This Mexican Cauliflower Elote (Keto and Gluten Free) is made with cauliflower, chili powder, sour cream, mayonnaise, hot sauce, limes, cotija cheese and cilantro.
This was one of those recipes I came up with and I was so excited to try it. I googled it (some variations already existed) but I gave it my own twist. I was thinking of making a street style corn recipe but instead using cauliflower for a more healthy version. It was absolutely delicious, and don’t forget to use the tortilla chips for that crunch. This will forever be your favorite veggie side dish once you try it. It is gluten free and paleo friendly!
I love a good roasted vegetable, especially when prepared well. Roasted cauliflower has always been on the top of my list and it never fails to impress. It is so versatile and you can almost make it in so many ways. This dish is spicy, tender, flavorful, salt all at the same time.
If you like this recipe, feel free to try my Cauliflower Tacos and my Cauliflower Wings Air Fryer!
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Ingredients
- Cauliflower
- Chili powder
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Hot sauce
- Lime
- Cotija cheese
- Cilantro
See recipe card for Mexican Cauliflower Elote (Keto and Gluten Free) quantities.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, add the cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil. Toss in the salt, pepper and chili powder and shake to combine.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add the cauliflower florets. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Watch closely toward the end.
In the same large bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, half the cilantro, half the cheese, hot sauce, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
When the cauliflower is brown, add into the large bowl of condiments. Stir well to combine.
Plate the cauliflower and top with the extra cheese and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
Hint: Flip the cauliflower halfway if you want a more crispy cauliflower.
Substitutions
Oil: I love using olive oil, but you could use vegetable oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil.
Lime: I love using lime juice for this recipe. You can alternatively use lemon instead if that is all you have on hand.
Mayonnaise: I absolutely love adding the spicy mayo for this (spicy mayo is mayonnaise and sriracha combination) but a great add on would be cream cheese, similarly to a Philadelphia roll.
Cheese: Traditionally, street style corn is made with cotija cheese. You could always use feta cheese or parmesan cheese.
Hot Sauce: I used frank’s hot sauce since I had it on hand, although I know Cholula or Crystal works well too. If you have a low spice tolerance, you can opt to using wing sauce.
Variations
Cooking is a chance to be creative! Have fun with it and feel free to make your own variation of this Mexican Cauliflower.
- Spicy - add extra hot sauce into the cream if you like the spice, and if you can handle it!
- Deluxe - Make more of the spicy cream sauce as a dipping sauce.
- Kid friendly - Serve on a taco for a kid friendly version of this.
Check out my friend Kristi's Vegan Cauliflower Recipe!
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Stone bakeware takes longer to heat up than metal pans, and also retain heat for longer, which could make the recipe more watery, or burnt on the outsides.
I love using my Caraway pots, pans and baking sheets for best quality. Get yourself a discount by clicking here!
Storage
This Mexican Cauliflower will be good in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top tip
Feel free to leave the cauliflower in the oven a little longer for a more charred cauliflower.
Mexican Cauliflower Elote (Keto and Gluten Free)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
This Mexican Cauliflower Elote (Keto and Gluten Free) is made with cauliflower, chili powder, sour cream, mayonnaise, hot sauce, limes, cotija cheese and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut up into florets
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- ½ cup of crema Mexicana or sour cream
- ½ cup of mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons hot sauce
- Juice of one lime
- ½ cup crumbled or grated cotija, feta or parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup of minced cilantro
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- In a large bowl, add the cauliflower and drizzle with olive oil. Toss in the salt, pepper and chili powder and shake to combine.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, add the cauliflower florets. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Watch closely toward the end.
- In the same large bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, half the cilantro, half the cheese, hot sauce, and lime juice. Stir to combine.
- When the cauliflower is brown, add into the large bowl of condiments. Stir well to combine.
- Plate the cauliflower and top with the extra cheese and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
- For Air Fryer: Add the seasoned cauliflower in the air fryer at 400°F for 15 minutes, tossing 2-3 times in between.
Notes
Leave the cauliflower for longer if you want a more charred cauliflower.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sides
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
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
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