Air fryer broccoli cheddar nuggets
Cheesy, crunchy broccoli bites from the air fryer with a creamy ranch yogurt dip, the most fun way to eat a whole bag of broccoli.
- 35 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.64 a serving
- 300 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 12 oz frozen broccoli, thawed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1½ tsp ranch seasoning mix
- 2 cups baby carrots
From your pantry
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 300 calories, 18 g protein, 20 g carbs and 17 g fat, and costs about $1.64 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No frozen broccoli? Broccoli works.
- No shredded cheddar? Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese or Monterey Jack cheese works.
- No plain Greek yogurt? Plain yogurt or sour cream works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Squeeze the thawed broccoli hard in a clean dish towel to get the water out, then it very finely.
Chop. Chopping means cutting food into bite-size pieces that don’t need to be neat. Keep them roughly the same size so everything cooks evenly.
How you’ll know: Your pieces are about half an inch and roughly alike, even if none of them are pretty.
Dolly’s tip: Thaw it overnight in the fridge, or microwave it for 2 minutes and make the nuggets as soon as it’s cool enough to handle.Mix the broccoli with the eggs, cheddar, panko, garlic powder, salt and pepper until it holds together when you squeeze it.
Scoop 2 tablespoons at a time and press into small flat nuggets, about 20 in all.
Dolly’s tip: Press them firmly. Loose nuggets crumble in the basket.Brush the air fryer basket and the tops of the nuggets with the oil. Air fry in one layer at 375°F until and firm, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 11 min
Food safety: For the safest eggs, cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks begin to thicken. Dishes made with eggs are done at 160°F.
Meanwhile, stir the yogurt and ranch seasoning together for the dip.
Serve the nuggets hot with the dip and baby carrots. To freeze, cool them on a tray, bag them and reheat at 375°F for 6 minutes.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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Vegetarian dinners ›Beginner dinners ›What to make with eggs and cheddar ›What to make with eggs and carrots ›What to make with broccoli and cheddar ›