These veggie tots are a simple, oven-baked way to turn cauliflower and broccoli into a fun, bite-sized snack or side dish. Mixed with cheese and baked until golden, they're crisp on the outside with a soft, flavorful center.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Veggie Tots
🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~140 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Cauliflower, broccoli, almond flour, egg, cheddar cheese
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; vegetarian
👌 Difficulty: Easy - simple prep and oven-baked
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Made with everyday ingredients and baked instead of fried, these tots are great for serving alongside dinner, packing into lunchboxes, or offering as a healthier snack option. They're easy to prep, kid-friendly, and perfect for using up extra vegetables in a way everyone will enjoy.
If you're looking for more simple veggie sides, you may also like our Cauliflower Fried Rice, Sautéed Green Beans, or Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes to add variety to your meals.
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Why You'll Love this Veggie Tots:
Veggie-packed and kid-friendly: A fun way to enjoy cauliflower and broccoli in a bite-sized form.
Baked, not fried: Oven-baked for a lighter texture without sacrificing crisp edges.
Simple ingredients: Made with just a handful of pantry staples you likely already have.
Great for snacks or sides: Works equally well as a side dish, appetizer, or lunchbox option.
Easy to customize: Swap veggies or cheese to suit what you have on hand.
Key Ingredients:
- cauliflower. Use fresh or frozen florets, chopped small or pulsed in a food processor. Lightly steam and squeeze out excess moisture for best texture.
- broccoli. Similar to cauliflower, chop finely or pulse in a processor. Steamed and well-drained broccoli helps hold the tots together.
- almond flour. Binds the mixture while keeping it grain-free. Use finely ground almond flour, not almond meal, for the best consistency.
- cheddar cheese. Adds richness, saltiness, and melty texture. Sharp cheddar brings more flavor, but mild works too.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use different vegetables: Swap broccoli or cauliflower for finely chopped carrots, zucchini, or sweet potato (cook and drain well first).
- Change the cheese: Cheddar can be replaced with mozzarella, Colby Jack, or a Mexican-style blend.
- Make them dairy-free: Use a dairy-free shredded cheese alternative.
- Add seasoning: Garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning can be mixed in for extra flavor.
- Air fryer option: Cook at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway, until golden and crisp.
How to Make Veggie Tots:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Steam or boil the cauliflower and broccoli until tender (about 5-7 minutes). Drain well and let them cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mash the cauliflower and broccoli until mostly smooth but with a bit of texture remaining. Add the almond flour, egg, cheddar cheese, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Scoop small portions of the mixture (about 1-2 tablespoons each) and shape them into tot-like cylinders or balls using your hands.
- Place the shaped tots on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Drain vegetables well: Excess moisture can prevent the tots from crisping, so press out as much liquid as possible after steaming.
- Leave some texture: Mashing the vegetables too smooth can make the tots dense; a slightly chunky mixture works best.
- Use a scoop for even sizing: Keeping the tots the same size helps them bake evenly.
- Flip halfway through: Turning the tots ensures they brown on all sides.
- Cool slightly before serving: Letting the tots rest for a few minutes helps them hold their shape.
- Serving Suggestions: We love serving these tots with Homemade Ranch Dressing or Homemade Ketchup.
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store cooked veggie tots in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes to restore crispness.
Freezer: Freeze cooked or uncooked tots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once solid, transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake straight from frozen at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway.
Make-ahead tip: Prep and shape the tots up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Veggie Tots FAQs:
Veggie tots get crispy when excess moisture is removed from the vegetables before mixing and when they are baked on a lined baking sheet at a high temperature. Flipping the veggie tots halfway through baking also helps them brown evenly.
Yes, just steam them first, then cool and squeeze out all excess moisture before mixing.
Yes, veggie tots can be cooked in an air fryer. Air fry at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
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Veggie Tots
Equipment
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 cups cauliflower, chopped
- 3 cups broccoli, chopped
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Steam or boil the cauliflower and broccoli until tender (about 5-7 minutes). Drain well and let them cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mash the cauliflower and broccoli until mostly smooth but with a bit of texture remaining. Add the almond flour, egg, cheddar cheese, and salt. Mix until fully combined.
- Scoop small portions of the mixture (about 1-2 tablespoons each) and shape them into tot-like cylinders or balls using your hands.
- Place the shaped tots on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crisp.
Nutrition
Notes
- Drain vegetables well: Excess moisture can prevent the tots from crisping, so press out as much liquid as possible after steaming.
- Leave some texture: Mashing the vegetables too smooth can make the tots dense; a slightly chunky mixture works best.
- Use a scoop for even sizing: Keeping the tots the same size helps them bake evenly.
- Flip halfway through: Turning the tots ensures they brown on all sides.
- Cool slightly before serving: Letting the tots rest for a few minutes helps them hold their shape.
- Serving Suggestions: We love serving these tots with Homemade Ranch Dressing or Homemade Ketchup.
lindsey lacourse@gmail.com says
these were delicious!!!
Tiffany says
These look great but I didn't care for the taste. Even my son who likes broccoli and loves cheddar didn't like these.
Shay says
I'm very sorry to hear that. If I had to troubleshoot it, I would most likely assume that you may have not added enough salt. Especially if your son loves broccoli and cheddar, he should have liked these. Maybe you or him dislikes cauliflower? It's hard to say. I do made these pretty often myself, I even make it without cheddar for my one year old and he loves it.
Teresa says
Tried this tonight and they are incredible! Thank you so much for this recipe! It will now be on our list of favorites!
Shay says
Happy to hear that Teresa! Thanks for the feedback!:)
Morgan says
Can you freeze and reheat easily?
Shay says
Hi Morgan! I haven't tried freezing them, but I can't imagine it would be an issue. Should work just fine! 🙂
Raechel says
These look great. Your whole website is all food I am excited to make and eat! Also glad to hear you're going to Asheville! That's where m from, its a perfect place to be!
Lindsay says
So i tired these...and by the time i was finished pureeing and mixing the ingredients, I was left with more of a runny paste than anything i could form into "tots". Any suggestions on where I went wrong?
Shay says
Hi Lindsay! I'm sorry to hear that the recipe didn't work for you. It's hard to troubleshoot when I'm not in the kitchen with you, but my first guess would be that you didn't drain the broccoli and cauliflower enough with the cheese cloth? Or it might be possible that the egg you used was very big and thus made the mixture too runny. If the egg is the culprit, I'll add a note to the recipe mentioning that it would be better to whisk the egg in a separate bowl and add it little by little until everything just sticks. Hope that helps!
Lindsay says
Thanks so much! I think I maybe didn't drain it enough. The good news is that my family still liked them. They just came out like little flat pancakes. 🙂
Stacy says
Do you have nutrition info for these? Thanks
Shay says
Hi Stacy! 🙂 Unfortunately, I am unable to provide nutritional information on my recipes as I am not a registered nutritionist/dietitian.
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
They look so good. A healthy kind of tots, thanks for sharing
Shay says
Thanks Keith! 🙂
Grace | eat, write + explore says
Yum! Definitely going to be making a big batch of these - they look great!
Shay says
Thanks! Hope you like it Grace! 🙂
Amanda @ Sagely Sweet says
I love the small list of ingredients that, I'm certain, create an incredible appetizer! I can totally see me stuffing these in to a tortilla and melting even more cheese all over them! Thanks for sharing 😀
Shay says
Oooh yum! I like that idea! 😀 Thanks for stopping by Amanda!