Name: Cauliflower Muffins with Cheese, Kefir & Chives
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 6 muffins
Ingredients: 100 g cauliflower florets (roughly chopped); 200 ml kefir; 60 g mature cheddar cheese (coarsely grated); 3 tbsp chives (finely chopped); 1 medium egg; 45 ml vegetable oil (I used cold pressed rapeseed); 150 g flour ((5.29 oz)); 1.2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp onion granules; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

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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 muffins with cauliflower rice

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.

You can add cauliflower stalk 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.

You might also like cauliflower cheese pasties.

Equipment you’ll need

Kitchen scale/measuring cup and spoons
2 large bowls, whisk and large spoon
Chopping board and knife
Blender and grater
6-hole muffin pan and paper cases (if using)

How to make cauliflower muffins: step-by-step

1.Make the cauliflower rice by briefly blitzing until crumbly (but not mushy) and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6 and lightly grease or line with paper cases a 6-hole muffin pan.

2. In one bowl combine the flour, baking powder, onion granules and salt and stir thoroughly using a whisk.

Flour mixture in large yellow bowl with green whisk.

3. In another bowl whisk together the egg, oil and kefir until smooth.

Egg with oil and milk in large white bowl with green whisk.

4. Add the cauliflower rice, most of the cheese, chives and stir.

Grated cheese and cauliflower rice with chopped chives in large white bowl with spoon.

5. Pour in the flour mixture and stir just to combine.

Lumpy cauliflower muffin batter in large white bowl with spoon.

6. Spoon the batter into your muffin pan and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake in the centre of the oven for 27 minutes.

Lumpy batter in 6-hole white ceramic muffin pan with flowery blue pattern.

7. Remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes then transfer the muffins onto a cooling rack.

6 cauliflower muffins in ceramic white pan with blue flowery pattern.

Top tips for making savoury cauliflower cheese muffins

Kefir: 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.
Chives: You could also use different herbs or not use any at all. Good alternatives to chives include fresh tarragon (2 teaspoons should be enough), dried oregano, thyme or rosemary (not more than 1 teaspoon each).
Cheese: I used full fat mature cheddar but you could use mild cheddar or lower fat cheddar cheese.
Batter: To ensure your muffins are light and fluffy rather than dense remember not to overmix the batter. Stir just to combine. The batter will be very lumpy and thick.
Serving suggestions: Great with morning eggs, as a snack, with a knob of butter, with soups and stews.
Storing: Once completely cooled store in a plastic container for up to 3 days. Best served warm.
Freeze for up to 3 months.

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

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

Keep in touch

If you make these savoury cauliflower muffins I’d love to know how they turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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