Broccoli Patties – Dairy-Free

These Broccoli Fritters (or patties) are healthy, fluffy-moist and delicious. For non-greasy fritters, besides a non-stick thick pan, the trick is to add a bit of oil to the mixture, and hardly any oil to the skillet. This broccoli recipe is also dairy-free, so it adheres to a lactose-free diet. For crispy broccoli patties, don’t add oil to the batter and add a bit more oil to the pan.

These healthy broccoli fritters, or patties, can play a substantial role in a wholesome casual meal. Sometimes they are just good nibbles before a meal, when everyone is starving already.:)

Advantages of Adding Oil to Mixture Instead of Pan

• This way, there is enough oil for the fritters to have a bit of moisture;
• Non-greasy patties contribute to the fluffiness of these patties. You don’t need to keep griddling/sauteing them until they are brown. The more they are on the stove, the more moisture escapes the fritters.
• The oil that is added to the batter is just enough to prevent them from sticking to the non-stick skillet.

Great For Kiddies and Those With Swallowing Issues

These patties are a finger food, and finger food is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies.

The patties are small and cute, and hence, eye-catchers for kids.

I love them for babies and people who have swallowing issues. For this, you can pre-cook the broccoli a bit longer. Just make sure to place it in a colander to drain the liquid so they fritters don’t end up soggy and falling apart.

Wet fritters/patties are harder to fry/griddle/saute.

Ingredients

• Frozen broccoli florets and stems
• 1 large onion, chopped and drained of liquid
• Raw medium eggs
• Baking powder
• Panko bread crumbs – For Passover, you can go ahead and sub the bread crumbs with matzo meal.
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Neutral oil

It’s not the greatest idea to fry in olive oil. But in this recipe, adding olive oil to the batter itself might not pose a problem. Alternately, you could use other vegetable oils, or grape seed oil.

For a crispy crust, use a bit more oil and set the heat to medium-high.

Please try frying one first, adjusting the amount of oil and heat level according to the results.

Procedure

Step 1 – Parboil or steam Broccoli Florets and Stems in, or above, a pot of boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes. They should not be mushy.

Step 2 – Coarsely chop the broccoli on a cutting board. For babies, after cooking a bit longer in water, mash the broccoli. Drain of liquid.

Step 3 – Mix ingredients with a bit of oil.

Step 3 – Heat up around 2 tablespoons of oil (or non-at all in a thick non-stick skillet) and scoop up some batter with a spoon. Release the batter into the hot skillet or scrape off with antoher spoon.

Preparation Variations

• Oven – Sheet pan bake 20 to 30 minutes (flip in middle) on parch paper in an oven pre-heated to 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 C.).
• Air-Fryer – 10 minutes on a flat surface (flip in middle) set to fry mode. It’s up to you whether to apply a thin coat of oil.

Substitutions and Additions

• For a more herbaceous fragrance, you can add 1/2 a cup of freshly chopped parsley and/or chopped up to 2 chopped scallion stalks.
• To add protein to the dish, it’s fine to add a few pieces of hard yellow, parmesan, or cheddard cheese (depending on what your supermarket carries).
• Don’t forget that this would make it a dairy dish.
• If you’d like to add cottage cheese or cream cheese, it’s best to add some more of the dry/absorbing agent: panko bread crumbs.

How To Store Broccoli Fritters

• Refrigeration – up to 2-3 days
• Freezing – Cool the fritters, then seal them in an airtight package for up to a few weeks.

Related Recipes

• Dairy Mushroom Crustless Quiche
• Broccoli with Cottage Cheese Casserole
• Broccoli Casserole
• Leek Latkes