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A hand dips a homemade broccoli tot into a bowl of ketchup.
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Broccoli Tots Recipe

With a simple trick, you'll get the crispy, dippable shape in this Cheesy Broccoli Tater Tots recipe without spending a ton of time rolling and forming them. Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings, and few other common spices give the chopped broccoli so much flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 36 tots

Ingredients

  • 4 cups broccoli cut into florets, about 1 large head
  • 2 large eggs whisked
  • ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs gluten-free if needed
  • ½ cup Cheddar cheese finely shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp. salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. paprika

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Bring a large pot with 2-inches of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a steamer basket full of the broccoli into the pot. Cover pot with a lid and reduce heat to medium. Steam broccoli for 4-5 minutes or until broccoli is bright green.
    4 cups broccoli
  • Let broccoli sit at room temperature for a few minutes before adding to a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Pulse broccoli 20-30 times, scraping down the side halfway through, or until a fine crumb forms and there are no pieces bigger than ¼”.
    Steamed broccoli is chopped in a food processor.
  • Add broccoli to a large bowl and along with the whisked eggs, breadcrumbs, Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix with a spatula until well combined.
    2 large eggs, ¾ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, ½ cup Cheddar cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. paprika
  • Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with a piece of parchment paper. Spritz any exposed areas of the dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add the broccoli tot mixture to the baking dish. Press it down until it is fully compacted with a spatula. Bake the broccoli mixture in the oven for 20 minutes. (Refer to notes if you’d like to make tots the traditional way.)
    The broccoli mixture is spread across a pan.
  • Once partially baked, keep the mixture in the baking dish and cut into “tots”- either 6x6 for squares, or 7x5 for a more classic rectangular shape. Add the tots to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, with the side of the tot that was originally on the bottom of the baking dish now facing up. Continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until crispy.
    Partially baked broccoli tots are sliced and baked again.
  • Serve tots with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley and a side of ketchup. Enjoy!

Notes

For this recipe, 1 serving is equal to 6 tater tots.
To Make Tater Tots the Traditional Way: Roll 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons-sized balls of the mixture into a ball and then form into a tot shape. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture and space evenly on pan. Bake tots for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until tots are golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 117IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.3mg