Serve these delish cauliflower parmesan bites at your next low-key girls night in

There’s nothing more cathartic than inviting a few of your soul sisters over for a night of casual dining and IRL heart-to-hearts. Add a few homemade-with-love plates to the equation, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate stress-busting dinner party.

Lucky for you, we have just the healthy recipe to get the cozy night started—Cauliflower Parmesan Bites—from the queen of spiralized veggies herself, Ali Maffucci. You’ll find the veggie-centric appetizer in the new Well+Good Cookbook, which officially drops on April 16 with 100 easy, tasty recipes, all from wellness luminaries. (And yes, it’s available for preorder now, so glad you asked.)

“My inspiration was taking what makes many Italian American dishes so delicious (cheese, basil, and tomato sauce) and applying that to a hearty vegetable to create a snack that’s nostalgic, delicious, and nutritious—AKA, totally well balanced,” says Maffucci, founder of Inspiralized. In other words, these bites will go fast.

Watch the video above to see the cheesy bites in action, and preorder The Well+Good Cookbook, stat.

Cauliflower Parmesan Bites

Makes 6 servings

IngredientsCoconut oil spray1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for garnish1/2 cup almond flour2 tsp garlic powder2 tsp onion powder1 tsp dried oregano1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, plus more for garnishKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets1/2 cup prepared marinara sauce1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded2 fresh basil leaves, very thinly sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 450º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat the parchment with coconut oil spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, Parmesan, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, and ½ cup water. Season with salt and black pepper. Dredge the cauliflower florets through the mixture, coating them well and patting the mixture into the crevices of the cauliflower. Place the coated florets on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for 20 minutes more, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender and golden brown on the outside.

3. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and turn the broiler to high. Top each cauliflower piece with a dollop of marinara sauce and some mozzarella. Return the pan to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mozzarella begins bubbling.

4. Remove and immediately garnish with more Parmesan, the basil, and red pepper flakes. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter and spear each floret with a toothpick. Serve immediately.

Photo: Tim Gibson for Well+Good

Love cauliflower? Find more veggie-loaded recipes in the first ever Well+Good Cookbook!