Broccoli Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) bag broccoli florets
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• ¾ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste

Step 1

Gently heat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take half of the broccoli florets and pulse them in a food processor about 20 times until they look like tiny grains of rice. Do the same with the rest of the broccoli.

Step 2

Pour about half an inch of water into a large shallow pan, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat, add the broccoli rice, cover, and let it simmer gently for around 5 minutes until tender. Drain well and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Once cooled, transfer the broccoli rice onto a clean kitchen towel. Gather the edges and squeeze out as much moisture as you can—this step helps the nuggets hold together better.

Step 4

In a big bowl, mix the cheddar, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, egg, parsley, garlic, cumin, and black pepper. Add the broccoli rice and stir everything until it sticks together when you press it into a ball.

Step 5

Use a small scoop or spoon to portion out about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture. Roll each portion into a ball, then press it gently into a little tot shape using hands lightly coated with oil. Arrange the nuggets on your prepared baking sheet.

Step 6

Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the tots and sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of salt on top. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 24 minutes, turning them halfway through so they get golden and crispy all over. Enjoy!