Homemade Broccoli Tots Better Than The Freezer Aisle

Broccoli Tots

Broccoli tots are a staple of the freezer aisle, but making them at home is as simple as blending up ingredients and baking the tots. I do sometimes love paying for convenience, but I also love turning basic ingredients into this delish toddler meal. This recipe comes together quickly in the food processor and quickly turns a handful of healthy ingredients into a tots batter. And once you use a tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out the tots, all that’s left is for them to bake up in the oven. These are great warm and my kids like them dipped in ketchup, ranch, or sour cream. And I do too!

Ingredients You Need

To make these homemade tots you’ll need the following ingredients.

Fully cooked brown rice: This forms the base of the batter (and adds nutrients).Fresh or frozen broccoli: Either option works here. Egg: This helps the tots hold together.Cheese: Any shredded cheese you prefer will work well.Breadcrumbs: You can use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs (my preference), plain, or even cornmeal. And gluten-free ones work too.

Step by Step Instructions

To make this recipe, here’s what you’ll need to do. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full info. TIP: I like to use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon to portion out the tots.

Are these homemade broccoli tots healthy?

These broccoli tots have fiber from the rice and broccoli, a little protein from the eggs, and cheese, and are made with recognizable ingredients so you can be sure that your toddler is getting the good stuff. Plus, they are an excellent way to use up leftover rice and broccoli should you have some lingering in the fridge.

Frozen Broccoli Tots to Make-Ahead

You can make these veggie tots ahead of time and store them, once cooled, in the freezer. To serve straight from the freezer, simply warm in an oven briefly. They’ll crisp right up in no time at all for a quick toddler dinner.

Are there any tricks to making really good homemade broccoli tots?

The only trick to this recipe is to make sure your rice is very soft and fully cooked. This will ensure that the interior of the tots is soft and easy to chew, while the exterior gets a little crunchy. I like to use rice instead of potatoes since it’s a little easier to work with and it’s such a good use for leftover rice. A short grain rice works best here, but you can use brown or white rice, depending on what you have and your preference. I like this short grain brown rice from Lundberg. TIP: If your batter doesn’t seem to be holding together well, add another tablespoon (or two) of breadcrumbs.

Dairy-Free Broccoli Tots

To make these without cheese, simply omit the shredded cheese and the Parmesan and use just 1 egg instead of 2. (You will get a slightly smaller batch of 14 tots.) You can try adding a tablespoon of nutritional yeast if you want to add a little more savory flavor.

Gluten Free Broccoli Tots

To make this recipe gluten-free, simply use gluten-free breadcrumbs. I like the flavor and texture of Ian’s breadcrumbs and have used both the regular and Italian-flavors.

Egg-Free Broccoli Tots

To make this recipe egg-free, simply omit the egg, use 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and add 1 tablespoon coconut oil. This creates a nice mixture that holds together really well without the need for an egg to bind it. Do be sure to grind everything well to help with the consistency. And know that these are a little softer in the center and need to be baked a smidge longer at closer to 30 minutes.

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer bag, in a single layer, with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months. To reheat from the freezer, place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and warm in a 375-degree F oven for 8-10 minutes. (Or in a 375 air fryer for 3-4 minutes.)

Best Tips for Success

Use fully cooked and soft brown rice.Chop the broccoli before measuring it, using mostly the fluffy florets (rather than the stems).You can use frozen broccoli if you prefer.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.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe, so please comment below to share!