High-Protein Cheesy Broccoli Tots Recipe Is A Healthy Side Dish or Appetizer (8 Ingredients, 35 Minutes) by Elisa Schmitz

Most of us know we need to eat more vegetables. The challenge, of course, is making those vegetables delicious enough that we want to eat them all the time (and choosing to eat them over less nutritious options). We also know that we should eat more healthy protein (here's why protein has many important health benefits).

Enter these cheesy high-protein broccoli tots recipe with riced cauliflower. These tots are loaded with nutrition, but they're totally delicious and super fun to eat! I made a previous version of this recipe and we loved it so much that I decided to try it with cauliflower, to add even more nutrition. Win-win!

These chunky vegetable dunkers are loaded with cauliflower and broccoli, so you get all the health benefits of cauliflower and all the health benefits of broccoli. Plus, they're loaded with Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, packing a protein punch. The almond flour makes these vegetable tots crispy and flavorful, so the gluten-free recipe becomes an easy way to sneak in some vegetables in a fresh way.

Photo credit (all photos): Elisa Schmitz

Here's what you need to make this vegetarian recipe: riced cauliflower, fresh broccoli, Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, eggs, almond flour (or your flour of choice), garlic powder and oregano. The wholesome ingredients come together then are baked until they're crispy and golden (in only about 35 minutes)!

Serve these tasty veggie tots as an appetizer on their own or dunk them into your favorite sauces. I served them with a creamy Mediterranean dipping sauce and they were gone quickly! They make a fun side dish with any protein for dinner, and they're a wholesome snack anytime.

Cuisine: American / Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes (ovens vary)
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups riced cauliflower (I used frozen)
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli, cooked and diced fine (you also could use broccoli rice)
• 1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond flour (or your flour of choice)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano

Here’s how to make it:

1. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place frozen riced cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave for about 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
   
3. Ensure that broccoli is fine-diced then add it to the cauliflower in the mixing bowl. (Remove any excess moisture before adding vegetables to the mixing bowl.)
   
4. Add shredded cheeses, eggs, flour and seasonings to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Stir to combine. (You can use your flour of choice, but to ensure this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free flour. You can try other cheeses in this recipe, such as mozzarella or gruyere.)
   
5. Form vegetable mixture into balls and place them onto the baking sheet. Press down on the balls so they become a bit flatter in shape.
   
6. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Remove pan and flip each one, pressing down gently with a spatula.
   
7. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until crispy and golden.
   
8. Allow to cool a few moments before serving. Store leftovers in a container in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven for maximum crispiness.
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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