Baked Broccoli Cheese Balls
These irresistible Baked Broccoli Cheese Balls are crispy outside, gooey inside, and secretly nutritious! Perfect for parties, snacks, or veggie-packed sides.
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Large Bowl
- Cookie Scoop or Tablespoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Broccoli Mixture
- fresh broccoli florets blanched and finely chopped
- sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- mozzarella cheese shredded
- parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs
- garlic minced
- green onions sliced
- breadcrumbs
- Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes optional
For the Coating
- panko breadcrumbs
- grated parmesan
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Blanch broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer to ice bath. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
- Finely chop broccoli. In a large bowl, combine with cheeses, eggs, garlic, green onions, breadcrumbs, and seasonings.
- Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix panko and parmesan in a shallow bowl. Form 1-inch balls from the mixture and roll in the coating.
- Place balls on baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil.
- Bake 20–25 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving warm with dipping sauce if desired.
Notes
If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs. Use frozen broccoli if needed—just thaw and drain well. These also reheat beautifully in the oven or air fryer.