These easy, cheeky, cheesy broccoli bites are so good. In fact, they’re one of the best ways to prepare broccoli. Steamed or boiled broccoli might be healthy but it’s also… well, not very exciting.
You could roast your broccoli but the delicate florets tend to get too crispy before the stalks are even cooked through. And then you have grilling, but nobody’s going to fire up the BBQ just to cook broccoli.
That’s why the following recipe is so good. You have all the flavor (and nutrients) of broccoli as well as cheese, crispy panko breadcrumbs, eggs, and flour. Throw in some salt and pepper and frying oil and you have everything you need to make them.
A delicious side dish for anything from fried chicken to steak or pork chops, these easy cheesy broccoli balls deliver plenty of flavor in every bite. Also, if you have issues getting the kids to eat their vegetables, they won’t even notice there’s broccoli in these!
Why You’ll Love the Recipe:
Considering vegetables are an important part of the meal, delivering vitamins and minerals, it’s always nice to find new ways to prepare them. Combining broccoli with cheese and crispy panko is a touch of genius and even the fussiest, most staunch veggie-server will devour these!
How to Serve Them:
Pair these cheesy broccoli bites with any kind of meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. They go with just about everything.
Ingredients:
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- Broccoli florets steamed and chopped finely
- Velveeta cheese chopped finely
- Colby cheese shredded
- Panko bread crumbs
- Cheddar cheese shredded
- Eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour
- Oil for frying
How to make Broccoli Cheese Balls:
Step 1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the broccoli, velveeta, colby cheese, cheddar cheese, ¼ cup panko crumbs, red pepper flakes, 1 egg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir together.
Step 2. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls, and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 3. Chill for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Remove the balls from the fridge.
Step 5. Place the flour in one shallow bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs and place into another shallow bowl, and add the remaining panko crumbs to a third shallow bowl.
Step 6. Heat the oil for frying to 375 degrees in a deep-sided pot or skillet.
Step 7. Roll the broccoli cheese balls in the flour, dip them into the egg, and coat them in the panko crumbs.
Make sure you roll them well.
Step 8. Fry the balls until golden brown.
Drain on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.
Knowing how to make vegetables appealing is a skill not everyone has mastered but whether you have fussy vegetable-hating kids to please or you simply want to try a new broccoli side dish, this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for.
Broccoli Cheese Balls
Ingredients
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 ½ C. Broccoli florets steamed and chopped finely
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese chopped finely
- 1 C. Colby cheese shredded
- 2 ¼ C. Panko bread crumbs
- 1 C. Cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 Large eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ C. Flour
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the broccoli, velveeta, colby cheese, cheddar cheese, ¼ cup panko crumbs, red pepper flakes, 1 egg and salt and pepper to taste.
- Form the mixture into 1 inch balls, and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Remove the balls from the fridge.
- Place the flour in one shallow bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs and place into another shallow bowl, and add the remaining panko crumbs to a third shallow bowl.
- Heat the oil for frying to 375 degrees in a deep sided pot or skillet.
- Roll the broccoli cheese balls in the flour, then dip into the egg, and finally coat in the panko crumbs.
- Fry the balls until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel lined plate before serving.
PIN FOR LATER 🙂
Can You Make Them Ahead?
They need to be chilled for a while before being cooked, so you can prepare them ahead until that stage and then continue later with the recipe.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.
Variations and Substitutions:
You can play around with the basic recipe, using any type of cheese you want. You can also use plain or seasoned breadcrumbs in place of the panko. Another idea would be subbing cauliflower for the broccoli.
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