Crispy baked broccoli tots are loaded with nutrients and are fun to make and enjoy!
We made these healthy skinny broccoli tater tots yesterday and the entire family loved them.
If you’re a lover of broccoli then these are for you! if you’re not, well you still might like them because the flavor of the broccoli is not over-powering, nor is it lost.
These tots are very similar to the cauliflower tots recipe I shared a few months ago, except they are made with broccoli and are a bit easier to handle and shape. They are also MUCH MUCH tastier ( not that the cauliflower tots aren’t good, they are indeed! ).
To make these tots you’re going to need to blanch 2 cups of broccoli in boiling water, just for a few seconds. Then dice the broccoli into tiny pieces. You can also pulse the broccoli in a food processor for a few seconds but then you will risk turning them into a puree. If anything plus then no more than 2-3 pluses and stop once you reach a “rice” texture.
Next, after dicing the broccoli, combine it with an egg, cheddar cheese, diced onion, cilantro or parsley, and a mixture of Italian and panko bread crumbs. You can also use all Italian or all panko but I suggest a mix of both because the panko make the tots light and airy, while the Italian breadcrumbs give the tots flavor. But again, if you have only one type then go for it.
Shaping the tots might seem hard at first but after a few tries, you should get the hang of it! the trick is to firmly press the mixture into a small tiny ball then shape it into a tot.
You can also make these in a mini muffin pan!
Update: A reader suggested placing the whole mixture into a piping bag and pipe into a log then cut into tots or squeeze a little mixture out of the bag and cut into tots one by one.
Healthy Baked Broccoli Tots
Ingredients
- 2 cups or 12 ounces uncooked or frozen broccoli
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/3 cup cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons parsley ( or cilantro, rosemary,
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet with a thin layer of oil or line with parchment paper and set aside.
- Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute then remove and shock with cold tap water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.
- Chop broccoli finely and mix throughly with the egg, onions, cheddar, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of mix using a ice-cream scoop or your hands and gently press between your hands into a firm ball then shape into a tater-tot shape. It helps to wash your hands after every few tots to keep them from sticking onto your hands. Next, Place on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until golden brown and crispy, 18-24 minutes, turning half way. Remove from the oven and enjoy hot with ketchup, sriracha, ranch dressing, or your favorite dipping sauce!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my heart, these are good! Definitely a keeper!
Disclaimer on the rest of my review: I don’t cook for the “healthy” aspect. I made these because it’s a more interesting way of serving broccoli. If you’re health-conscious or trying to sneak veggies into your child’s diet, the baked method is probably just as tasty.
First, I added an extra egg. The mix still seemed a bit crumbly to shape. Then I added more Panko because it was a little too wet. Then, I adjusted seasonings. I shaped them into small, thin patties and fried them in hot oil. They ended up less like tater tots and more like bite-sized deep fried broccoli soufflees, but were FANTASTIC! Thanks for the idea! These are definitely going on my list!
I tweaked the recipe a little (no onions, only panko). My 4yo DD, who doesn’t eat ANYTHING, absolutely loves these. She asks for them all the time!
Yum, glad she approves!! I have a 4 y.o daughter as well and she just loves these tots too!
Do you think you could freeze these?
Yes, you can freeze them before or after baking.
I added and extra egg, omitted the salt since cheese is already loaded in salt, added flaked red pepper as well as a little more italian seasoning. I’m the picky one and I like these a lot.
I used the broccoli cauliflower and carrot frozen mix. I let the veggies thaw and then cut it all up. I made a double batch. My 19 month old granddaughter lovezbthem. I also added a large can of chicken to get some protein. They are awesone!! Thanks for the idea.
At what temperature and for how long would I bake these in the mini muffin pan?
I used a mini muffin tin to make them today and baked them for 22 minutes at 400°. I also added an egg to bind them more.
These were amazing! I had a 12 oz. bag of broccoli/cauliflower mix and it worked perfect. I used my cookie scoop with a soft silicone bottom and just scooped and pushed them out. So easy!! No mess!! Since I pushed them out they had a flat top which made them flippable. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh, what a great idea! I have one of those and would not have thought of using it for these. Thanks for the tip!
Ooops….just saw the calories thanks
I didn’t any nutrition information calories per serving is what I’m intersted in. Do you have that info? Thanks a bunch! A
Can i add chilli powder for little more hot spicy. Have anyone tried it?
I haven’t tried it but sounds like it’s a good idea!
I am going to try these tonight, I bought frozen broccoli for the recipe – should I adjust the preparing of this meal in any way?
These were fabulous! I used a heaping teaspoon of herbs de provonce as I didn’t have any fresh. Easy to make using a half tablespoon measure. Will make again for sure!
Can I make this without cheese? Or does that help bind them together?
Yes you can but they are much better with the cheese!
These were great, but I had to use 2 eggs to hold it together.
Do these freeze Ok? Any special way to wrap them for freezing?
Looking forward to making these this evening.
Yes they do freeze well. You can freeze before or after baking. I place them in the freezer for a few minutes, after shaping, then into ziplock bags.
I made these last weekend, used fresh broccoli and made enough to freeze…but they didn’t last, we ate them all up the next day! I thought they were fantastic plain, liked them with ranch and they were very tasty at room temp. I will be making these more frequently, hope to freeze some if I can resist munching them all up before the make it to the freezer!
I made these for my 18 month old. She doesn’t like lile to eat just veggies so i wanted to find a way to disguise them and I have to say I just gave her one to try and she ate it right up! I’m so pleased! THey taste great too! I used all Italian breadcrumbs and did the two tablespoons of herbs as one tablespoon of parsley and one tablespoon of rosemary and the flavor is fantastic! Thank you for this recipe! I’m going to freeze some for later!
Could I substitute almond meal for the breadcrumbs? I know this might adjust the flavor a bit but just curious. 🙂
I made/tweaked these a few weeks ago – Try cooked chickpeas.
I use chickpeas to make stuffing instead of breadcrumbs, I’m diabetic, so low-carb, and have eaters that are GF and yeast allergic, so lots of bread alternatives in my house!
I find 1x 400g tin gives me around 240g when cooked and drained.
Cook them according to the tin, drain and set aside spread on paper towels for 20 mins or so to dry out. Don’t worry about loose shells, this adds to the grainy texture 😉
Then blitz in your blender – you might need to stop and scrape after each few pulses – until they are ground well, but not quite a puree – you don’t want to make hummus! You can add your herbs right into the blender with the chickpeas – Parsley and Rosemary would work well as Angela said above, or Oregano. Also try grated Parmesan / Grana Padano cheese instead of Cheddar (or as well as, if you’re in the mood for cheesy)
I’m going to try your version! I’m on WW, so adding veggies and subtracting carbs is the name of the losing game. Thanks!!
To CatsmotherUK, I too have diabetes so I LOVE your idea of chickpeas as a substitute for breadcrumbs. How much should we use? Also, do you have any other substitutions for bread, other than almond flour?
I love this recipe! I have been feeding these to my picky eater of a little boy about 4 times a week for months (since he was 8 months old). He loves them! Everyone I have shared this recipe has loved it too! It really is not that time consuming to make, I often do a double batch and freeze them and thaw as needed for his meals. My mum also tried them and doubled the egg and found they were a bit more moist and easier to shape plus it packs a little more protein in them for bubba.
I made these tonight. Did not enjoy them. Lacked flavor and didn’t set up the best even after following the recipe to a T.
I’m sorry the recipe did not work out for you, Alex. You can add/reduce the spice level to taste.
do they really looked like the picture? I know how to cook but i doubt i have the time for perfect looking broccoli tater tots
They should look as pictured if you take the time to shape them. A lot of people make them as ovals or just scoop with a cookie scoop.
After baking will these be moist in the inside or should they be dry? I don’t want them to burn on the outside, but they’re still moist.
They should be a little moist but they will harden up as they cool.
Hi iam a vegetarian how I make this without eggs.
Combine:
1 Tbsp (7 g) flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed)
2 1/2 Tbsp (37 ml) water
This substitutes 1 egg.
Flaxseed AKA Linseed if you’re British (or not American)
Perfect! I was looking for this one comment! I just recently became Vegan, so no cheese for us, but may try Daiya vegan cheese and see how it goes. Thanks for the recipe!
Try a flax egg.
Would I be able to freeze these tots at any point??
YES, you can freeze them after shaping them or after baking!
I used an ice cube tray and lightly sprayed it with non stick cooking spray and they came out really easily.
I have to say, this recipe was AMAZING.
I was looking for a healthy side to go with my turkey burgers, and this was perfect. I made it exactly as is, and the hash was a little too wet and it was a bit difficult to shape but it still cooked well, and most importantly, tasted great. I unfortunately wasn’t able to convince my broccoli-hating bf to like it, but that’s fine, more for me!
Can’t wait to make it again.
Do they taste as good if you serve them at room temperature? I’m having a large group and dont like to make things in the oven during the party!
Yes they are really good at room temp!
Hi, I really want to try these but was wondering how I can store these? Can I freeze them? How long do they last in the fridge? Many thanks!
They freeze & reheat super easy. Oven at 350-ish for 10 minutes flip them and 10 more minutes.
I just made these and my guests are still enjoying this amazing deliciousness, I *had* to come and comment right away! I used Parmigiano Reggiano instead of cheddar as I’m also Italian, and they are unbelievable. I also didn’t find it time consuming nor complicated to shape them, maybe because I used leftover steamed broccoli from the previous night. THANK YOU for sharing, I’ll save it in my favourites 🙂
I’m confused with the nutrition facts. When I entered this recipe into myfitnesspal.com with a serving of 20, the macros were 32 cal, 3 carbs, 2 fat and 2 protein…for only 1 tot.
I got something similar and I calculated it myself. For the whole recipe, you’re looking at 544 kcal (22g F, 58g C, 28g P). It equals out to about 27 cal/tot. The two high-cal ingredients are the cheese and the bread crumbs. You can try subbing with part skim mozz cheese which equals out to 485 kcal (15.8g F, 58.5g C, 30g P) so is a little lower with a littler better macros (also 24 cal/tot). I’m not sure if it will taste as good so you can try an in between route and use part skim colby jack cheese. You can try the recipe without bread crumbs or subbing some other drying ingredient.
Hi
If I can use anything else instead of egg??
The canned liquid from chickpeas apparently is an excellent substitute for egg whites. The liquid can even be whipped Neutral flavor. Art
I followed the recipe exactly, they are good but definitely too much pepper flavor. I don’t know what I did wrong. My 18 month old was spitting & saying “hot”. Will definitely cut the pepper in half next time.
I made these into patties (like crab cakes) and pan fried them using under 1 tablespoon of olive oil. I added a small amount of cayenne. They were a great lunch! And, I am freezing the leftovers. Will recommend to my friends with kids. This is a keeper recipe for me. Thanks.
My toddler really enjoys these and so do I. Making them into tots is very time consuming. I might have to do the roll in film then cut. But great recipe taste wise
Have you tried making a skinny long roll, wrap in film wrap, refrigerate until firm then cut in the lengths you prefer.
Yummy AND healthy!! Thanks!
How long do they bake in the mini muffin pan? Thanks!
instead of blanching can you steam the broccoli?
yes. I did that but only for a minute. it works well and then strain it afterwards.
These turned out delicious. I did omit the salt altogether as I really don’t like much salt and Italian seasoned bread crumbs already have enough in for me. Gonna have to make this again on the weekend for my husband. He’ll love them.
I would like to take these to a family get together. If I put them in a pyrex dish in an insulated food carrier do you think they would stay warm? Would they get soggy?
This is a great recipe for my family, my husband and my daughter love this Broccoli. Thanks
Wow!!! that’s all I can say. Wow, these are so good. Only gave it four stars since it takes awhile to chop the broccoli (don’t have a food processor). May have to re-think that, but not enough cabinet/counter space. Definitely will try these again, maybe make into muffins next time. Hope they reheat well, will be taking these for lunch. Wish I could attach a photo, not as pretty as yours but for a beginner, looks just fine. Taste trumps looks.
Hi, These look great.
I was wondering if they can be frozen?
Thanks
Has anyone tried these without the cheese? My daughter can’t eat dairy and I’m wondering if leaving that out affects the texture and consistency. I can’t stand fake cheese so I’d rather not use that :/ thanks!
Hi Alissa, have you tried Biocheese? It’s readily available and I think it’s really similar to dairy cheese. It is amazing 🙂
This recipe is a good one healthy I also have trouble keeping the right consistency and would like to try other ingredients will let you know how I do
when using the mini muffin pan, do I fill to the top?
Yes
Can these be frozen? If so do you suggest before or after baking.
I would like to know this too! Would love to make a big bag of them and have them at the ready. I would assume you would freeze before baking but has anyone tried it?
Hi Megan, I freeze them before baking them, then just pop them right in the oven as needed. You would need to place them in trays in the freezer for an hour first so they don’t stick together then transfer to ziplock bags for freezing.
Thank you… I was also wondering about freezing!
These are AMAZING!! So much so that my kid (who hates broccoli) will eat these up! The one thing I do differently is I squeeze, with my hands, the excess water out of the broccoli. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Can the bread crumbs be optional? If I want to do it gluten free? I mean is it essential for the consistency? Thank you! It looks delicious by the way!
I haven’t tried making them without breadcrumbs and I don’t think it would hold without them, but I do suggest you try GF binders. Crushed corn flakes, dehydrated potato flakes or crushed rice crackers. Also, purchase Gluten-Free breadcrumbs is another option. Please let us know if any of these work for you. Best of luck!
You kinda ruined it with the ketchup but that’s just me. I don’t put ketchup on or in anything. Otherwise this recipe sounds great. Can’t wait to try it with other veggies as well
I just tried.. they are damn delicious.My husband too liked them,I served it as a snack after he came from work.Love your recipe,thanks a lot for sharing it with us 🙂
Does the egg act as a binder? my daughter is allergic to eggs, is there a substitute you would reccomend instead of the egg?
It is a binder. I haven’t tried anything else other than eggs but I would suggest a mixture of flour and water or a flax egg! Hope that helps.
Milk can be used as a binder as in many meatloafs.
Combine 1T of ground flaxseed with 3T of water, stir well. Put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. It should be sticky and sort of “egg like”!
you can try to make a flax egg. I saw in target they sell an egg substitute in powder form
I absolutely love this recipe, they are easy and so delicious
OMG! These are so yummy, I ended up eating all of them last night for dinner and made more today! The only thing I did differently was save the cheese for the end (aka not mixed into the batter) and plopped a little square on the bottom of each tot so that it got nice and crusty on the bottom and was overall fewer in calories, but not taste. Amazing, thanks for the recipe!!
So Glad you liked them!!
Hi, can I use plain bread crumbs instead?/
Yes you can. Best of luck! 🙂
These look amazing! Question though… do you think these would hold up alright, if I were to prepare them early in the day and then refrigerate until we’re ready to bake?
My husband has to cook dinner because of our work schedules, but he’d probably think this was too much work… I usually do some of the major veggie-chopping type prep before I leave for work in the afternoon.
Thanks!
I don’t know if the tots would hold up until her gets home but I would prepare the mixture and then he can scoop the tots with an Ice-cream scooper into round tots or bake them in mini muffin tins. Best of luck!
Just made these. So good! I followed others’ advice and put in 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper. I did 1/2 rosemary 1/2 parsley for the seasoning and only had regular panko breadcrumbs. Also added 2 eggs because my mix wasn’t sticky enough and chopped everything in a food processor. Delicious!
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed them!
These look soooo good!!… I want to try these but I was wondering if there could be any substitution for the cheese that’s in them. I’m lactose intolerant and these tots will not work with my system. Could I leave that out? Will it mess up the recipe?
Naja, I would just leave the cheese out and increase the bread-crumb mixture and they should be fine. Please let us know if that works for you.
I made your Broccoli tots yesterday. A success! I didn’t have cheddar since I live in Italy, so I used Parmigiano Reggiano instead. I’ll do them again when I get cheddar. So yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂 I have a food blog too, take a look if you like 🙂
I’m glad they worked out for you! I will visit your blog now. Thanks!
This is such a neat idea and I cannot wait to give the recipe a try! I love broccoli, but my husband always needs it mixed with something and I think this will be perfect for him 🙂
I love the website and found a few recipes to save. But the amount of ADS on the webpage is unbearable. I am even viewing this at work, powerful desktop computer with fast internet speed. There is so much lag, I can’t bear to open any more pages. I adore the content though!
Hi John,
I was having the same issue so added this site to the javascript blocking extension on my browser and that seemed to take care of the problem.
I’m sorry about that guys! I don’t know what the issue is but I will have my team look at it and hopefully they will solve the issue!
Could you freeze these do you think? If so would you do it before or after cooking? Thanks!
I’ve had people tell me they freeze a whole batch for meal prep. I’m assuming it’s done after they are baked but I think they would be fine frozen before or after baking. If you are freezing them before baking be sure to freeze them on a baking sheet first before place them in a ziplock bag so they don’t stick together.
These were really yummy! I tried the pastry bag but they would not stick at all so I used a mini muffin tin. I used Daiya cheese since my son is allergic to dairy. Instead of the salt and pepper I used a salt free spice blend, a little chervil, oregano and fresh cilantro I had on hand. A big hit with a kids! I’ll be making these frequently.
I’m so glad you found a way to make the tots suitable for your son’s dietary needs. I will be sure to pass along the word on the cheese you used.
Broccoli is one of my favorite veggies. Your recipe is great, different way to cook and serve broccoli.
These were amazing !!!
I just replace cheddar by emmental (I’m french 😉 ) and add an extra egg.
I’ll definitely do it again !!!
These are SO delicious. I do agree with the excessive salt though. Next time I will half the salt amount for sure. Any idea on the nutritional facts for these? I am calorie counting 🙁
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! Any thoughts on how many days in advance the batter can be made? Thinking of making it for a 40 person lunch and just trying to plan my time!
Doing this with zucchini instead of broccoli. Can’t wait!
NO POST ON SUNDAYS??!?
Any idea on the amount of protein in these?
I’d love to use these tots for a tator tot casserole instead of traditional tater tots. Would you suggest the whole bake time of the casserole to bake the tots or bake the casserole for the majority of the time and add the tots the last 20 minutes? Thanks!
Question – do these reheat well OR could i get them shaped up and then put them in the fridge until the next day and bake them? I have weird work hours and would like to take them to work with me for dinner so I’m trying to figure out the best way if you have any suggestions. Thanks!
my tots are sticking like crazy. i used paarchement and olive oil on my baking sheet. help!
Use a little more breadcrumbs and see if it helps!
Hi Layla,
Just wanted to say your recipes are amazing that I just wanted to let you know I shared it on my blog. I do put a link directly to this page and give you full credit. Keep up on bringing some awesome recipes.
Thanks,
Jessica
I wanted to let you know the PERFECT way to form these lovely little gems- cover a bamboo sushi-rolling mat with buttered parchment and roll, squeeze & cut to desired tot length! They are perfectly compacted and formed 😀
This recipe looks so great! I will definitely be making them again and again… and plan to feed some to my friend who has never tried broccoli because she doesn’t like how it looks!
PS – there are an astonishing number of spelling and grammatical errors throughout your article… just an FYI 🙂
…have a look at your own comment…..using the … approach is a crutch and often used for uneducated internet grammar Nazis.
Can I substitute Eggs with something else? We are vegetarian and do not use eggs.
I’ve made these twice now and I still can’t get over how tasty they are! I’m gonna have to start making batches of them to have them on hand for busy days so I don’t resort to plain old potatoes!
my son is allergic to eggs. do you think an egg replacer will work with this recipe? or any other suggestions for a substitute?
I press mine into an ice cube tray to get them all the same size. Press them down, dump them out, move on. 🙂
That’s such a great idea! Thanks for sharing it with everyone, Tanya. I will be sure to try it next time!
For the dairy free crowd, I wonder if these would still hold shape without the cheese. Definitely a fun way to get broccoli into the kiddos.
My daughter is allergic to dairy, so I was planning on using Daiya cheddar “cheese” shreds in this recipe. I use them a lot and they are a great sub for the real thing.
Can you make and freeze thse to be cooked later? And if so how long do youthink they would be good for in the freezer?
I think, if left in a big freezer, they’d last ages.
good site
Hi Layla! This recipe looks mouthwatering! Planning to make it this weekend!
Btw, I’d love to include your baked broccoli tots in a Broccoli recipe roundup. If you’re cool with that, could I use one of the pictures with a link back to this original post and your blog?
Let me know & thanks in advance!
felicia
We tried these last night and the kids loved them! You’ve got yourself a new follower!
I really enjoyed these, I made them for my husband and I. I will try out the cauliflower tots next. Thank you for sharing these with us.
These look great. Instead of ketchup, I would serve them with a sour cream based dip- something like an onion dip OR with a mayonnaise + tamari + clove of garlic, minced+ lemon juice (fresh, natch) sauce. Either would match well with the broccoli/onion. I’m wondering if you ever tried substituting riced potato for the bread crumb mixture? Not sure if it would hold together as well but it sounds like it would be tasty.
I tried the recipe. it is not bad. Even though in general I like salty and spicy food, I think the salt and pepper should be half a teaspoon each instead of the recommended quantities.
I love the recipe en made it yesterday for my family. The only thing I will stress is that 1 tsp salt is WAY too much. I would reduce it to a max of 1/4 tsp or omit all the salt. When you are using breadcrumbs that are flavored (eg Italian) there is flavor enough in them. My daughter said her cheeks were itchy after eating them (salt). Other than that, these are awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Yes a teaspoon is WAY too much recipes calls for half of a t.s.
I’ve updated the recipe. Thanks!
I just made these and they are delicious! How do I store them?
You can freeze them after shaping the tots or after baking. They are also good in the fridge for about 2 days.
Amazing. Thank
Hi Layla,
Your broccoli tots look very delicious, and your cauliflower tots too.
I will try making both cauliflower and broccoli tots too.
Thanks for sharing this healthy recipe.
Hi, I really want to make this recipe but sweet potatoes here are sooo expensive. Can I make it with regular potatoes? Thank you!
Hi Matias. Which recipe are you referring to?
I have never seen broccoli looking so delicious!! I will be trying this recipe for sure.
Would you be interested in becoming a recipe partner with Chicory?
Thanks! I hope you like it as much as we did! 🙂
These look awesome- so healthy and I LOVE brocolli! 🙂
Can I freeze these and the cauliflower tots ?
Yes you can!
Should you a bake before freezing or not?
your choice!