A healthy and delicious snack idea! These baked broccoli bites are so easy to make thanks to frozen broccoli rice.
Want to learn how to turn vegetables into a yummy snack your kids will love?
Simply toss frozen broccoli rice with shredded cheddar, egg, flour, and seasoning to make these oven baked crispy little bites of heaven! It’s basically like turning broccoli cheese soup into crispy finger food. My family loves to eat them fresh and hot right out of the oven with a little bit of ranch dressing for dipping.
You can also make these broccoli cheese bites with frozen cauliflower rice.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 (10oz) bag frozen broccoli or cauliflower rice (or a combination)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons flour (white flour or almond flour)
- seasoning to taste such as salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Microwave the broccoli rice according to the package instructions and then dump it into a fine strainer over your sink. Let it cool for a few minutes and then squeeze and drain out as much excess liquid as possible.
Mix the strained broccoli rice with an egg, 2 cups of shredded cheese, 2 tablespoons of flour, and seasoning to taste until well combined. I use salt, pepper, and lots of garlic powder.
Make small balls with the batter and place them onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave some space in-between so you can smash them into patties. I was able to get about 16 broccoli bites with this recipe.
Smash each broccoli ball with your hands to flatten them out a bit. This will make them extra crispy because you’re eliminating the squishy middle! Now, bake them in a 400° F oven for 15 minutes, use a spatula to flip them over, and then continue baking for 8-10 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown.
I couldn’t believe how awesome these turned out! You get that crispy, toasty cheese flavor in every bite, and your kids will have no idea they are loaded with nutritious veggies. These baked broccoli bites can be served as a snack with ranch for dipping, or even a healthy yet tasty side dish for dinner.
Helpful Tips
- Freshly shredded cheddar works best for this recipe because the bagged cheese has additives that change the texture and flavor, however I’m sure the pre-shredded cheese would work okay in a pinch.
- You can use white flour or almond flour for this recipe! Almond flour has fiber and protein, making these broccoli bites lower in carbs and even more nutritious.
- Frozen broccoli rice isn’t available at every grocery store, but I’ve always been able to find the broccoli and cauliflower combination. You can also use just cauliflower rice to achieve a very similar outcome. Broccoli and cauliflower are basically twins in the vegetable world!
- A 10 ounce bag of frozen broccoli or cauliflower rice contains approximately 3.5 cups of rice.
- Season these yummy broccoli bites however you’d like with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, or even creole seasoning for a little spice.
Crispy Broccoli Cheese Bites
Ingredients
- 1 (10oz) bag frozen broccoli or cauliflower rice (about 3.5 cups)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar *see notes
- 2 tbsp white flour or almond flour
- seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Microwave the frozen broccoli rice according to the package instructions and then dump it into a fine strainer over your sink. Let it cool for a few minutes and then squeeze and drain out as much excess liquid as possible.
- In a medium size bowl, stir to combine the strained broccoli rice, egg, shredded cheddar, flour, and seasoning.
- Use your hands to make approximately 16 small balls with the batter and place them onto your prepared baking sheet. Smash them down a bit to form small patties.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then use a spatula to flip them over. Continue baking for 8-10 more minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
- Serve alone or with ranch dressing for dipping!
Notes
- Freshly shredded cheddar works best for this recipe because the bagged cheese has additives that change the texture and flavor, however I'm sure the pre-shredded cheese would work okay in a pinch.
- You can use white flour or almond flour for this recipe! Almond flour has fiber and protein, making these broccoli bites lower in carbs and even more nutritious.
- Frozen broccoli rice isn’t available at every grocery store, but I’ve always been able to find the broccoli and cauliflower combination. You can also use just cauliflower rice to achieve a very similar outcome. Broccoli and cauliflower are basically twins in the vegetable world!
- Any seasoning can be used for this recipe. Make them your way based on your family's preferences. You could even toss in some creole seasoning for added spice.
Don’t forget to pin and save this healthy snack idea for later! 🙂
