These crisp, veggie-loaded, protein-packed little fritters are affectionately called ‘broccoli tots’ in our house, and have been on the weekly dinner rotation for a solid two months.
Though, to be honest, I think they’re more like broccoli nuggets- the word tot is just too fun to pass up the opportunity to use on a regular basis.
Officially, though, they’re fritters. Because we’re adults.
It all started one night when we were low on groceries and needed a quick, filling meal that wasn’t just the same old we’re-almost-out-of-groceries-dinner. Despite the apparent lack of toddlers in our household, I still decided a riff on tater tots that swapped lots of veggies for the potatoes was the answer to the aforementioned problem.
I’m so glad I did, because it has quickly become one of our favorites.
As I tend to do when making dinner, I was winging it every time I made them. As a result, they were always a little different- sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse- but got the job done on a hectic weeknight. The general method is this: broccoli and peas get a quick boil, then are drained and rinsed, and mixed with the glue that holds these fritters together (aka eggs, flour, shredded cheddar, and spices), then scooped into balls and sautéed until crisp.
Up until this week I wasn’t following a recipe, just my instincts. They’ve led me to use cauliflower instead of broccoli (good, but slightly less flavorful and they look kind of like chicken meatballs, which is a weird optical illusion), flax instead of eggs (not a good idea since they’re a gummy, flaxy mush this way), other flours besides whole wheat (oat flour was pretty good, almond flour wasn’t quite enough structure), other cheeses like shredded parmesan or Colby Jack and super finely crumbled feta (all good choices), and even some nutritional yeast and miso paste (for a cheesy tasting but completely cheese-free version) instead of cheese.
My cooking instincts have led me to chop the broccoli into the tiniest pieces humanly possible (okay, not really, but you do want ’em pretty small), and to even use my hands to roughly smash up the peas. They’ve led me to pull out the food processor so I didn’t need to finely chop or smash anything, but then led me to put it back away because my instincts usually tell me that fewer dishes are better. They’ve had me sautéing onions and garlic to add into the mix, but then directed me straight to the jar of garlic powder in the cabinet because sometimes speed is the name of the game at dinner time. They’ve led me to roll the fritters in panko breadcrumbs before sautéing and they’ve also led me to burn the breadcrumbs and fill the kitchen with smoke (hey, I never said my instincts could be trusted 100% of the time).
After all of this instinctual cooking, here’s what I’ve learned: broccoli, suspended in an eggy, cheesy, flour-thickened, slightly baking powder-risen mixture, rises above the requisite green vegetable side dish and turns into a meal all on it’s own. It somehow becomes whimsical and exciting to eat as a meal, despite the fact that it is, after all, a pile of broccoli and peas on a plate.
Speaking of which, the peas help add a little sweetness and bulk to these fritters- plus, we just really love frozen peas around here- and an added boost of plant-based protein that’s very much welcome when you’re making a meal out of vegetables (psst- I place no value in the number of grams of anything in a meal, but I calculated the protein in these, just for fun, and found the entire batch to have upwards of 60g, so we’re looking at a solid serving of protein here, if that’s something you’re into).
Kevin eats them as is (no surprise from the man who eats sandwiches dry, with absolutely nothing spread on the bread- *shudder*), whereas I’ve been known to dip them into something like ketchup, mustard, mayo, honey mustard, garlic-herb yogurt, barbecue sauce, hot sauce or some combination thereof (clearly I’ve never met a condiment I don’t love) though truly, these crispy little broccoli nuggets need nothing to make them excellent.
They’re sufficient to turn into a meal all on their own, but we’ve been treating them like the main course on a traditional meat-and-potatoes kind of plate. Broccoli fritters take center stage with side of something like roasted or smashed potatoes, baked beans, salad, or pasta. In this case, the recipe easily serves four for dinner (or, two for dinner with lunch leftovers for the next day, in our 2-person household). On nights when we’re particularly rushed or just looking for something quick and completely uncomplicated, the entire batch fills up the two of us, easily. Just pile your plate with broccoli tots and you’re good to go.
Whether you’re in the market for some veggie-loaded recipes in your arsenal for easy weeknight dinners, or just like the idea of adding the phrase ‘broccoli tots’ to your weekly dinner list, these Broccoli, Cheddar, and Green Pea Fritters are for you. They’re quick, easy, fun to eat, and oh-so satisfying.
Us adult are loving them, but my instincts tell me they’d be totally kid-approved too, were you in the business of feeding children. I have plans to test them out on my 3-year old niece this weekend, so I will report back with toddler approval ratings as soon as possible.
In the mean time, try them out and let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram.
Broccoli, Cheddar, & Green Pea Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 large broccoli crown to yield 3 cups, finely diced
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour**
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil for cooking the fritters
Instructions
- 1. Fill a medium-sized pot halfway with water and bring to a boil on the stove.
- 2. While water boils, break the broccoli into flourettes and very finely dice the tender stems and tops, measuring out the broccoli until you've reached 3 cups.
- 3. Add broccoli and peas to boiling water, and cook for 4 minutes, then drain and run under cold water. Let sit in the colander in the sink to allow excess liquid to drip off the broccoli and peas.
- 4. Put all remaining ingredients, except oil for cooking, into a mixing bowl, then add the broccoli and peas and mix well to fully combine. You should have a thick, sticky mixture.
- 5. Put a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. While the skillet warms, use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to portion out approximately 2-Tablespoon sized balls. Use your hands to compress them into circles, though don't worry if they just barely hold together. The melting cheese and baking powder will help them stick when cooking.
- 6. Add oil to your hot skillet, then gently transfer all 16 fritters. to the pan (if they'll all fit- if not, cook in two batches). Cook for 3 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown, flipping once to fully brown both sides. Serve immediately.
- 7. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and taste best if re-crisped in a pan with a drizzle of oil before serving.
Notes
**All-purpose flour or regular whole wheat both work interchangeably here, as should a gluten-free blend, if needed. I've tested them with oat flour, which also worked well! I haven't had success with alternate flours like coconut, almond, or flax in these fritters.