In an effort to get children to eat more vegetables – which is a never ending battle – moms have to get creative in the kitchen! This easy kid-friendly Broccoli Cheese Sticks Recipe will not only get your kids to eat their veggies…but I’m pretty sure that it will leave them asking for more! They have a somewhat crispy outside and a warm, soft, cheesy center, which everyone goes nuts for – but will be especially popular with the kiddos!
These also freeze really well. Just pop them in the microwave on 50% power and pair as a finger food side dish with your main meal! They make a great snack for toddlers and the recipe uses only four ingredients, so you can whip these up any time!
Broccoli Cheese Sticks Recipe
An Easy Kid-Friendly Broccoli Cheese Sticks Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16
Ingredients
- 16 oz Frozen Broccoli
- 1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
- 1-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 3 eggs
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Using a steamer, steam frozen broccoli until tender. Let cool.
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Place the cooked broccoli in a food processor with a standard "s" blade. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a potato masher or hand chopper.
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In a large bowl, add bread crumbs, cheese, eggs and broccoli. Mix well.
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Pour mixture onto parchment lined pan. Shape into a large rectangle (mine was about 8" x 12") With a rubber spatula, cut into 8 sticks (1-1/2" x 8") and then cut those 8 in half to create 16 sticks (1-1/2" x 4")
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Bake for 15 minutes and turn over. Bake for another 15 OR if you want them crispier, bake an additional 5 minutes at a time until the desired crispness. (I baked mine 30 minutes total, 15 on each side).
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Serve immediately (I think this is when they taste best) or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later.
Enjoy!
OOO, I think my kids will go crazy over these!
I will definitely be making these! Thanks! 🙂
I would lobe to make this for my son but he has an egg allergy. Do you have any recommendations on what I can substitute the eggs with?
This may help: Egg Substitute Mix (homemade) –> To replace 1 egg: 2 tablespoon flour + 1/2 teaspoon oil + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder + 2 tablespoons liquid (milk, cream, buttermilk, diluted yogurt, or dairy free alternatives like coconut milk, soy milk, etc) beaten together until smooth.
Italian breadcrumbs aren’t available here. There are packets of dried breadcrumbs or panko used mainly for stuffing or coating. Would either of these be a good substitute or should I grate my own fresh? Looks lovely.
You can use Panko or regular breadcrumbs – just add a tiny bit of italian seasoning spices 🙂
I am all by myself now and am learning how to cook for one. This recipe will be a good one for me as a healthy snack.
Can this be done with any other veggies?
The consistency is so unique with broccoli – you may be able to do it with cauliflower.
Can this be done with other veggies?
This recipe is pretty similar to timbales, so you probably could, you just need to watch the liquid content.
What can i replace the cheese with
I am not sure, I would suggest googling “cheese substitutions” and seeing what you can find. Good luck!
Do you need to squeeze the water out of the steamed broccoli at any point before mixing with the other ingredients?