These cheesy, gooey, and crispy Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites are not only easy to make, but they’re also healthy. Made with chopped broccoli and cheddar cheese, then rolled in Panko, it’s my new favorite way to add broccoli to my diet.
- Prep Time15minutes mins
- Cook Time10minutes mins
- Total Time25minutes mins
- CourseAppetizer, Vegetables
- CuisineAmerican
- Servings10 pieces
- Calories117 kcal
Equipment
- Ninja Foodi Air Fryer 6-in1
Ingredients: Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
- 2 cups broccoli cooked and finely chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded (or shredded cheese of your choice)
- 4 oz Cream cheese softened
- 1 Egg large
- ½ teaspoon salt salt and pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Mix the chopped broccoli and cheese together in a large bowl. Add the egg, spices, and mix everything together with your hands until it forms a sticky mixture.Note: You can save some of the broccoli mix for later and make Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Stuffed Chicken. It tastes incredible.
- Shape the Balls. Now, shape the mixture into small ball-sized shapes with your hands. Make each ball approximately 1 inch in diameter, but not bigger than 1 and ½ inches. Or else the balls my flatten into a patty.Tip. Using your finger push a hole in each ball and add a small cube of solid cheese, such as Velveeta, cream cheese, Mozzarella cheese, or Goat cheese. Then close the hole and continue rolling the broccoli appetizer into a ball shape. Although it is optional, this will create the oozing cheese effect with an incredible cheese pull.Coat in Panko. Roll each ball in Panko breadcrumbs and ensure that it is fully coated.
- Freeze the balls on a parchment-lined baking tray for 30 minutes to an hour. While this step is optional, this will insure that the balls will not fall apart when air frying.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400F. Don’t skip this step. It’s important that the Broccoli cheddar poppers will start cooking immediately in a very hot air fryer.Place each ball onto your greased air fryer tray, leaving enough space for the air to circulate around each piece. Lightly spray each ball with cooking spray.
- Set your air fryer to 400°F and cook the broccoli cheddar bites for 5 minutes on each side. This means flip each ball on the other side after 5 minutes.Tip. Use the help of two spatulas to gently flip them. Do not use tongs, as they may accidentally crush the balls.
- Once they are done, remove them from the air fryer (I use flat silicone spatula to gently lift each ball) and place them onto a plate.
Notes
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Notes: Do I need to use eggwash before rolling the balls in Panko breadcrumbs?
You can skip the eggwash. I found that the broccoli mix was sticky enough for breadcrumbs to adhere without dipping the balls in eggwash.
If you decide to use eggwash – Dip one ball at a time into the beaten eggs, and then coat with the bread crumbs.
Variations
While this recipe is perfect as it is, you can always make some variations according to your taste.
- You can add some diced green onions or jalapenos to the mixture for extra flavor and crunchiness.
- Feel free to substitute Panko bread crumbs with regular bread crumbs or even oats to make the bites gluten-free.
- It is best to use soft mushy broccoli florets for this recipe (boil broccoli for 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry), however, you can use frozen broccoli or Air-fried Broccoli. If using frozen broccoli, cook broccoli according to package directions. Squeeze them out of moisture if they are a bit watery.
- In addition to cheddar, feel free to add other cheeses like Parmesan, Mozzarella, Velveeta, Cream cheese, or Goat cheese.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pieceCalories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 225mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 366IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 182mgIron: 1mg
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
Air Fryer Broccoli Cheese Bites
