This Cheesy Broccoli Fritters recipe is a super easy and fun way to eat your veggies! Broccoli and cheddar cheese are a classic combo and when they are made into these fritters, even picky eaters will enjoy eating there veggies!
As big fans of the classic, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, we love a good cheesy broccoli combo in a recipe, I’ve always loved broccoli but it really doesn’t get any tastier than when it’s paired with cheese. These fritters definitely deliver on cheesy flavor while simultaneously providing healthy nutrients through the broccoli. A great way to get those picky eaters to eat more veggies!
This Cheesy Broccoli Fritters recipe is actually based on my favorite Zucchini Fritter recipe with a few modifications. Like my Zucchini fritters, they’re tasty, quick and super easy to make which is a bonus too! They also reheat well which makes them awesome for meal prep.
While I often fry these fritters up, they can also be baked for a lower-calorie option.
Any way you make them, they are a delicious appetizer, snack or even side dish to your meal.
Ingredients in Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
- Broccoli: finely chopped. You can do this by hand or take a short cut by pulsing it in your food processor a few times until it’s finely chopped.
- Onion
- Cheese: both shredded cheddar cheese and grated Parmesan cheese are added to these fritters to make them extra cheesy!
- Eggs: helps bind the fritters together so they do not fall apart.
- Panko breadcrumbs: I love using panko breadcrumbs in my fritters but if you don’t have them, you can also use regular breadcrumbs.
- Flour
- Herbs and seasoning: fresh parsley, salt and black pepper.
- Oil: for frying. Use an oil with a high smoke point that is safer for frying like a vegetable oil. If you are opting to bake these instead, I recommend using olive oil to brush onto your fritters.
**Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.**
How to make Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
- Chop the veggies. Place the broccoli and onion in a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped. If you do not have one, you can finely chop the broccoli and onion.
- Form the fritters. Mix the broccoli with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. Form into balls about the size of a clementine and then press down to form patties. [If the mixture seems to wet, add a little more breadcrumbs. If it is too dry and won’t hold its shape, add another egg].
- Fry them. Heat oil (about a quarter inch deep or enough to cover at least halfway up the fritter) in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a few fritters to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook for a few minutes or until it begins to turn a nice golden brown and then flip to cook the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining patties. [Note: See below for baking instructions.]
Making healthier baked Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
These babies are loaded with veggies, which to me, means they are healthy. That said, they are also fried which definitely adds calories to the recipe. You can easily avoid this by baking them instead or by “frying” them in your air fryer.
To bake these fritters instead, follow these instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the patties on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes and then flip. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Note: you can reduce the bake time by forming smaller patties.
Tips to make the easiest Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
These fritters are really super simple to make but there are a few things I do to simplify the process even more.
Tip #1: Use a food processor if you have one! Honestly, prepping these fritters is an absolute breeze with the use of this kitchen appliance.
Tip #2: Use an ice cream scoop to help size your fritters. Honestly, I use my ice cream scoop more often to portion out fritters or muffins than I do actual ice cream. It really is the best way to get a uniform size for your fritters.
Tip #3: Test out one fritter before frying them all up. This is the best way to check your seasonings and adjust it before its too late. You can also do this with just a mini fritter to see how it tastes. Feel free to adjust the seasonings or add in your favorite herbs and spices to change things up. Red pepper flakes are great for added spice.
Tip #4: Serve it these babies up with a good dip! My favorite is to serve these up with ranch dressing but feel free to use your favorite dip (or even no dip at all).
Storing leftovers and reheating
Once cooled completely, broccoli fritters can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
To reheat them, you can heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat and add the fritters, cooking them on both sides on medium to medium-low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, you can place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them at 350F until warmed through.
Can you freeze Cheesy Broccoli Fritters?
Yes, you can definitely freeze these broccoli fritters. You can freeze both cooked and uncooked patties.
To freeze uncooked fritters, form the patties and then place them between pieces of parchment paper to prevent the patties from touching and freezing together. Place the covered patties in an freezer safe container or a freezer bag. When you are ready to cook them, thaw in the fridge overnight.
To freeze cooked patties, place the patties in a freezer safe bag or container with parchment paper between layers. To reheat cooked patties, you can place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350F until heated through. You can do this with or without thawing them.
Once baked, enjoy as is or add your favorite dipping sauce.
I hope you enjoy these fritters as much as we do!
-Cathy
You may also like:
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini & Corn Fritters
Corn Fritters
Baked Zucchini Feta Fritters
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli finely chopped (1 large or two small broccoli heads)
- 1/4 onion
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/3 cup Parmesan grated
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- oil, for frying or baking If frying use an oil suitable for frying such as vegetable oil. If baking, use olive oil to brush on before baking.
Instructions
- Place the broccoli and onion in a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped. If you do not have one, you can finely chop the broccoli and onion.
- Mix the broccoli with all the other ingredients in a large bowl. Form into balls about the size of a clementine and then press down to form patties. [If the mixture seems to wet, add a little more breadcrumbs. If it is too dry and won’t hold its shape, add another egg].
To fry:
- Heat oil (about a quarter inch deep or enough to cover at least halfway up the fritter) in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a few fritters to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook for a few minutes or until it begins to turn a nice golden brown and then flip to cook the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Repeat with remaining patties.
To bake:
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the patties on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for approximately 20 minutes and then flip. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Note: you can reduce the bake time by forming smaller patties.
Notes
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
