Happy Meatless Monday!
This recipe was created completely by experiment. Sometimes my kitchen experiments turn out tasty, sometimes not so much! Luckily this one was a success! I wanted to make my
Game Day Spinach Snackers for Ava’s lunch and realized we were out of spinach. So I searched my fridge and found broccoli and baby carrots. I decided to use the same idea and basic recipe for the Spinach Snackers but make Broccoli Poppers instead. Even better I added a few a carrots and some cheddar cheese and the end result tasted exactly like my favorite, Broccoli Cheese Soup in a Bread Bowl!
Ava loved them, asking for “more, more!” and you will want more too!
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| Ava chowing down on my Broccoli Cheese Soup and Bread Bowl when we were out to eat last month. She loves it as much as I do! |
Ingredients:
Makes 30-40 poppers
- 1/2 large crown of broccoli (or 2 small), steamed until soft (about 1 1/2 cups when cooked)
- 5 baby carrots (or 1 regular carrot), steamed until soft and chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mixed), plus more for topping
- Stuffing mix (I use low sodium, whole wheat)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.
- Add steamed broccoli and carrots to a food processor and pulse until blended and everything is in small pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, butter, and cheese.
- Add broccoli and carrot mix, seasonings, and stuffing and mix well.
- Roll into small walnut sized balls and line up on the baking sheet, about 20 on each.
- Bake for 20 min until crispy and lightly golden.
- Immediately after taking out of the oven sprinkle each popper with a pinch of shredded cheese so it melts on top.
- Remove to a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess butter and then serve warm.
Add cooled melted butter and whisk until combined.
Steam broccoli and baby carrots until soft. You could use the frozen Steamables too.
Blend the cooked broccoli and carrots in a food processor until thoroughly mashed
and no large pieces remain. Add to the bowl.
Don’t have Stuffing Mix on hand? Use whole wheat seasoned bread crumbs instead. 
Roll into small walnut sized balls and place on a lined baking sheet. You should be able to fit 20 or so per sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven when they are brown and slightly crispy on the outside.
Immediately top with a pinch of shredded cheese on each popper so it melts right away.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate to soak any excess oil and serve.
Soft and moist on the inside with a slight golden crust on the outside and topped with gooey cheese!
Love Broccoli Cheese Soup? You will love these poppers!
Try these bite size, portable, kid friendly Broccoli Cheese Soup Poppers!
These look good. I'm always looking for new ideas for meatless meals. Do you serve anything in addition to this or is it filling enough on it's own?
I make these for my daughter's lunch or to snack on. They are filling but for an adult more of a snack or appetizer. Would be great served with a salad or bowl of soup to make it a meal!
Can these be frozen and then reheated?
Sure! They are great for making ahead!