I’m feeling a little deja vu today, seeing as how we are facing rain and storms from another hurricane. Last month it was Hurricane Florence, now it’s Hurricane Michael headed our way here in N.C. today. Hoping we fare as well as last time, when we kept power and just had a little bit of water leakage. And I’m especially thinking of all those on the Gulf Coast who’ve been hit so hard by this storm and those on the N.C. coast who really don’t need another battering. Hoping everyone stays safe… but now let’s talk about something happier. The food! Today’s easy baked broccoli tots are something I started making when my kiddos were babies. They make a great finger food for babies and toddlers and a great side dish for older kids as well. (As do these cheesy spinach bacon cakes that my entire family devours.) There’s just something about broccoli + cheese together, right?!
And these fun broccoli bites are a great new way to enjoy the veggie! They brown up beautifully on both sides, have a satisfying little crusty edge and are perfectly cheesy and soft on the inside. (I think they are also more fun less intimidating than a bunch of big broccoli florets on the plate.) Oh, and they are just 5 ingredients!
Notes on making easy baked broccoli tots:
You’ll need 3 cups of the cooked, crumbled broccoli. If you have extra, you can use it as “broccoli rice” in a stir fry or tucked into tacos or quesadillas for a veggie boost. You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free. These tots stay together nicely but you do need to be careful when turning them halfway through the baking time. If any fall apart when you flip them, just smush them back together and they should be OK by the time they finish baking. We all prefer these dipped in Ranch dressing (homemade or store-bought) in our family, but other great dips include: ketchup, honey mustard, hummus or a cheese/queso dip. These are best served immediately. Extras can be stored in the fridge and rewarmed in an oven or toaster oven for a few minutes to get the crunch back. You can reheat them in the microwave too but they’ll lose their crunch. These broccoli tots freeze great! I let them cool, then carefully add them to a ziptop plastic freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months.
I hope you give these a try if you need a new kid-friendly way to eat broccoli or just a new idea for some broccoli side dishes to try! (You might also like Parmesan roasted broccoli - they get super crispy and nutty and delicious!) Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Want some more broccoli side dish ideas? Check these out:
Healthy broccoli apple salad (Family Food on the Table) Broccoli slaw (Mama Loves Food) Lemon roasted broccoli (Oh Sweet Basil) Roasted broccoli stalks (Family Food on the Table) Broccoli cheese quinoa bites (Family Food on the Table)
You need 3 cups of the cooked, crumbled broccoli. If you have extra, you can use it as “broccoli rice” in a stir fry or tucked into tacos or quesadillas for a veggie boost. You can use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free. These tots stay together nicely but you do need to be careful when turning them halfway through the baking time. If any fall apart when you flip them, just smush them back together and they should be OK by the time they finish baking. These are best served immediately. Extras can be stored in the fridge and rewarmed in an oven or toaster oven for a few minutes to get the crunch back. You can reheat them in the microwave too but they’ll lose their crunch. These broccoli tots freeze great! I let them cool, then carefully add them to a ziptop plastic freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months.
