Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites (vegan, gluten free, oil free)
Jan 06, 2021 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites
Introducing Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites! This is a recipe I came up with to give broccoli some extra pizzaz. As you may know, I’m a passionate broccoli stan and love broccoli as is, but I wanted to get creative and find new ways to prepare it. My first thought was frying because, you know, almost anything tastes good when fried, but I’m not much of a home fryer. So instead, I whipped out the airfryer and the result was a truly tasty, crisp broccoli bite with garlicky and cheezy flavour. I also tested these baked in the oven and they’re delicious too, just a little less crispy and a little more time consuming.
These Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites would be an incredible side dish, or recipe to toss into nourish bowls. In my humble opinion, even a vegetable hater would love these! These Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites are vegan, gluten free, nut free and can be made oil free too.
What’s in these Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites?
To make these bites you’ll need only 8 simple ingredients, plus salt and pepper to season!
- Broccoli → Our star ingredient! Did you know a cup of broccoli florets packs almost 3 grams of plant protein? It’s also rich in vitamins A, C & K, among other vitamins and minerals, and you can use fresh or frozen florets.
- Garlic → For some delicious garlic action, we’re using both fresh and powdered garlic! Mince finely, and throw it into the breading mixture.
- Garlic powder → Garlic powder is great because it mixes well into the breadcrumb mixture and really gives the crumb flavour.
- Nutritional yeast → This magical substance is the key to vegan cheezyness. Don’t skip this ingredient! In addition to flavour it also contains a whopping 8-10 grams of protein per 2 tbsp serving, alongside B vitamins.
- Gluten free breadcrumbs → You can use regular breadcrumbs if you’re not gluten free, of course! Sometimes I also like to use crushed cornflakes, it works as a wonderful stand in for GF breadcrumbs, which can be pricy.
- Smoked paprika → For a little extra something and kick.
- Neutral oil or dairy free batter → To coat, use either a neutral oil (I like to use a spray) or batter the broccoli with a gluten free flour followed by plant based milk and then the breadcrumb mixture per this recipe.
And of course, some vegan parmesan to garnish if desired, fresh lemon and/or ketchup to dip.
How to make Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites
These bites come together in 3 easy steps:
- Toss broccoli with oil or batter with a mix of flour and non-dairy milk.
- Mix together breading ingredients and then coat broccoli.
- Airfry or bake, and enjoy!
Secrets to success!
- Make it fancy → To level up your bites, consider a little truffle oil, garnish with a grated vegan parmesan, add some chili flakes etc.
- Boost the nutrition → Serve this broccoli alongside your favourite plant protein of choice, starch and healthy fats, or throw into a nourish bowl for a balanced meal.
- Equipment modifications → If you do not have an airfryer, you can make these bites in the oven by baking them until crispy. I personally find the airfryer to be more effective in terms of making the bites truly crispy and it also takes less time, but both methods work well and result in delish bites!
If you like this recipe, try…
- Crunchy Broccoli Caesar Salad
- Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites
- Cozy Lentil Pumpkin Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Kale & White Bean Soup
- Teriyaki Tofu & Broccoli
If you try this recipe out, tag me on Instagram @veggiekins so I can see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you make any fun substitutions, let me know how it worked out below too.
Garlic Parm Broccoli Bites (vegan, gluten free, oil free)
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli chopped into bite sized florets
- 1-2 tbsp neutral oil or see notes below for oil-free option
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- vegan parmesan to garnish
Instructions
- Toss broccoli in neutral oil to coat. If baking in the oven, preheat oven to 400F.
- In another bowl, mix together minced garlic, nutritional yeast, gluten free breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add this mixture to the broccoli bowl and toss to coat. Place broccoli florets on a parchment lined baking tray or into the airfryer.
- To bake, bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. To airfry, cook for 8-10 minutes at 400F.
- When ready to serve, garnish with a generous amount of vegan shredded parmesan or nut-based parmesan, ketchup and fresh lemon if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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