I am excited to share another savory recipe with you! I mean, I love these peanut butter and jelly energy balls (link-they are the perfect mix of sweet and salty!), and this frozen yogurt bark (link). Oh! And I cannot forget my favorite banana bread recipe…this maple tahini flax banana bread. ? However, it’s been quite a few weeks since we’ve last had a savory recipe around here (I believe it was this southwest quiche).
A few months ago (it takes me quite awhile from the time I test a recipe to the time it eventually shows up on the blog!), I was in the mood to make these Italian zucchini fritters, but alas, in early April there was no zucchini to be found in our garden (which wasn’t even planted until May). I decided we needed a vegetable fritter recipe that uses a more versatile veggie…and I happened to have a ton of broccoli on hand that week (honestly can’t even remember why…), so broccoli fritters it was!
To be honest, since broccoli and zucchini have such different taste/texture/water concentration I wasn’t at all sure how these fritters would turn out. But I was quite pleased with the results! In fact, I learned two new methods of cooking fritters that honestly were SO much easier AND tastier than frying!! I’ll share more about that in a minute…but first, let’s talk about the ingredients!
Broccoli Fritter Ingredients
Broccoli
Obviously, you’re going to need broccoli for broccoli fritters. If you are looking to use up some leftover garden zucchini, check out these zucchini fritters! I blanched the broccoli first, to make it a softer texture and ensure it was cooked. This is an extra step you don’t have to do when making zucchini fritters, as zucchini has a MUCH higher water content and different texture than broccoli. All you have to do to blanch the broccoli is chop it up, put it boiling water, and set the timer for 2 minutes! Then simply pour the broccoli into a colander/strainer to drain out the water and run cold water over the broccoli to cool it and stop the cooking process.
I’ve actually only tried this recipe using fresh broccoli, but honestly, now that I think about it, I think this would be a great recipe to use frozen cooked broccoli too!
Egg
An egg is needed to help bind all the ingredients together. I don’t have any substitution ideas. You can TRY subbing in a flax egg for a vegan version, but please note I haven’t tried this method and I have a feeling the fritters wouldn’t stick together as well.
Cheddar cheese
While feta cheese (like in these zucchini fritters and this salad), is HANDS DOWN my all-time favorite cheese, you can’t beat the classic combination of cheddar cheese and broccoli! See here and here for more delicious examples of broccoli and cheddar together!
I always prefer buying a block of sharp cheddar cheese and grating it myself with a cheese grater, as I find the taste AND texture to be 10000X better and more fresh than the pre-shredded cheese you can buy. That being said, you can still use pre-shredded cheese, and it doesn’t have to be cheddar. You can try mozzarella or Colby jack, but the cheesy flavor will likely be more mild. Parmesan or gouda also sound like a good idea!
Garlic
Love using fresh garlic (or garlic paste) for a stronger garlic flavor! You can sub ½-1 teaspoon of garlic powder though if that’s all you have on hand.
Salt and Pepper
To season and bring all the flavors together! I mean, these hardly count as ingredients though…
Panko bread crumbs or coconut flour
I’m excited to let you know that I have tested two different options here! Panko (Japanese style crispy breadcrumbs found right next to regular breadcrumbs in the grocery store) are a delicious option. But just like with my zucchini fritters, I also tested a gluten/grain free option using coconut flour! Coconut flour is EXTREMELY absorbent and unique compared to other flavors, so I don’t suggest subbing another type of flour in it’s place. Honestly, my husband and I loved both versions (panko and coconut flour), so you really can’t go wrong here! We didn’t have a strong preference for one over the other.
How to Cook Broccoli Fritters
Ah, so not only did I recipe test different ingredients in these fritters, I also experimented with finding the best way to cook them! I found that (surprisingly), frying was by far our LEAST favorite method with both taste, texture, and ease of cooking. The fried version fell apart and didn’t seem cooked through. However, I did find two other methods that both turned out great!
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Version: Before Picture
Air Fryer Version: After Picture
One option (if you have one) is to cook these in an air-fryer! I cooked these in my air fryer for 12-15 minutes at 360 degrees F (that version is also labeled above; you can see it’s a much darker/crisper version than the baked!).
Oven
Oven Version: Before Picture
Oven Version: After Picture
You can also bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. I’ve labeled the pictures in this post of the baked broccoli fritters.
Air Fryer Version
The air fryer and baked versions were definitely the winners over frying. Both options work great!
Oven Version
- 2 cups chopped broccoli, blanched for 2 minutes until bright green
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, minced/shredded
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs (or 3 tablespoons coconut flour; more as needed to form fritters)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (if using oven version) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add chopped broccoli and blanch (cook) for 2 minutes. The broccoli should turn bright green.
- After 2 minutes, drain broccoli using a strainer/colander and run cold water over the broccoli to stop the cooking process and help cool it.
- Add broccoli and remaining ingredients to a food processor and process until combined. See picture in post for a visual. You don't want to over-process and form a mushy mess, but it does need to be finely chopped enough to stick together and form fritters. You may find at this time you need to add a little more Panko breadcrumbs or coconut flour for the fritters to stick together.
- Form mixture into fritters and place in refrigerator about 15 minutes to help firm up/stick together.
- Then cook in air fryer 12-15 minutes at 360 degrees F or bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Enjoy! We loved these dipped in my honey mustard hummus (recipe on blog!).
Ah interesting! I have to try this recipe for my daughter. So healthy and delicious.
Thank you; hope you both like it! 🙂