12 ounces broccoli
1 large egg
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2/3 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 cup panko
salt and freshly ground pepper
shichimi togarashi, if desired
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 1 minute then immediately shock with cold tap water or an ice bath. Drain very, very well.
Chop finely and mix throughly with the egg, green onions, cheddar, and panko. Season generously with salt and pepper. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of mix into your hands and shape into a tater-tot shape. It helps if you keep your hands wet while you’re shaping. Place on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the tots are made. Sprinkle on shichimi togarashi, if using.
Bake until golden brown and crispy, 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet at the halfway mark. Remove from the oven and enjoy hot with extra shichimi togarashi, ketchup or sriracha!
Note: Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven spice mixture. I like the little bit of heat it gives these guys, but it’s entirely optional. You can find it here.
I used a mini ice cream scoop to keep the sizes consistent. If you like, you can just scoop out the tots and bake without shaping into a log.
