Savory Broccoli Waffles

I’m aware that broccoli waffles sound like something invented during a particularly determined attempt to get children to eat vegetables.

But stay with me.

These are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle, salty from the feta and, importantly, they taste like something you’d actually choose to eat.

They’re good straight from the waffle iron, but I also really like them cold, which makes them particularly useful for lunchboxes, snacks or those days when lunch is whatever you can eat while doing something else.

Also, there is absolutely no rule saying waffles have to involve maple syrup.

Ingredients for My Savory Broccoli Waffles

Seven ingredients if we’re counting salt and pepper, and most of the work is being outsourced to the food processor.

This is all you’ll need to make these savory broccoli waffles::

• About 2 cups raw broccoli florets (150 g)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 g).
• ½ cup water (120 ml)
• About ⅓ cup crumbled feta (45 g)
• Salt, to taste (remember to go easy at first since feta is already salty).
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Olive oil spray, as needed

You’ll get roughly 6 small-to-medium waffles, although waffle irons have apparently never agreed on what a waffle should look like, so your final number may vary.

If yours is particularly large, expect fewer. For mini waffles, you’ll obviously get more, and those are especially good for lunchboxes or little snacks.

How To Make It

The broccoli goes into the food processor raw. No steaming, blanching or additional pan required. I pulse it until it looks like coarse crumbs. You want it very finely chopped, but we’re stopping before broccoli puree becomes a thing.

Then add the remaining batter ingredients: flour, water, feta, salt, and pepper.

A few quick pulses bring everything together into a thick batter, and that’s basically all the prep done.

The waffle iron does need to be properly hot before the batter goes in. I give both plates a light coating of olive oil spray, spoon in the mixture and flatten it slightly so it can make good contact with the iron.

Then leave it alone.

These need around 7 minutes to become properly golden and crisp, depending on your waffle iron. Opening the waffle iron every two minutes to see how things are going is extremely tempting and extremely unhelpful. If the waffle still feels like it wants to stay attached to the plates when you lift the lid, give it a little longer.

And if these convince you that broccoli has considerably more range than we’ve been giving it credit for, try Rita’s Broccoli Pizza Crust next. Apparently broccoli can be both waffles and pizza now.

The Crispiness Question

These are at their crispiest straight from the waffle iron, which shouldn't surprise anyone who has ever met a waffle.

If you’re making several to eat immediately, don’t stack the finished waffles on top of each other. The trapped steam will soften them. Put them in a single layer on a wire rack instead while you finish the batch.

If they do soften, a few minutes back in the waffle iron or air fryer will bring the edges back to life.

What Do You Put on a Broccoli Waffle?

I’d happily eat one straight from the waffle iron, but they’re also a very good base for things. A few combinations I’d actually try:

• Avocado + feta + red pepper flakes
• Greek yogurt + smoked salmon + dill
• Fried egg + avocado + hot sauce
• Poached egg + feta + black pepper
• Cream cheese + smoked salmon + cucumber
• Hummus + roasted peppers + feta
• Ricotta + cherry tomatoes + basil
• Mozzarella + tomato + pesto
• Turkey or ham + cheese + mustard
• Chicken + avocado + Greek yogurt
• Tuna + tomato + red onion
• Cottage cheese + avocado + chili crisp
• Poached egg + garlicky Greek yogurt + paprika butter – basically my Easy Turkish Eggs (Çılbır), but with a broccoli waffle underneath.

And if we’re willing to turn the waffle into an actual meal, two waffles make excellent sandwich material. Pick any of the combinations above, put another waffle on top, and you've got lunch covered.