Broccoli and Bacon Ranch Tater Tots

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) bag broccoli florets
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• ¾ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 3 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or to taste

Step 1

Warm your oven to 400°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop half of the broccoli florets in a food processor by pulsing about 20 times until they look like tiny grains of rice, then do the same with the rest.

Step 2

Pour about half an inch of water into a large shallow pan, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, add the broccoli rice, cover, and let it simmer for around 5 minutes until tender. Drain the broccoli and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Once cooled, transfer the broccoli rice to a clean kitchen towel. Gather the edges and squeeze out as much moisture as you can by twisting the towel tightly.

Step 4

In a big bowl, mix together the shredded cheddar, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, egg, crumbled bacon, ranch seasoning, and parsley. Add the squeezed broccoli rice and stir until everything sticks together well enough to form a ball.

Step 5

Using a small scoop or spoon, take about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture, roll it into a ball, then press it into a tater tot shape with a little oil on your hands. Place each tot on the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Step 6

Drizzle the tots with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on top. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 24 minutes, turning them halfway through so they get golden and crispy all over.