Baked Cheesy Broccoli Fritters

I had a difficult time deciding what to label this recipe as. Can you call a food a fritter if it hasn't been fried? I say you can. These baked cheesy broccoli fritters are delicious and can be used in so many different ways. I love eating them on their own, dipped in marinara, over rice, over pasta, mixed in with veggies, and you get the picture.

These fritters come together easily with fresh broccoli florets, parmesan cheese, eggs, minced garlic, and breadcrumbs to hold it all together. Even better, they crisp up nicely when baked in the oven without all of the extra calories and fats from frying oil.

I like to make a big batch of these and spend the week eating them in all of their glorious fashions. As a kid who avoided all green foods for a majority of my life, this is a major endorsement. These are a permanent addition to my recipe book.

Ingredients 

2 bunches of fresh broccoli (or a 16ounce bag of frozen)

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (I prefer to use Italian)

3 large eggs

1 handful of shredded parmesan cheese

1tbsp minced garlic

2tsp salt

2tsp black pepper

1tbsp garlic powder

2tsp onion powder

Preheat your oven to 400°

If you are using fresh broccoli, rinse the broccoli well and remove the stems. Cut the broccoli into bite sized pieces. 

If you have a steamer, place the broccoli in and allow it to steam. If you are using frozen broccoli, prepare it according to the directions on the package and drain it well.

If you do not have a steamer, fill a large pan or pot with 1/4 cup of water and bring it to boil. When the water boils, place your broccoli in the pan, cover it with a lid and allow it to steam for 4 minutes.

If a microwave better suits your needs for steaming, WikiHow has a great article on how to steam broccoli without a steamer.

Set the broccoli aside and allow it to cool for a few minutes. After it has cooled, place the broccoli in a food processor or a blender in batches and chop until you have fine pieces.

In a large bowl, mix the chopped broccoli with the rest of the ingredients. As you mix the ingredients they should begin to hold in a dough-like consistency. If your mix isn't holding, add 1 more egg and 1/4 of breadcrumbs. You should be able to fold the mixture into a patty that holds its shape.

Create broccoli patties from the mixture and place them on a lightly greased non-stick pan. Arrange the patties on the pan 1"-2" apart until you have used all of the mixture. The thickness of the patties is left open to your preference. I like mine on the thin side because they crisp up better. If you are making thicker patties, add 2minutes baking time to each side.

Place your baking pans into the oven and allow them to cook for 30minutes, flipping the patties halfway through. Flipping the patties halfway through allows both sides to crisp up and bakes the fritters through evenly.

Place your baked cheesy broccoli fritters on a plate and enjoy. I love adding a light coating of marinara sauce to bring out the flavor of the Italian breadcrumbs. These fritters will last well in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freezing them is not recommended.