Delicious Broccoli Bites: A Tasty Twist on Classic Tater Tots

Ingredients

• A bag of tender broccoli florets, weighing 12 ounces,
• Two teaspoons of sea salt, divided for a balanced seasoning,
• A generous ¾ cup of finely shredded Cheddar cheese for that gooey goodness,
• Half a cup of crispy panko breadcrumbs for a delightful crunch,
• A third cup of minced onion to enhance the flavors,
• One large egg to bind all the ingredients together,
• Two tablespoons of freshly chopped parsley for a burst of freshness,
• Two cloves of garlic, grated for a punch of flavor,
• A hint of ground cumin, just a teaspoon,
• Half a teaspoon of ground black pepper for a touch of heat,
• Two tablespoons of olive oil, or to taste, for a touch of richness.

Step 1

Begin by preheating your oven to a toasty 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) while you prepare your workspace by lining a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.

Step 2

Start by pulsing half of the fresh broccoli florets in a food processor until they resemble tiny grains of rice, repeating the process with the remaining florets.

Step 3

Next, take a large, shallow saucepan and fill it with about 1/2 inch of water, seasoning it with a teaspoon of salt for flavor. Allow the water to reach a boil before reducing the heat to low and gently adding the broccoli rice. Cover the pan and let the mixture simmer until tender, which should take roughly 5 minutes. Afterwards, drain the broccoli and allow it to cool for approximately 10 minutes.

Step 4

Once the broccoli rice has cooled, transfer it to the center of a clean dish towel and firmly squeeze and twist the towel to eliminate excess moisture.

Step 5

In a spacious bowl, combine Cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, onion, egg, parsley, garlic, cumin, and black pepper, blending them thoroughly. Integrate the broccoli rice into this flavorful mix until it binds together seamlessly.

Step 6

Using a small ice cream scoop, gather 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture and shape it into tots, forming them into a neat ball and then pressing them gently into the desired tot shape with oiled hands. Place each tot on the prepared baking sheet, repeating the process until you've used up all the mixture.

Step 7

To enhance the flavor, drizzle a bit of olive oil over the broccoli tots and sprinkle an additional teaspoon of salt on top.

Step 8

Pop the baking sheet into the preheated oven, remembering to turn the tots halfway through the baking process with tongs to ensure they achieve a lovely golden brown color. This should take around 24 minutes in total. Enjoy your delicious homemade broccoli tots!