Broccoli Nuggets
If you are looking for new ways to get some green into your diet or your kids this Broccoli Nuggets Recipe will be perfect. With only five ingredients, it is easy to whip up broccoli cheddar nuggets as a side dish or snack.
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I don’t know about you, but we always have trouble using up leftover cooked veggies. They just don’t taste as good to simply reheat and eat. They really need to be repurposed into another dish. I put them into my Cream Cheese Egg Bake and Air Fryer Omelet Bites a lot, but I was looking for a more versatile use than breakfast food.
I’ve seen so many store-bought versions of veggie nuggets lately, I wanted to try to make some without all the added ingredients and fillers. It’s a nice change-up from just serving a steamed vegetable at dinner time. And if you have leftover broccoli, it is a perfect way to use it up!
This easy recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
Looking for more kid-friendly recipes? Try my Keto Chicken Nuggets or Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza next!
Ingredients
- Broccoli – You need soft-cooked broccoli.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded mild cheddar is our favorite in this recipe.
- Egg – I use egg whites as the binder for these.
- Almond flour – A bit of almond flour helps the nuggets keep their shape.
- Salt – Salt enhances the other flavors.
How to Make Broccoli Nuggets
Step One: Simply, smash the broccoli and then stir in the other ingredients.
Step Two: Scoop the broccoli on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can do this by hand, with a couple of spoons, or with a cookie scoop. Then just form them into a nugget shape.
Step Three: Bake the broccoli nuggets until they are firm and the edges are golden. If you make larger or smaller nuggets, the time will vary, but these are hard to overcook.
Step Four: Serve with your favorite sauce, if desired.
Top Tip💡
These broccoli nuggets are very simple to prep. If you need to cook the broccoli first, either steam it on your stovetop or in the microwave. You can also make these with the steamable bags of frozen broccoli. You want your broccoli on the softer side so that it can be mashed easily.
Variations
- Vegetables – Swap in cauliflower, spinach, or shredded zucchini in place of the broccoli. Or mix it up and use a combination. A bit of shredded carrot, chopped red peppers, or sweet potato would add some color and sweetness.
- Cheese – You can use any variety of shredded cheese in place of the cheddar. We like them with mozzarella and Colby. For a kick, use pepper jack.
- Eggs – In place of the two egg whites, you may use one whole egg. The egg is the binder in this recipe and I don’t know if they would work without it or with a substitute like a flax egg. If you try that, make sure to tell me how they turn out!
Common Questions
Can I make these veggie nuggets into other shapes?
I think you could also make these into cute shapes. The veggie nuggets did hold their shape pretty well. Or bake them in a muffin tin for perfect circles.
Do I have to use almond flour?
Almond flour helps hold these together but if you have a nut allergy you can sub in sunflower seed flour in the amount listed. I have not yet tested these with coconut flour but that should also work. If you would like to use coconut flour 1-2 tablespoons will be plenty.
I hope you and your family enjoy my low carb Broccoli Cheese Nuggets! Check out these Keto Chicken Nuggets next.
Video
Broccoli Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets cooked until soft (fresh or frozen)
- 2 egg whites (or one whole egg)
- 1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mild cheddar blend)
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a potato masher to break up the broccoli into small pieces. Add the other ingredients and mix well.
- Drop 20 scoops onto the prepared baking sheet and press into a nugget shape.
- Bake for 20 min until firm and golden around the edges.
Notes
Nutrition
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Originally Published September 19, 2017. Revised and Republished September 15, 2025.
So easy and so delicious!
Made these during this weekend and I loved them! Kind of hard to stop eating, so be warned! Even my kid likes them, and he’s not very into “green” foods. Definitely a win that I will put in my regular rotation.
I was skeptical as I haven’t made anything like this before but so yummy! I used a flax egg instead of actual egg, and gluten free flour instead of almond flour, and dipped them in mustard. Delicious!
So good..made these for a side dish for supper and they were delicious. Definitely will be keeping these in my supper rotation 😋
What did you dip them in?
Keto bbq sauce: https://joyfilledeats.com/keto-barbecue-sauce/
They are also great in ranch.
What can you use in place of the egg (allergy).
They might hold together enough without it. You could try a flax egg. I haven’t tested these without eggs though. Sorry.
These are amazing! It was hard to stop before eating half of them hot! I have to exercise patience and see if I like them the same directly from the fridge. The recipe is so easy to follow and the results are very tasty! Thank you for another delight that will help me sneak veggies into my toddler’s menu!
I love these! In an effort to cut the fat a little, I tried subbing 1/2 cup (strained if needed) low fat cottage cheese for 1/2 cup cheese. Also added a little black pepper. They had to bake a few extra minutes but, they’re delicious! I like them warm or cold and grab a couple before I head out for my morning walk. Next time, I’m going to try cauliflower or asparagus (diced after cooking). Yum! Thank you!!
So to make these with chicken like your nuggets how can I make them dairy free?
I haven’t tested a dairy free nugget but I’d try using egg, almond flour, and a little coconut cream.
Can you freeze the broccoli nuggets?
Yes
My kids actually love broccoli so this is perfect for our family!
Adding this to my list of “ways to get the kids to eat their veggies”! These were so tasty and everyone loved them. My daughter insisted on dipping them in blue cheese, but I preferred them plain.
OMG we cooked broccoli in the instant pot tonight and it was mush. I said I need a recipe for overcooked broccoli! Well we threw it out half an hour ago and now I see this! LOL
Haha. For instant pot broccoli set the IP to 0.
Hmm.. Would flax meal work in place of almond flour ? I would think so?
Probably. I’d use golden. The flavor is more mild.
I’m allergic to nuts. Is there a keto friendly alternative to almond or coconut flour to use? Thank you!
I think sunflower seed flour would work! I haven’t tried it but I’ve used it in baked goods.
Can you use broccoli rice instead of florets?
Sure!