Easy Broccoli Cheese Cups Recipe
These Easy Broccoli Cheese Cups are a simple, savory snack or appetizer perfect for after school or any time you want a cheesy, crispy bite. Made with cooked broccoli, cheddar cheese, crushed Ritz crackers, and a hint of garlic powder, these bite-sized cups bake up crispy and flavorful in a mini muffin tin. They’re quick to prepare, kid-friendly, and great served with ranch or ketchup for dipping.
- Author: Nethan
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 mini broccoli cheese cups 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Broccoli Cheese Cups Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked and chopped broccoli
- 1 large egg
- 12 Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1 heaping cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375° F to get it ready for baking the broccoli cheese cups.
- Mix ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the cooked and chopped broccoli, egg, crushed Ritz crackers, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, and salt. Stir well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated into a uniform mixture.
- Prepare muffin tin: Generously grease a mini muffin tin to prevent sticking, then evenly distribute the broccoli mixture into approximately 16 muffin cups, pressing down firmly with your fingers to compact the mixture tightly.
- Add topping and bake: Sprinkle a little extra shredded cheddar cheese on top of each filled muffin cup. Place the tin on the center rack of the oven and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
- Cool and serve: Let the broccoli cheese cups cool for at least 5 minutes before carefully removing them from the muffin tin. Serve warm alone or with ranch dressing or ketchup for dipping.
- Storage: Store any leftover cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- The mixture may seem dry, which helps achieve a crispy texture rather than an egg-heavy quiche consistency. Add an extra egg if you prefer a softer, quiche-like texture.
- Using microwavable frozen broccoli is a convenient shortcut and works great in this recipe.
- For extra crispiness, sprinkle a pinch of cheese at the bottom of each greased muffin tin well before adding the mixture.
- Feel free to customize the seasoning by adding onion powder, black pepper, or other spices, keeping in mind that Ritz crackers already contain salt.
- If you enjoy this recipe, try similar snacks like Crispy Broccoli Cheese Rounds for variety.
Keywords: broccoli cheese cups, easy snack, kid-friendly snack, cheesy broccoli cups, mini muffin tin recipe, healthy snacks, quick snacks, after school snack, vegetarian snacks