Bored of broccoli? Spruce it up by making some of these Broccoli Cheese Tater Tots! They’re easy, healthy, cheesy and delicious and make a great snack, appetizer or side that’s perfect for babies and toddlers! {Vegetarian & gluten-free-friendly}
If you’re struggling to get your family to eat plain ol’ broccoli, then you’ll definitely want to give these broccoli cheese tater tots a shot!
These tots are a super fun way to eat veggies and due to their cheesy flavour and soft texture, they’re great for baby-led weaning or served as a finger food for toddlers. But older children and adults will totally love them too. They’re so good!
Made with a combination of broccoli, potato, and cheddar, and a light coating of breadcrumbs, these homemade veggie tots are baked in the oven until soft and gooey on the inside and lightly golden and crispy on the outside.
They’re the perfect tasty and healthy way to eat broccoli, and are especially fun to dip!
Similar to these Loaded Cauliflower Tots and Sweet Potato Tots, you can make up a batch of these broccoli tots and store them in the fridge or freezer for an easy and kid-friendly bite throughout the week.
So simple and convenient!
Table of Contents
Why we love these cheesy broccoli potato tots
- Kid-friendly: Broccoli cheddar tots are such a fun way to get kids to eat their veggies. They’re easy to hold and chew, fun to eat and are perfect for dipping!
- Easy: Only a few ingredients and steps are required to make this recipe. It’s simple enough that the kids can help too!
- Freezer-friendly: Make up a big batch of these tots and store them in the freezer for a quick and easy bite to eat. They freeze well and you can reheat them right from frozen for an even more convenient option!
Ingredient notes
- Broccoli: Forms the base of the tots. Use fresh or frozen broccoli florets.
- Potato: Is mashed along with the broccoli to form a soft texture. You’ll need about one small white potato.
- Garlic powder: Injects some extra flavour into the bites. You can also use fresh garlic or skip altogether to keep the flavour more neutral.
- Cheese: Adds a cheesy flavour that pairs perfectly with the broccoli. I like using shredded cheddar but you can sub in your favourite cheese.
- Chives: Chop them finely so that there aren’t large chunks throughout the tots. You can also use finely chopped green onion or skip them altogether.
- Egg: Is used to coat the broccoli tots to help the breadcrumbs stick. You can skip the egg and breadcrumb coating if you want to keep the recipe egg-free.
- Bread Crumbs: Are incorporated into the broccoli potato mixture to help absorb some extra moisture and are also used as a breading on the outside. Use homemade or store-bought whole-wheat bread crumbs. You can also sub in gluten-free bread crumbs or almond flour if preferred.
How to make baked broccoli tots – step by step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, bring about an inch of water to a boil. Place a steamer basket in the saucepan and fill with diced potato and broccoli. Cover and steam for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft enough to mash.
- Add the steamed broccoli and potato to a large bowl. Mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few chunks here and there. You can also do this step in the food processor.
- Mix in the chopped chives and shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and 1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs until combined.
- Using your hands, form the mixture into the shape of long tots about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
- Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Coat each tot lightly in the egg mixture and then roll in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Place each broccoli tot on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for 20 minutes, carefully flipping tots half way through.
Keep scrolling to the bottom of the page for the full broccoli tots recipe!
How to make homemade breadcrumbs
As mentioned above, you can use store-bought breadcrumbs, but I find that the homemade breadcrumbs add a nice fluffy and crunchy texture to the outside of these tots, unlike the store-bought variety.
Plus, by making your own breadcrumbs, it’s also a great way to use up that bread that’s gone stale or those end pieces that no one ever wants to eat.
You can also choose which bread you use, whereas with store-bought, you’re stuck with what you get.
Personally, I used Ezekial bread to make my breadcrumbs (which you can usually find in the natural section of the grocery store in the freezer) since it tends to be lower in sodium and higher in fibre with less processed ingredients. It worked out really well for the purpose of this recipe and no complaints from my taste testers!
This is the easy method that I used to make fresh bread crumbs.
- Dry the bread out in the oven or use stale bread. You can also pop the slices of bread in the toaster for a faster method.
- Break up the toasted pieces of bread with your hands into smaller chunks.
- Toss those pieces into the food processor and pulse until you achieve the desired consistency.
Special Tips: For best results, add the chunks of bread in smaller batches. And keep in mind that they’ll be slightly fluffier than your typical store-bought bread crumbs, but that’s what makes them so good! Store in an air-tight container or resealable bag in the fridge for up to one month or in the freezer for up to three months.
Recipe Notes:
- Chop the broccoli before you measure it. Try to use more of the florets rather than the tough stems.
- You can either mash the broccoli and potatoes in a large bowl using a potato masher or transfer the steamed veggies to a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. You can also finely chop the broccoli and potato instead if mashing if you want the tots to have more texture.
- If you find that the broccoli mixture is still too moist before forming it into tots, add some additional bread crumbs until desired consistency is achieved.
- You can use homemade or store-bought bread crumbs for the broccoli tots. I’ve used homemade and store-bought whole-wheat panko bread crumbs for this recipe and both worked well. If making homemade, you’ll need about 3 slices of whole-grain bread.
- If you want to keep these lower carb and egg-free, you can skip the egg/bread crumb coating.
- If serving these tots to babies under the age of one, you may wish to reduce or skip the salt to reduce sodium intake.
- To reheat, place in the oven at 400 degrees and bake for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Storage and Reheating Guidelines
Once you finish making these delicious broccoli tater tots, you’ll want to make sure that you store them properly so that none of these tasty bites go to waste!
Refrigerator: You can store them in an air-tight container or large ziplock bag in the fridge for up to four days and in the freezer for up to three months.
To freeze: Store the tots in an freezer-safe container or large ziplock bag in the freezer for up to three months.
To defrost and reheat: Leave the frozen broccoli tots to thaw in the fridge for several hours or overnight, or reheat them right from frozen. To reheat, pop them in the oven at 400 degrees F for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese gets all warm and gooey and the outside gets a little crispy. You can also warm them in the microwave if in a pinch, but I prefer the oven method.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can either mash the broccoli and potato mixture in a bowl along with the other ingredients or transfer the steamed vegetables to a food processor and blend. Mashing the vegetables will allow for a bit more texture while the food processor will give it a slightly smoother consistency.
These broccoli cheddar tots are great for all ages ranging from 6 months old and beyond! They make a great starter food for baby-led weaning since they’re easy to hold and chew even for babies with no teeth.
I haven’t personally experimented with making them in a muffin tin, but you could certainly try it out!
Ranch, tzatziki, ketchup, marinara sauce and roasted garlic aoili would all be tasty dipping sauces for broccoli tots.
Homemade broccoli tots are definitely a healthier option than your typical store-bought tater tots. The broccoli incorporates extra nutrients like fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. The cheese also adds some additional calcium and protein that traditional tater tots lack. Additionally, because you make them yourself, no preservatives are required and you can control how much salt is added, which can make them a lower sodium option.
Broccoli tots are soft and cheesy on the inside and lightly crispy on the outside. You can taste hints of broccoli and cheddar in each bite, while the chives and garlic powder give them a slight garlicky taste.
Serving suggestions
The best part about these broccoli cheese tater tots is that there are so many ways to eat them!
You can serve them:
- Alone, warm or cold
- Along with your favourite dip or marinara sauce
- Warm on a platter as a party appetizer
- As a side dish along with a source of protein like these chicken meatloaf muffins
- As a healthy lunch box item or after-school snack for kids
- As a finger food for babies and toddlers
So versatile and a delicious way to get the whole family eating their veggies!
Recipe variations
- Switch up the cheese: Sub in your favourite type of cheese. Grated parmesan, colby or gouda would all work well.
- Swap out the potato: Use a sweet potato instead of white potato.
- To make dairy-free: Use vegan cheese.
- To make gluten-free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- To make egg-free: Skip the egg. You can either roll the tots in the breadcrumbs without the egg or skip the breading all together.
- To make low carb: Skip the breadcrumbs and use almond flour instead.
- To make vegan: Use a vegan cheese and skip the egg coating. Roll the tots in the breadcrumbs without the egg or make the tots without the breading.
More similar recipes
- Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
- Chicken Avocado Poppers
- Easy Zucchini Fritters
- Spinach Zucchini Frittata Fingers
- Veggie Quinoa Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Baby-Friendly Broccoli Cheese Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced white potato peeled and diced into about 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or sub in green onion
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought whole-wheat bread crumbs* can sub in gluten-free if necessary
- 1/2 teaspoon salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, bring about an inch of water to a boil. Place the steamer basket in the saucepan and fill with diced potato and broccoli. Cover and steam for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft enough to mash.
- Add the steamed broccoli and potato to a large bowl. Mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few chunks here and there. You can also do this step in the food processor.
- Mix in the chopped chives and shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt (if using), and 1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs until combined.
- Using your hands, form the mixture into the shape of longer tots about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
- Beat the egg in a separate bowl. Coat each tot lightly in the egg mixture and then roll in the remaining breadcrumbs.
- Place each tot on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake in oven for 20 minutes, carefully flipping tots half way through.
Notes
- Chop the broccoli before you measure it. Try to use more of the florets rather than the tough stems.
- You can either mash the broccoli and potatoes in a large bowl using a potato masher or transfer the steamed veggies to a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. You can also finely chop the broccoli and potato instead if mashing if you want the tots to have more texture.
- If you find that the broccoli mixture is still too moist before forming it into tots, add some additional bread crumbs until desired consistency is achieved.
- You can use homemade or store-bought bread crumbs for the broccoli tots. I’ve used homemade and store-bought whole-wheat panko bread crumbs for this recipe and both worked well. If making homemade, you’ll need about 3 slices of whole-grain bread.
- If you want to keep these lower carb and egg-free, you can skip the egg/bread crumb coating.
- If serving these tots to babies under the age of one, you may wish to reduce or skip the salt to reduce sodium intake.
- To reheat, place in the oven at 400 degrees and bake for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted February 2019 and was updated March 2022 to include better tips and photos.
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