Broccoli Poppers Recipe (2024)

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Broccoli Poppers Recipe (1)

By Natalie Monson

Published on January 14, 2015

31 Comments

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My kids actually truly love broccoli. I can pretty much serve it anyway except for raw and they will eat it. But for those of you whose kids struggle with eating broccoli, you may have to get a little more creative to get them to try it. These broccoli poppers are gooey and cheesy on the inside, with a crunch on the outside and make eating broccoli super delicious. A great alternative to spicy fried jalapeno poppers!

Begin with your broccoli. You can use fresh or frozen, but I prefer fresh because there is less water. You will eventually have to squeeze out the water, whether you use fresh or frozen,so it is totally up to you what type of broccoli you use. Either with a food processor or a knife, chop your broccoli into super tiny pieces. Next, steam your broccoli for a couple minutes until tender. Then squeeze out the water. Add the rest of your ingredients to your bowl, and mix. ThisBroccoli Poppers Recipe calls for cheddar cheese, but you can use any kind you want. This round we used 1/2 Parmesan and 1/2 Mozzarella. I kind of prefer the stronger taste of cheddar though. Scoop out tablespoon size balls of the mixture and roll in Panko. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or sprayed. Bake until golden and crispy.

We like to dip these in homemade ranch but they are yummy just by themselves. They make a great appetizer, or even a side dish to your meal. These would be yummy served with a pasta dish, or a slow cookermeal.

Broccoli definitely has a unique flavor that can take some acquiring to if your kids don’t like it. We believe it is important to serve vegetables in different forms, because you never know what your kids will love. These broccoli bites are another yummy way to serve broccoli. They may not like steamed broccoli or raw broccoli, but they may love roasted broccoli or broccoli poppers!

Broccoli Poppers Recipe (7)

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3.4 from 79 votes

Broccoli Poppers

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Calories: 207kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place broccoli in a food processor and pulse into tiny peices. (You can also chop with a knife)

  • Steam your broccoli for 2-3 minutesuntil tender.

  • Squeeze out the excess water by pressing on the broccoli with a towel. Transfer to a bowl.

  • Add the rest of your ingredients to you bowl except for Panko, and mix.

  • Scoop out tablespoon size balls of the mixture and roll in Panko. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or sprayed.

  • Bake at 350 degrees F, for 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.

  • Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 283mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

www.superhealthykids.com

Broccoli Poppers Recipe (8)
Broccoli Poppers Recipe (9)

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

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31 Comments

Would a flax egg work in place of the egg in this recipe?

Reply

Yes that should work fine.

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These look so fun! It’s so true that you need to keep trying serving vegetables in different forms. My oldest will only eat raw broccoli, while my youngest will eat it sautéed or roasted, but not raw! It’s never easy, right? 😉

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Just popped these in the oven – hoping for a thumbs-up after school snack!

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do these freeze well if you wanted to make ahead

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We have never frozen them, but if you try it let us know how it turns out!

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Im in chch nz, where wld ubuy panko and what is it? Any”substitutes?

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Panko is dry, fine breadcrumbs made without the crust. You could substitute regular fine breadcrumbs.

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I bet these would freeze very well! I cannot wait to try these & I am sure my girls will love rolling them in Panko for me! Thank you for your work!

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As the mom of a toddler who’s vegetarian, this is a great option to expand his diet. Love it! Healthy, vegetarian and fit!

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Hi – could I replace the cheese with something?
I don’t want to give my daughter cheese.

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I’m not sure anything else would turn out the same. If you experiment, let us know what works for you!

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When does the Egg come into the recipe, it’s not stated??? Please n thank y!

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Did you read step #4?

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Egg is included in #4: Add the rest of your ingredients to you bowl except for Panko, and mix.

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Martha Vargas: I’m assuming in step 4, where it says combine all other ingrediants except panko.
I’m going to give these a try this afternoon!! Sounds delicious!!!! 😀

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Yep! You are right!

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Also curious about the egg, where does that go?

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You are all right – it goes in step 4 with the rest of the ingredients. Thanks!

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Do we need to use Panko? Is there any replacement, because I think where I live do not sell Panko.

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kezia – you can definitely use bread crumbs. Panko just makes it a little more crunchy, but it will turn out fine with bread crumbs 🙂

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I made these tonight. I used seasoned panko and also added salt, pepper and a little cayenne to the mixture (used extra sharp white cheddar for the cheese). I’m glad I added the extra stuff, because I still found them to be a little bland. I will definitely make again though. May try with cauliflower as well, though I suspect it will be wetter than the broccoli.

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Do you need to steam the broccoli?

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Yes, you steam it after it is chopped.

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how many servings does this recipe make?

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It makes about 30 poppers depending on the size of scoop you use 🙂

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Nutritional Facts?
Serving size?
Calories?
Protein Grams?
Fat Grams?

Reply

All the recipes we add to our membership site has the calories, fat, carbs, fiber, and sugar. You can see more details here:
https://www.superhealthykids.com/meal-plan-memberships/
The other recipes we post for our blog can be calculated at http://nutritiondata.self.com/ Thanks for reading!

Reply

If you chop the broccoli into tiny pieces before you steam it, won’t it fall through the holes in the steamer basket?

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Broccoli Poppers Recipe (10)
Pretty good. The panko taste is a little overpowering. I cooked mine for an extra 5 minutes.

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Broccoli Poppers Recipe (11)

Reply

Broccoli Poppers Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does broccoli take to boil? ›

To boil, place in a pan of boiling water and cook the florets for 6-8 minutes. To steam, place in a steamer over boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Why does my broccoli soup taste bitter? ›

Broccoli contains varying amounts of bitter compounds depending on the type. Standard broccoli is relatively mild in flavor, while Chinese broccoli is slightly more bitter, and broccoli rabe contains the highest level of bitter compounds.

How to prepare broccoli for cooking? ›

Trim and cut the stalk in half, then finely slice it. Once boiling, use a slotted spoon to carefully lower the broccoli into the water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender – you should be able to poke the tip of a knife easily into the florets.

What is the best way to steam broccoli? ›

Place 3/4 to 1 inch of water in a saucepan with a steamer and bring to a boil. (Note that if you don't have a steamer, you can simply put the broccoli directly into an inch of boiling water.) Add broccoli, steam 5 to 6 min: Add the broccoli to the steamer and cover; reduce heat to medium and let cook for 5-6 minutes.

Is it better to boil or cook broccoli? ›

While boiled broccoli is often soggy, steamed broccoli is characteristically crisp-tender. Plus, when you boil broccoli, some of the nutrients leach into the boiling water. You don't have to worry about that with steaming. Your steamed broccoli will be a great meal-prep building block because it's like a blank canvas.

Should broccoli be cooked in boiling water? ›

Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!

Why do you put vinegar in vegetable soup? ›

It may sound a bit strange and unusual for some, but vinegar is a common ingredient in some soup recipes, and there is a good reason for it. If you think about it, vinegar is really a flavor-enhancer (umami). That's why it is so often used in cooking, sauces, and salad dressings.

Why does my broccoli taste weird? ›

Hi Maxine, there can be several reasons why broccoli is bitter, the main one is that it is starting to 'bolt', this is when the plant starts to flower prematurely. Bolting can be caused by temperature fluctuations (hot and cold) or too much heat, broccoli are a cool weather crop.

Why does my broccoli smell bad but taste fine? ›

Broccoli cut into florets releases sulforaphane—a compound found in many cruciferous vegetables that can give off a strong odor. If the odor is mild, your broccoli is still probably OK. Any odors that smell especially strong are a sign that the broccoli is past its peak.

Why put broccoli in ice water before cooking? ›

Blanching is a cooking process that removes the harsh, bitter taste of raw broccoli while setting its bright green color. You start by boiling raw broccoli florets for just a few minutes, then plunging the florets into an ice bath.

Should you cover broccoli when cooking? ›

Once oil is shimmering, add broccoli and cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Cover and continue cooking, lifting lid to stir every 1 to 2 minutes to prevent burning, until crisp-tender and lightly charred, about 7 to 8 minutes total. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Why do you soak broccoli in salt water? ›

Immediatley before cooking, soak your broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 tsp salt to 8 cups water) for 5 minutes. Any critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death.

Is microwaving broccoli better than steaming? ›

Is it better to steam or microwave broccoli? Microwaving is a safe way to cook broccoli and requires less time than steaming. Microwaving is also thought to preserve the nutrients in vegetables most effectively.

What is the healthiest way to cook broccoli? ›

Before serving on a relish tray or salad, quickly blanching and cooling allows you to get even a bit more of these compounds. When you want cooked broccoli, steaming or very brief microwaving are excellent choices.

How long to steam broccoli on the stove? ›

Bring one inch of water to boil in a pot. Add a steamer basket to the pot. Place the broccoli florets on the steamer basket and reduce the heat to medium. Add a lid and steam for 5 to 6 minutes.

How do you know when broccoli is boiled? ›

Cook for 3 minutes until crisp-tender. If you like a softer texture, you can boil it for another 2 minutes. Learn how long to boil broccoli to make this healthy and nutritious vegetable with slightly crunchy texture and bright green color. If you wish to retain its nutrition , don't cook over 5 minutes .

How do you know when broccoli is fully cooked? ›

Boil for about 5 minutes and test a piece of broccoli to see if it's cooked enough for you. You can eat broccoli at any level of doneness from raw to baby-food-soft. It's all up to your personal taste. Once the broccoli is cooked to your taste, drain it and serve immediately.

How do you boil broccoli without cutting it? ›

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Stick broccoli florets in pot leaving the stalk sticking out. Let boil for 5 minutes.

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