Broccoli Cakes Recipe
These vegetarian Broccoli Quinoa Cakes can be made in 30 minutes and are a delicious healthy meal that your whole family will love!
How to Make the Best Broccoli Cakes
These broccoli cakes are a fantastic way to transform simple vegetables into a satisfying, protein-packed meal. Combining tender broccoli with fluffy quinoa, fresh herbs, and melty cheese, these golden-crusted patties deliver big flavor in just 30 minutes. They’re perfect for vegetarians looking for a hearty main course or anyone wanting to sneak more veggies into their diet.
The secret to perfect broccoli cakes lies in the preparation. Steaming the broccoli until just tender—not mushy—and patting it completely dry ensures your cakes hold together beautifully in the pan. The food processor does the heavy lifting, creating a cohesive mixture that forms into patties with ease. A generous amount of cheese adds richness while the almond flour keeps things light and gluten-free.
Serve these versatile cakes alongside a crisp salad, tangy coleslaw, or a pile of sautéed greens. They’re equally delicious topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of tahini sauce, or a squeeze of lemon juice. Make a double batch and refrigerate extras for quick weeknight meals throughout the week.
Broccoli Cakes
These vegetarian Broccoli Quinoa Cakes can be made in 30 minutes and are a delicious healthy meal that your whole family will love!
Ingredients
Broccoli Cakes
Instructions
Prepare the Quinoa
- Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain. Bring quinoa and 1 cup water to boil in a very small pot, cover, lower heat to low and simmer 10-12 minutes until tender and all the water is gone.
- Turn off heat, let stand 5 minutes covered.
Prepare the Broccoli
- While cooking the quinoa, steam the broccoli until tender, being careful not to overcook.
- Drain well, let cool, and pat dry. It is imperative that broccoli is not overcooked and is patted dry in order for cakes to stick together.
Make the Cakes
- Place broccoli, scallions, herbs, cooked quinoa, egg, salt, pepper, garlic, and cheese into a food processor and pulse repeatedly until finely ground.
- Pulse in the almond flour, mixing in well. The mixture should easily mound on a spoon and just be slightly sticky, easily forming a patty.
- If the mixture seems very wet, continue adding almond flour a tablespoon at a time until manageable.
- With damp hands, form 4 large patties, pressing them together.
Cook the Cakes
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Carefully place patties in the skillet, lowering heat to medium-low or low.
- Resist the temptation to move or fiddle with them. As they form the deep golden crust, they will naturally release themselves from the pan.
- Flip when golden and releasing, about 5 minutes. Pan-sear the other side until slightly puffed in the center, indicating the egg is cooked through.
- You can also finish cooking these through in a 350°F oven after pan-searing if they are getting too dark on the stovetop.
Serve
- Serve with a slaw, side salad or sautéed greens. Top with a flavorful sauce if you like.
Notes
- You can refrigerate after cooking and reheat later, or keep in a warm oven until serving.
- If patties feel very wet, you can coat them in flour or breadcrumbs before cooking.
- Use a thin metal spatula for easier flipping—rubber spatulas have thicker edges that are harder to get under delicate items.
