Healthy Broccoli Cheese Patties

These nutritious broccoli patties are made using raw broccoli rice and a moderate amount of cheese.  Ready in under 20 minutes, they make a delicious snack or appetizer.

These broccoli patties are made using broccoli rice, cauliflower rice’s less popular cousin.  Both are made by blitzing until they turn into a crumbly mixture (more on that below).  Both are equally easy to make and equally delicious.  Broccoli rice, however, comes with the added bonus of having a bright green colour.

What’s more, this colour remains bright green even after cooking!  It certainly does in this broccoli patties recipe. 

Why this recipe works

Broccoli rice not only retains its vibrant green colour in cooking, it also taste absolutely delicious! Turning broccoli into a crumbly mixture makes it cook very quickly but because the cooking process is brief, these patties have a refreshing flavour, quite different from fully cooked broccoli (even al dente).  Give these broccoli patties a go and see for yourself!

I've also used broccoli rice in vegan broccoli spinach soup as well as creamy pasta and broccoli.

Broccoli patties ingredients

You'll only need a few ingredients to make this broccoli rice recipe. In addition to the broccoli I used mature cheddar cheese as well as a little parmesan and onion granules for more depth of flavour.  I also added 1 egg as well as a small amount of breadcrumbs for binding.  The breadcrumbs also help create a nice crispy finish.  

What part of broccoli is best to use 

Mainly the florets.  Use the thin stems but I don’t recommend using the main thick stem as it’s full of moisture and you don’t want watery patties.  (If you are adding broccoli rice to something like mac and cheese or another recipe with lots of moisture in it it’s perfectly fine to blitz the stem along with the florets).

But don’t discard the stem! It’s delicious raw as a snack or you could roast it and make broccoli dip.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Chop the raw broccoli into chunks, throw in a blender and blitz until the mixture becomes crumbly.  This should take approximately 10 seconds.  Be careful not to overblend and turn the mixture into paste.  You should still be able to see bits of broccoli in it.

1. Broccoli rice.

2. Next, add the cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic and onion granules and blitz again briefly until the mixture starts coming together and becoming sticky.  It should still be grainy.  Do NOT puree until smooth.  Season to taste, then add the egg and breadcrumbs and stir thoroughly.

2. Broccoli rice and cheese mixture ready to turn into patties.

3. Finally, form small fritters and coat in the breadcrumbs.

3. Patties coated in breadcrumbs ready for frying.

Why are my fritters falling apart

This recipe uses egg, breadcrumbs and cheese which together help to bind the mixture and your fritters should hold their shape.  Make sure, however, that they are compact and firm (not loose or disjointed), not too big and have a nice round shape before coating them in the breadcrumbs so do take time when forming them. 

How to cook broccoli fritters with cheese

Give these broccoli cheese cakes plenty of space in the pan.  As they are quite soft it will be easier to turn them over without spoiling their shape.  I recommend using a large flat pancake pan if you’ve got one or a large shallow pan to fry them in.

Heat up about 2 tablespoons of the oil and place the patties in the pan.  Lower the heat and fry on each side for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned.  It is important to cook them over a low heat as they need a bit of time to cook inside without browning too quickly on the outside.  Add a bit of oil once you’ve turned them over.

Top tips and FAQs

• If you have a small blender it is best to work in batches.
• Be careful not to overblend the broccoli mixture.
• Do not overcrowd the frying pan.  Fry these broccoli fritters on a low heat so they have a chance to cook inside without browning too much on the outside.
• I do not recommend using raw onion instead of onion granules as raw onion is full of moisture so you’d need to use more breadcrumbs to bind the mixture (this might impact the flavour).  Onion granules (or onion powder) have an intense flavour, which works really well as raw onion substitute.

Can I use cooked broccoli instead of raw

I am afraid not. This recipe will only work if you use raw broccoli rice, so it is not suitable for using leftover cooked broccoli.  Cooked broccoli would work better combined with mashed potatoes or another starchy binding ingredient.  And it would taste different too!

Serving suggestions

These broccoli cheese patties would go well with a number of dips, including healthy ranch dressing and roasted tomato salsa.  They would pair well with vegan caesar dressing and homemade bbq sauce.  They can be served alongside mashed potatoes or spiced potato wedges as a main.  Or you can enjoy them simply as a snack on their own.  They are delicious hot or cold.

You might also like

• Cauliflower Cheese Patties
• Beetroot and Potato Patties
• Mung Bean Patties with Mushrooms and Cheese
• Sweet Potato Fritters (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Keep in touch!

How have your broccoli patties turned out for you?  Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Healthy Broccoli Cheese Patties

These nutritious broccoli patties are made using raw broccoli rice and a moderate amount of  cheese.  Ready in under 20 minutes, they make a delicious snack or appetizer.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: International, vegetarian

Prep Time: 14 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 10 small patties

Calories: 69kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

• ▢
  Food processor
• ▢
  Large non-stick pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 300 g broccoli florets roughly chopped
• ▢ 70 g mature cheddar cheese coarsely grated
• ▢ 30 g parmesan cheese or another hard cheese, coarsely grated, ensure it's vegetarian
• ▢ 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• ▢ 1 egg lightly beaten
• ▢ ½ tsp onion granules/onion powder
• ▢ 3 tbsp breadcrumbs plus more for coating
• ▢ Fine sea salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ Olive oil for frying approx. 2 tbsp per batch

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

• Make the broccoli rice by blitzing the florets until crumbly, but still quite coarse (about 10 seconds). Do this in batches if you have a small blender.
• Add the cheddar, parmesan, garlic and onion granules and blitz again until the mixtures starts becoming sticky and coming together. This will take a further 10-15 seconds. Be careful not to overblend. The mixture should not be completely smooth. (This step can also be done in batches)
• Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the breadcrumbs and egg and stir thoroughly using the back of a spoon. Form small balls, flatten a little and coat in breadcrumbs.
• Heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, non-stick pan and fry the patties over a low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. It is important not to overcrowd the pan as this can make turning them over tricky. Better to fry them in batches. Serve immediately.

Notes

• If you have a small blender it is best to work in batches.
• Be careful not to overblend the broccoli mixture.  
• Do not overcrowd the frying pan.  Fry these veggie fritters on a low heat so they have a chance to cook inside without browning too much on the outside.
• I do not recommend using raw onion instead of onion granules as raw onion is full of moisture so you’d need to use more breadcrumbs to bind the mixture (this might impact the flavour).  Onion granules (or onion powder) have an intense flavour, which works really well as raw onion substitute.
• This recipe will only work if you use raw broccoli rice, so it is not suitable for using leftover cooked broccoli.  Cooked broccoli would work better combined with mashed potatoes or another starchy binding ingredient.  And it would taste different too!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 304IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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