Name: Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup diced white potato (peeled and diced into about 1/2 inch cubes); 2 cups broccoli florets; 2 tbsp. finely chopped chives (or sub in green onion); 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 garlic clove (minced (optional)); 1 egg (beaten); 1 cup homemade or store-bought whole-wheat bread crumbs* (can sub in gluten-free if necessary); 1/4 tsp. salt (optional)

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Bored of broccoli? Spruce it up by making some of these Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots! They’re easy, healthy and delicious and make a great snack, appetizer or side for both little ones and adults!

You may be noticing a lot more posts these days about fun ways to make veggies. Gone are the days where our little guy would just chow down on a plain piece of steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Now he’s looking for more exciting broccoli and cauliflower.

A few weeks ago, I posted these Cauliflower Kale Tots and he absolutely LOVED them, so I decided to continue our veggie experiment this week by making these Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots.

Once again, he devoured them in a matter of seconds.

I think it’s fair to say that these broccoli cheddar tater tots were a success.

And the best part is, they really weren’t all the difficult to make. Just a few simple steps are required!

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots

First, you’ll want to steam the diced potato and broccoli florets for about 10-15 minutes or until they’re soft enough to blend.

While you’re waiting for all of the steaming to take place, you can preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Next, you’re going to whiz the steamed broccoli and potato around in the food processor until mostly smooth, leaving a few small chunks here and there.

Transfer this mixture to a medium-sized bowl and mix in the chopped chives and shredded cheddar cheese. You can also add an optional clove of garlic if you like that garlicky taste. Our little guy loves anything flavoured with garlic so I chose to add it in.

Form the mixture into the shape of tots about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Coat each tot in egg mixture and then roll in breadcrumbs. These can be homemade or store-bought, but personally, I prefer homemade since they taste SO much better.

Place the tots on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, carefully flipping half way through.

How to Make Your Own Fresh Bread Crumbs

So 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 bland and boring 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 bread crumbs (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!

So this is the easy method that I used to make fresh bread crumbs.

You can dry the bread out in the oven, but personally, I just popped two slices of bread in the toaster and that did the trick. 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.

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.

How to Store Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots

Now once you finish making these delicious tots, you’ll want to make sure that you store them properly so that none of these tasty bites go to waste!

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 defrost, simply leave the tots in the fridge for several hours or overnight, or warm them in the microwave. Better yet, pop them in the oven again for several minutes so that the cheese gets all warm and gooey and the outside gets a little crispy.

This, in my opinion, is the best method for defrosting the tater tots, especially if serving them right away after defrosting.

How to Serve Broccoli Cheddar Tater Tots

The best part about these 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, right? And a delicious way to get the whole family eating their veggies!

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