Broccoli Cheese Balls are The Perfect Game Day Snack
With Sunday game day becoming a staple with families, you might start finding yourself invited to game day parties and tailgates every week. Even if you’re not a sports nut, foodies can get excited for classic game day snacks like buffalo wings, ribs, and chips. It sounds delicious, but it also sounds like a lot of calories! Next time you host game day, spice up the spread with this broccoli cheese ball recipe, a healthy, yet cheesy alternative that is sure to get the crowd roaring!
A Healthy Snack
Broccoli is a fantastic superfood packed with vitamins and minerals. This vegetable promotes a healthy heart by controlling blood pressure and preventing heart disease. It not only helps to lower cholesterol, but also helps to prevent cancer. With almost the same amount of calcium as whole milk, and more vitamin C than oranges, you cannot go wrong with a fresh head of broccoli. While vegetables aren’t a food you wouldn’t normally see on a game day food spread, the zesty cheesiness of broccoli cheese balls will be a certain hit at any party, while also keeping those fans healthy for future games to come.
Ingredients
Broccoli Cheese Balls are a simple and healthy snack for any game day crowd. All ingredients can be found in most kitchens or bought at most grocery stores. Here is what you need to make those delicious broccoli cheese balls…
- 1 1/2 heaping cups fresh Smith’s Farm broccoli florets
- 1 cup shredded Colby cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces Velveeta, cut into small chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 1/4 cups Panko crumbs, divided
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Vegetable or Canola oil
How To Make Broccoli Cheese Balls
A perfect last minute snack. Just like the ingredients, broccoli cheese balls are simple and quick to make in any household kitchen, all you need is a refrigerator and an oven. How to make broccoli cheese balls…
- Steam broccoli until slightly softened. Let cool.
- Finely chop broccoli. You want the pieces to be 1/4-inch or less. Place in a large bowl.
- Add cheese, red pepper flakes, 1/4 cup Panko crumbs, and 1 egg to bowl with broccoli. Stir well.
- Use your hands to shape mixture into balls using about a rounded tablespoon for each ball. You should get 12-14.
- Place balls on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Place flour in a bowl.
- Place the 2 lightly beaten eggs in a second bowl and mix in 1-tablespoon water.
- Place remaining 2 cups of Panko crumbs in a third bowl.
- Pour about 2 inches of oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Heat oil to 375 degrees. For best results use a thermometer.
- Remove broccoli balls from the refrigerator, coat in flour, dip in egg mixture, and then coat in Panko crumbs.
- Fry about 4 balls at a time cooking until golden brown on all sides.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Remember to cook thoroughly, and of course, enjoy those broccoli cheese balls!
Smith’s Farm’s Broccoli
Grown in Maine, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and California, Smith’s Farm broccoli is always guaranteed fresh no matter where you may reside. We take pride in our domestic, short cut, asian, and florets crowns of broccoli. Growing vegetables has been in the family for over five generations and our mission is to be responsible and sustainably grow healthy products, including those broccoli chunks in broccoli cheese balls.
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