How to Make Veggie Tots
Blanch the vegetables., Grate the vegetables., Place grated veggies in a medium bowl and add salt., Let the veggies sit for 10-20 minutes., Strain the remaining liquid., Combine the veggies with the remaining ingredients., Line a baking sheet with...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Blanch the vegetables.
You can make veggie tots with a variety of different vegetables including, sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini.
Once you have selected the vegetable you would like to use, blanch it in a pot of boiling water for one minute., After the vegetable has been blanched, you need to chop it up into small pieces.
The easiest way to do this is by grating the vegetable using a coarse cheese grater.
If you do not have a coarse cheese grater, you could thinly chop the vegetables by hand, using a sharp knife and cutting board.Alternatively, you could use a food processor to cut the veggies.
Use the pulse setting and only do a few pulses.
If you decide to use a food processor, be careful not to puree the vegetables.
You want them to be coarsely chopped., Transfer the grated vegetables to a medium bowl.
Then add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the veggies and mix well.
The salt will help to remove any moisture from the grated vegetables., Once the salt has been added to the vegetables, let them sit for anywhere from 10-20 minutes., Then, remove the veggies from the bowl and place them in a clean dish towel or cheesecloth.
Twist the cloth to completely drain any excess water.
By removing all of the liquid from the vegetables, you will be able to make crispier veggie tots., Transfer the vegetable back to the medium bowl and then add ⅓ of a cup (237 ml) of panko crusted bread crumbs, ⅓ of a cup (237 ml) of minced parsley, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, 1 egg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix together all of the ingredients.You can also add ½ a cup (118 ml) of your favourite cheese (i.e. parmesan, sharp cheddar, jalapeno cheddar etc.).
Experiment with different seasoning and flavour.
For example, you could also add green onions, or carrots to give more flavour to the tots., It is very important that you line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
This will prevent the veggie tots from sticking to the baking sheet while they are cooking.
Alternatively, you could grease the baking sheet with a thin layer of oil., Scoop out approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of mix and then use your hands shape the mixture into small cylinders.
The easiest way to shape the tots is to create a tight ball and then press the sides to shape it into a tot.Place the tots onto the lined baking sheet. , Prior to baking the veggie tots, you will need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
This can be done before you begin forming the veggie tots.
That way the oven will be preheated by the time you are ready to put the tots in the oven., You want the veggie tots to be crispy and golden brown in colour.
In order to reach the desired crispness, bake them for approximately 20-25 minutes., Once the tots have been in the oven for approximately 10-12 minutes, remove them from the oven.
Flip over the tots using a spatula.
This way you will ensure that all sides of the tots are cooked evenly., After 20 minutes you should check on the tots to see if they need a bit more time.
When they are the desired crispiness, remove them from the oven.
You should serve the tots immediately because they taste best when they are warm., For example, you could dip them in ketchup, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, chipotle mayo, etc.
You could also serve them on a plate with melted cheese and bacon bits on top! , If you do not finish all of the veggie tots at once, you can store them for a few days in the refrigerator.
Store them in a single layer and make sure they are well-covered.Reheat the tots in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius).
Heat them for 5-10 minutes, or until they are warm. -
Step 2: Grate the vegetables.
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Step 3: Place grated veggies in a medium bowl and add salt.
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Step 4: Let the veggies sit for 10-20 minutes.
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Step 5: Strain the remaining liquid.
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Step 6: Combine the veggies with the remaining ingredients.
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Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Step 8: Form the mixture into tots.
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Step 9: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
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Step 10: Bake the tots for 10-12 minutes.
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Step 11: Flip them and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
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Step 12: Remove from the oven and serve.
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Step 13: Serve them with your favourite dipping sauce.
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Step 14: Store leftover tots in the refrigerator.
Detailed Guide
You can make veggie tots with a variety of different vegetables including, sweet potato, cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini.
Once you have selected the vegetable you would like to use, blanch it in a pot of boiling water for one minute., After the vegetable has been blanched, you need to chop it up into small pieces.
The easiest way to do this is by grating the vegetable using a coarse cheese grater.
If you do not have a coarse cheese grater, you could thinly chop the vegetables by hand, using a sharp knife and cutting board.Alternatively, you could use a food processor to cut the veggies.
Use the pulse setting and only do a few pulses.
If you decide to use a food processor, be careful not to puree the vegetables.
You want them to be coarsely chopped., Transfer the grated vegetables to a medium bowl.
Then add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the veggies and mix well.
The salt will help to remove any moisture from the grated vegetables., Once the salt has been added to the vegetables, let them sit for anywhere from 10-20 minutes., Then, remove the veggies from the bowl and place them in a clean dish towel or cheesecloth.
Twist the cloth to completely drain any excess water.
By removing all of the liquid from the vegetables, you will be able to make crispier veggie tots., Transfer the vegetable back to the medium bowl and then add ⅓ of a cup (237 ml) of panko crusted bread crumbs, ⅓ of a cup (237 ml) of minced parsley, 2 cloves of minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, 1 egg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix together all of the ingredients.You can also add ½ a cup (118 ml) of your favourite cheese (i.e. parmesan, sharp cheddar, jalapeno cheddar etc.).
Experiment with different seasoning and flavour.
For example, you could also add green onions, or carrots to give more flavour to the tots., It is very important that you line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
This will prevent the veggie tots from sticking to the baking sheet while they are cooking.
Alternatively, you could grease the baking sheet with a thin layer of oil., Scoop out approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of mix and then use your hands shape the mixture into small cylinders.
The easiest way to shape the tots is to create a tight ball and then press the sides to shape it into a tot.Place the tots onto the lined baking sheet. , Prior to baking the veggie tots, you will need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
This can be done before you begin forming the veggie tots.
That way the oven will be preheated by the time you are ready to put the tots in the oven., You want the veggie tots to be crispy and golden brown in colour.
In order to reach the desired crispness, bake them for approximately 20-25 minutes., Once the tots have been in the oven for approximately 10-12 minutes, remove them from the oven.
Flip over the tots using a spatula.
This way you will ensure that all sides of the tots are cooked evenly., After 20 minutes you should check on the tots to see if they need a bit more time.
When they are the desired crispiness, remove them from the oven.
You should serve the tots immediately because they taste best when they are warm., For example, you could dip them in ketchup, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, chipotle mayo, etc.
You could also serve them on a plate with melted cheese and bacon bits on top! , If you do not finish all of the veggie tots at once, you can store them for a few days in the refrigerator.
Store them in a single layer and make sure they are well-covered.Reheat the tots in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius).
Heat them for 5-10 minutes, or until they are warm.
About the Author
Jeffrey Reed
Experienced content creator specializing in organization guides and tutorials.
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