Cheesy Quinoa and Broccoli Nuggets

overhead photo of broccoli nuggets in a metal loaf tin with a small white bowl of yogurt dip tucked alongside

Cheesy Quinoa and Broccoli Nuggets

Cheesy Quinoa and Broccoli Nuggets are a healthy and tasty snack, appetizer, or main dish. These veggie nuggets are oven baked, and are freezer friendly if you want to make a big batch.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Veggie Nuggets

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Total Time 50

Servings nuggets

Calories 77kcal

Author Katie Trant

Equipment

Sheet pans

Ingredients

1 bunch broccoli steamed (to yield 2 cups of broccoli pulsed to rice size)
2 cups cooked quinoa from ¾ cup uncooked
4 large eggs
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
Olive oil for brushing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush the parchment paper with olive oil.
Lightly steam the broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling water until it is bright green and tender but not soft. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and drain well.
Transfer the broccoli to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the broccoli is between the size of rice and peas. Alternately, you can do this with a sharp knife on your cutting board. Measure out 2 cups of the broccoli rice and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the cooked quinoa, eggs, shredded cheese, salt and pepper, and stir to combine well.
Stir in the bread crumbs.
Scoop a 1-2 tablespoons of quinoa mixture into your hands (wet hands help with this) and press together to form a nugget.
Arrange the patties on the prepared parchment paper with a little bit of space between them. Brush the tops with a little bit of olive oil.
Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Nutrition values are an estimate only.
This recipe makes about 18 nuggets depending on how big you make them.
To freeze, place in the freezer on a baking tray in a single layer. Once they're frozen you can pop them into a freezer bag and they'll be good for about 3 months.
For gluten-free nuggets, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Nutrition