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”.
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.)
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.
Serve tots with a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley and a side of ketchup. Enjoy!