With a handful of accessible, nutritious ingredients, you can bake Broccoli Tots that are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. They are SO good and easier than you might think. And…they taste like broccoli tater tots!
Broccoli tots are a staple of the freezer aisle, but making them at home is as simple as blending up ingredients and baking the tots. I do sometimes love paying for convenience, but I also love turning basic ingredients into this delish toddler meal.
This vegetable recipe for kids comes together quickly in the food processor and quickly turns a handful of healthy ingredients into a batter. And once you use a measuring spoon to portion out the tots, all that’s left is to bake them in the oven.
These are great warm and my kids like them dipped in ketchup, ranch, or sour cream. And I do, too!
(For more tot recipes, check out my Cauliflower Tots, Veggie Nuggets, Sweet Potato Tots, and Zucchini Tots.)
Ingredients You Need
To make these homemade broccoli tots you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Fully cooked brown rice: This forms the base of the batter (and adds nutrients). You can cook it yourself or pick up a bag of frozen precooked rice in the freezer aisle of your store.
- Fresh or frozen broccoli: Either option works here.
- Egg: This helps the tots hold together.
- Cheese: Any shredded cheese you prefer will work well, including cheddar or mozzarella.
- Breadcrumbs: You can use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs (my preference), plain, or even cornmeal. Gluten-free ones work, too.
Step by Step Instructions
To make this Broccoli Tot recipe, here’s what you’ll need to do. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full info, including the amounts and timing.
Step 1. Chop the broccoli into small pieces. Pour hot water over and let sit to soften. Drain the broccoli well.
Step 3. Grind into a uniform batter.
Step 4. Portion out tots onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake and serve warm.
TIP: I like to use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon to portion out the tots.
Frequently Asked Questions
These broccoli tots have fiber from the rice and broccoli, a little protein from the eggs, and cheese, and are made with recognizable ingredients so you can be sure that your toddler is getting the good stuff. Plus, they are an excellent way to use up leftover rice and broccoli should you have some lingering in the fridge.
You can make these veggie tots ahead of time and store them, once cooled, in the freezer. To serve straight from the freezer, simply warm in an oven briefly. They’ll crisp right up in no time at all for a quick toddler dinner.
The only trick to this recipe is to make sure your rice is very soft and fully cooked. This will ensure that the interior of the tots is soft and easy to chew, while the exterior gets a little crunchy. I like to use rice instead of potatoes since it’s a little easier to work with and it’s such a good use for leftover rice.
A short grain rice works best here, but you can use brown or white rice, depending on what you have and your preference. I like this short grain brown rice from Lundberg.
TIP: If your batter doesn’t seem to be holding together well, add another tablespoon (or two) of breadcrumbs.
Dairy-Free Broccoli Tots
To make these without cheese, simply omit the shredded cheese and the Parmesan and use just 1 egg instead of 2. (You will get a slightly smaller batch of 14 tots.) You can try adding a tablespoon of nutritional yeast if you want to add a little more savory flavor.
Gluten Free Broccoli Tots
To make this recipe gluten-free, simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs. I like the flavor and texture of Ian’s breadcrumbs and have used both the regular and Italian-flavors.
Egg-Free Broccoli Tots
To make this recipe egg-free, simply omit the egg, use 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. This creates a nice mixture that holds together really well without the need for an egg to bind it. Do be sure to grind everything well to help with the consistency. And know that these are a little softer in the center and need to be baked a smidge longer at closer to 30 minutes.
How to Store
Store leftover Broccoli Tots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer bag, in a single layer, with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months. To reheat from the freezer, place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and warm in a 375 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. (Or in a 375 degree F air fryer for 3-4 minutes.)
Best Tips for Success
- Use fully cooked and soft brown rice.
- Chop the broccoli before measuring it, using mostly the fluffy florets (rather than the stems).
- You can use frozen broccoli if you prefer.
- Be sure to dry the broccoli thoroughly.
- You can use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs, plain, or cornmeal. If using plain breadcrumbs or cornmeal, you may want to add a pinch of salt and/or Italian seasoning to the batter for additional flavor.
- Expect the batter to be wet, but the tots should hold together when you put them onto the parchment paper.
- If your batter seems very wet and the tots don’t hold together in little mounds on the parchment paper, stir in another tablespoon or so of breadcrumbs or cornmeal.
I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so please comment below to share!
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Bring a kettle of water to a boil and pour over the broccoli in a heat-safe bowl. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Drain well.
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Add the broccoli, rice, cheese, Parmesan, eggs, and breadcrumbs to the bowl of a food processor. Add salt and either Italian seasoning or cumin to add a little additional flavor if desired.
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Grind very well to make a uniform batter. (If your batter doesn’t seem to be holding together well, add another tablespoon or so of breadcrumbs.)
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Portion into 1-tablespoon size ovals and place on the prepared baking sheet.
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Bake for 25-27 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly golden brown. (Or cook in an air fryer at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes on a greased tray.) Let cool slightly and serve.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in a 375 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes (or 3-4 minutes in a 375 degree F air fryer) to get them warm and crunchy.
- Serve with a dip such as ketchup, salsa, ranch, or guacamole.
- Dairy-free: Omit the cheese and use just 1 egg. Bake as directed. (Makes about 14 tots.)
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs. Use 1 cup shredded cheese and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Bake as directed, leaving them in the oven for 27-30 minutes. (Makes about 19 tots.) Or, use a liquid egg replacer such as Just Egg.
- Use fully cooked and soft brown rice. Cooked white rice also works if that’s what you have.
- Chop the broccoli before measuring it, using mostly the top of the florets (rather than the stems).
- Be sure to dry the broccoli thoroughly.
- You can use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs, plain, or cornmeal. If using plain breadcrumbs or cornmeal, you may want to add a pinch of salt and/or Italian seasoning to the batter for additional flavor.
- Expect the batter to be wet, but the tots should hold together when you put them onto the parchment paper.
- If your batter seems very wet and the tots don’t hold together in little mounds on the parchment paper, stir in another tablespoon or so of breadcrumbs or cornmeal.
Calories: 84kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 98mg, Potassium: 83mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 183IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 1mg
This post was first published March 2018.