Cauliflower Muffins with Cheese, Kefir & Chives

These savoury, super fluffy cauliflower muffins are made using cauliflower rice, a moderate amount of cheese, nutritious kefir and fresh chives. They make a delicious snack, lunchbox idea or savoury veggie breakfast.

I usually tend to make traditional ‘sweet’ muffins but today I am sharing a recipe for simple savoury cauliflower muffins.  They are just as quick and easy to make as the ‘sweet’ muffins but have the added bonus of being sugar free!

Cauliflower rice muffins

These nutritious muffins contain cauliflower rice.  It’s still cauliflower only blitzed into a coarse crumbly mixture.  This is easier and much quicker to do than manually chopping the cauliflower.  Making cauliflower rice also ensures your crumbs will be more or less the same.

For this recipe I used only the florets.  This is because they contain less moisture and are easier to turn into crumbs than the stalks.  This is not to say that cauliflower rice can’t be made successfully using the entire vegetable.  It absolutely can!  For example, I blitzed both the florets and the stalk in cauliflower stuffed peppers with feta as well as cauliflower rice crusted chicken.  So it all depends on the recipe.

What to do with cauliflower stalk

You can add it into soups, especially ones you’ll puree.  You could also finely chop it and add to salads.  Try also roasting it along with other vegetables and tossing together with pasta for a simple healthy vegetarian meal.

How to make cauliflower muffins with cheese, kefir and chives

Make the cauliflower rice and set aside.

In one bowl combine the ‘dry’ ingredients, i.e. flour, baking powder, onion granules and salt and set aside.

In another bowl whisk together the egg, oil and kefir for a few seconds until creamy.  Add the cauliflower rice, most of the cheese, chives and stir.  Then add the flour mixture all at once and stir just to combine.  Spoon equal amounts into a greased (or lined with paper cases) muffin pan and sprinkle over the remaining cheese.  Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F/ 200 C/gas mark 6 for 23 minutes.

What substitutions can I make

I used kefir in this savoury muffin recipe but you could swap it for buttermilk if you prefer or can’t get kefir.  I tend to use kefir as it’s healthier.

You could also use different herbs or not use any at all (I recommend adding a bit more onion granules if you aren’t using any herbs).  Good alternatives to chives include fresh tarragon (2 teaspoons should be enough), dried oregano, thyme or rosemary (not more than 1 teaspoon each).

If you like this savoury veggie muffin recipe you might also like my healthy cheese scones with cauliflower rice.  They contain a very similar set of ingredients, including cheese and kefir (in addition to the cauliflower rice).

More savoury muffin recipes

Sweet Potato Egg Muffins with Cauliflower

Beetroot Muffins with Cornmeal and Olives

Savory Corn Muffins with Leek & Cheese

Healthy Potato Asparagus Frittata Muffins

Check out also this collection of 18 vegetable breakfast recipes for more veggie breakfast inspiration.

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Cauliflower Muffins with Cheese, Kefir & Chives

These savoury, super fluffy cauliflower muffins are made using cauliflower rice, a moderate amount of cheese, nutritious kefir and fresh chives. They make a delicious snack, lunchbox idea or savoury veggie breakfast.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time23 mins

Total Time33 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: International

Keyword: cauliflower, cheese, muffins

Servings: 6 muffins

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Ingredients

• 100 g cauliflower florets, approx. 1 cup roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup kefir alternatively use buttermilk
• 60 g mature cheddar cheese coarsely grated
• 4 tbsp chives finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup good vegetable oil I used cold pressed rapeseed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 and 1/3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp onion granules
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Grease a 6-hole muffin pan or line with paper cases.
• Make the cauliflower rice by blitzing the cauliflower for a few seconds until it starts forming a crumbly mixture (do not overblend). Set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, onion granules and salt, stir thoroughly using a whisk and set aside.
• In a large bowl combine the egg, oil and kefir and whisk until smooth. Add the cauliflower rice, most of the cheese (leave some to sprinkle on top) and chives and stir to combine. Pour in the flour mixture all at once and stir just to combine. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake in the centre of the oven for 23 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins from the pan (I used a spatula to do this) and set aside to cool completely (or until only slightly warm) before serving.

Pin Cauliflower Muffins with Cheese, Kefir & Chives

Keep in touch

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

Recipe link parties

I am bringing this easy muffins with cauliflower recipe to #CookBlogShare. Also sharing with Fiesta Friday, co-hosted by Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook and Laurena @ Life Diet Health.