Homemade Broccoli Tots (Better Than the Freezer Aisle!)

Crispy on the outside and tender in the middle, these tots are a seriously fun way to serve broccoli. You can cook the rice up to 5 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake the tots.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings (Makes about 20)

Calories 84kcal

Author Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup broccoli florets (roughly chopped)
1 cup fully cooked short grain brown rice
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
2 eggs
¼ cup Italian-flavored or regular breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning or cumin (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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.
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.
Grind very well to make a uniform batter. (If your batter doesn't seem to be holding together well, add another tablespoon or two of breadcrumbs.)
Portion into 1-tablespoon size ovals and place on the prepared baking sheet.
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.

Video

Notes

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 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 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.

Nutrition