Description
These Baked Broccoli Cheese Balls are a delicious and healthy snack or appetizer featuring soft cooked broccoli, sharp cheese, and fragrant seasonings. Baked until golden and slightly crisp, these bite-sized balls are paired perfectly with a tangy garlic lemon yogurt sauce for dipping. Naturally vegetarian and perfect for meal prep, these make a tasty, nutritious option for both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Broccoli Cheese Balls
- 2 cups (packed) roughly chopped soft cooked broccoli (well drained) (~400g/13 oz raw broccoli)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Colby or Tasty cheese)
- 2 shallots/scallions, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil spray
For the Garlic Lemon Yoghurt Sauce
- 2/3 cup plain yoghurt
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (adjust to taste, depending on yoghurt’s fat %)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 200C/390F. Line a baking tray with baking or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the Broccoli Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cooked and chopped broccoli, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, shredded cheese, sliced shallots, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly, mashing the broccoli slightly as you go to help form a cohesive mixture.
- Form the Balls: Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mixture, press it firmly, then shape into a ball with your hands. Place each ball onto the prepared tray. Continue until all the mixture is used; you should have about 15–18 balls.
- Bake: Spray the balls lightly with olive oil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the surface is golden and slightly crisp.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the balls are baking, mix all sauce ingredients (yoghurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl. Let the sauce sit for at least 20 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Serve: Serve the broccoli cheese balls warm with garlic lemon yoghurt sauce for dipping. They’re also tasty with ketchup.
Notes
- The recipe can be made with fresh or frozen broccoli. If using fresh, one large or two medium heads are ideal. Cook broccoli until soft to ensure easy mashing and shaping.
- To chop and cook fresh broccoli: cut florets from the head, break into medium pieces, slice thinner stem into 1-inch pieces. Boil/steam stems for 2 minutes, then add florets and cook 3 minutes until soft. Drain thoroughly.
- Storage: Cooled balls can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or oven. These also freeze well; thaw and reheat at 180C/350F for about 5 minutes.
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute breadcrumbs with 3/4 cup almond meal.
- Make-ahead tip: Form balls and refrigerate uncooked. Bake when ready (do not freeze uncooked balls).
- Nutrition info is for 1/3 of the recipe (meal-sized serving for 1 adult). Gluten-free version is slightly higher in calories, lower in carbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 262g
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: (Not specified, typically around 5-8g per serving from broccoli and yoghurt sauce)
- Sodium: (Not specified, estimated around 550mg per serving depending on cheese/salt)
- Fat: (Not specified, estimated around 22g per serving with regular cheese)
- Saturated Fat: (Not specified, estimated around 7g per serving)
- Unsaturated Fat: (Not specified, estimated around 13g per serving)
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: (Not specified, approx. 4-7g per serving from broccoli and panko)
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: (Not specified, estimated around 110mg per serving from eggs/cheese)
