 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      Roasting the cauliflower gives these cauli nachos a great flavour and texture.

      Reply

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    I am a Type 2 Diabetic and enjoy creating low-carb and diabetic-friendly recipes that are good for you! All recipes are developed to help you make great food without the highs and lows of diabetes.

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    290 shares
    loaded cauliflower nachos topped with salsa, sour cream and green onions.
    loaded cauliflower nachos topped with salsa, sour cream and green onions.
    loaded cauliflower nachos topped with salsa, sour cream and green onions.