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.
IF using frozen broccoli, do you ley It thaw before blanching or put ot in frozen?
I made this last night thinking one tray would be enough for leftovers after dinner was done. Right. My toddlers and husband liked it so much that the entire pan was polished off in no time. Very tasty stuff!
I made a few changes: I dropped salt to 1/4 tsp. I replaced panko breadcrums with mashed up firm tofu. I didn’t have italian breadcrumbs on hand so I went with the unflavored breadcrumbs and added a few spices to my liking.
My older child has requested this dish to be made with cauliflower. So I will have to try that.
If you are in the NYc area i need help with Broccoli French fries and Tots please contact me [email protected]
How can this be keto if using bread crumbs?
Replace with almond flour to make them keto.
Or use pork rinds
I am allergic to eGgs. Is there anYthing i could replace the eggs with?
Thank you very much!
Is it possible to toll these “snake like” and cut into toTs? If you freeze them, do you thaw to room temp before baking?
If you freeze them, you can bake them straight from the freezer.
Okay. These are amazing. They’re fresh out of the oven, so too hot for my 18 month old to try, but I know she’ll LOVE them as well. I used Parmesan panko because it’s what I had on hand. I added extra cheese, because.. cheese. I added a little onion and garlic powder (no raw onion on hand). I wasn’t able to get 20, only 18. I’ll miss those two tots. I plan on freezing what’s left over and cooking them from frozen another night. These were definitely more labor intensive than buying a bag from the freezer section at the grocery store,and popping but they were a heck of a lot cheaper. I’d rather chop loads of broccoli by hand than pay $5 for a tiny bag.I plan on making a triple batch, freezing them, and always having some on hand.
I’d rather chop my own broccoli as well, Jessica! Your adaptions sound so yummy; I’m sure your toddler will love them <3
I used wax paper and sprey. Still can’t separate broccoli sticks from paper. Wasted products. I think need reduce heat and extend baking time.
Wax paper melts in the oven. I’ve made this mistake recently
I cant wait to try these with my little guy for school. He is a pretty picky eater buT actually loves broccolI. Meal prep is going to be big for us this year with no time to make lunches in the morning. I’ll be trying your recipe soon and wanted to let you know that I’ve shared it over on my blog too. 🙂
I did them today and it was pretty good i will certainly do it again! But I added two eggs instead of one because it was pretty dry even with two eggs… But putting water on your hands help a lot to shape it.
how long are these good for after COooking and Storing in fridge?what about If frozen after cooked?
HAs anyone made the made the mixture in advance, freeze it and only take out to place in oven on the day of use. or has anyone tried making the tots, freezing them and heating again in the microwave oven?
;; I’ve done it. Works like a charm.
Just made these as finger food for my 9 month old and they are awesome! Gonna make a double batch and freeze them after i shape them so i have them to pop in the oven for snacks. Thanks for the recipe!
My daughters love them as well and they’re great for sneaking veggies into their diet. They do freeze well, enjoy! 🙂
Oh my! These are so tasty!! My husband does not like broccoli and could not Stop eating. Replaced flour and panko with almond flour and addEd extra egg. Came out great.
Almond flour is a great low-carb option! I’m happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the broccoli tots, Sarah <3
These were easy to make and came out tasty! i’d like to cook these again, maybe there could be an alternative to the bread crumbs?
Yes, you can replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour if you’d like.
Can u prep these in advance and cook THEM after?
Yes, you can!
Can these healthy broccolI tots be made a day or two before and kept in fridge and heated when you need them? can you freeze them .?
DO NOT try these in a mini muffin pan. I have an expensive non stick one…. oiled it…. and still CANNOT get them out!!!! Time…effort….and $$$… down the drain on that suggestion!!!
I tried these in mini muffin pan and really like the result. I also double the recipe for a larger group and left out the salt (who needs extra?). A definite addition to the recipe book!
If we freeze them after, how should we thaw them?
Do you use frozen or fresh broccoli? If it’s frozen, do you have it before blanching it? I’m clueless in the kitchen and need a bit more detailed instructions 😂
Blanching or Partially cooking the broccoli helps with the texture of the end product, otherwise its stringy and does taste undercooked. I made this recipe with2x the cheese(by accident), and 1 extra egg. Replaced flour with vital wheat gluten for moRe ProtIen, 12 minutes each Side, came out perfect.
This is an excellent recipe. We do not make tots- we just spread it out on a cookie sheet WAY EASIER. Flip in sections after 12 min, then cook 12 min more. We also made with cauliflower instead of broccoli. That is our favorite. Then the broccoli recipe. Lastly, we made using potatoes instead of broccoli but that was our least favorite.
Spreading the batter on a cookie sheet sounds like a great idea! We also have a cauliflower tots recipe on the blog if you’d like to check it out https://gimmedelicious.com/2014/07/24/skinny-baked-cauliflower-tots/