Baked Italian Herb Parmesan Cauliflower Poppers with Pesto and 18-Year Aged Dark Balsamic for the Win!
- dkdspices
- Feb 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 14
If you enjoy watching the Super Bowl but want to lean into healthier game-day snacks, try these vegetarian Parmesan Cauliflower Poppers with Pesto and Whipped Feta. They’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any game-time gathering and completely guilt-free since they’re baked, not fried. SPICE + LEAF Italian Herb Seasoning Blend brings bold, savory flavor to the crispy exterior, elevating each bite with classic Mediterranean herbs.
These poppers are easy to make, can be prepared earlier in the day, and reheated just before kickoff. Finish the dish with a drizzle of SPICE + LEAF 18-Year Aged Dark Balsamic right before serving for a rich, slightly sweet finish that ties everything together. #superbowlLX #superbowlhealthysnacks #bakedcauliflowerpoppers #spiceandleaf #healthysnacks #healthygamedaysnacks #spiceitupwithdeb
RECIPE
Baked Italian Herb-Parmesan Cauliflower Poppers
with Pesto & 18-Year Aged Dark Balsamic
By Debbie Kornberg
(Serves 6-8 people)
Cauliflower Popper Ingredients:
1 whole cauliflower or 20 oz. pre-cut cauliflower florets
½ cup flour
3 eggs
1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Salt, a small pinch
Pesto Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil, remove big stems, about 8 oz. package
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/4 + extra Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts (Omit if have an allergy)
Pinch of Sea salt
Garnish Ingredients:
Whipped Feta Cheese (available at Trader Joe’s)
(If you can’t find whipped feta, use whipped cream cheese)
Instructions for making Cauliflower Poppers:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees convection bake (or 450 degrees)
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Set aside.
Wash and break up cauliflower into 1 inch to 1 ½ inch florets.
Make sure cauliflower is fully dried. Place into a large bowl until ready to use.
In a small bowl, place ½ cup of flour and set aside.
In a small bowl, crack 3 eggs, whisk well, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, add panko breadcrumbs, Italian herb seasoning, parmesan cheese, and small pinch of salt. Mix well with a fork and set aside.
Coat each cauliflower floret in flour so it is lightly covered. Then drop floret into egg wash so it is fully coated with the egg, and then placeit into the panko mixture, so it is fully coated with the panko-herb-parm blend. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat these steps with all your cauliflower florets.
Bake in oven for about 15 – 18 minutes. The poppers should have a nice golden-brown color on top, and the cauliflower on the inside should be cooked but slightly al dente.
Instructions for Pesto:
Using a food processor (or blender), mince garlic first. Then add basil, parsley, parmesan, pine nuts and ¼ cup olive oil, and salt. Blend ingredients until they become a wet paste. As it is blending, add an additional ¼ cup olive oil. If it seems a little dry, you can add more olive oil until it loosens up. If it seems too wet, add more basil or pine nuts. Place pesto in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
Putting it all together:
Take a flat platter, shmear (spread) pesto all over plate. If the pesto seems tight, add a little olive oil to the plate and mix it around so the pesto can spread out easily.
Dollop about ½ tsp. of whipped feta (or whipped cream cheese) in each place where you will place a popper. Then place each cauliflower popper on top and push it down slightly so it will “stick”.
Lastly, drizzle 18 Year Aged Dark Balsamic!
Enjoy the cauliflower popper by moving them around in the pesto sauce on the plate. Yum!
#vegetarian #superbowlrecipes #easyhealthysnacks #cauliflowerpoppers #healthyliving #easyrecipes #vegetarianrecipes
