The Best and Easiest Toddler Broccoli Recipe
Let me tell you what the picture for this recipe may not: this one is good. Just look at the ingredients: a little sweet (honey or maple syrup), a little tangy (miso, mustard), a little creamy (olive oil mixed with the above). If it looks a little burnt in the picture, it’s not; it is, though, pleasingly crunchy, all the more so when matched with the rush of flavor from the marinade. And did I mention it comes together in ten minutes when cooking in an air fryer, with little need to worry about a recipe or proportions? That means the only real work you have to do on this one is convincing your little one(s) to give it a try the first time; once they do, they’ll be hooked, too.
(Looking for other broccoli recipes? Check out this best broccoli ever, our broccoli dutch baby pancake, and even broccoli falafel.)
- 1 crown Broccoli (can also use roughly a third of a page of frozen florets)
- Miso Paste
- Honey or Maple Syrup
- Mustard
- Rice Vinegar
- If using a conventional oven, preheat to 400.
- Remove stalk and stems from the broccoli, leaving only large chunks of the top of the broccoli.
- In a flat container, add one scoop of miso, a drizzle of honey or maple, a squirt of mustard, and a splash of rice vinegar; mix together until blended, adding a splash of water to loosen if especially thick. Taste to make sure the flavor is balanced and not too sweet, salty, or sharp.
- Dip the top portions of the broccoli into the miso sauce and place on a piece of parchment paper; place on your air fryer tray or baking pan.
- If using an oven, cook broccoli pieces for 5-6 minutes; if using an air fryer, cooking for five minutes at 375.
- Flip broccoli pieces over and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes if using the oven; or, if using an air fryer, lower, the temperature to 350 and cook for an additional three minutes.
Break broccoli chunks into smaller, hand-holdable pieces, removing any stem or stalk that may obstruct eating. We usually put two or three of these “trees” onto the plate to start so that our child can pop them into his mouth like a snack. We have not been able to putting pieces of the broccoli on top of a tortilla chip covered in avocado, either.
The marinade can work with pretty much any vegetable that takes well to roasting: asparagus, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc. You can also use soy instead of miso–we use the latter because it has less sodium than the former–but add it in slowly, tasting as you go; you will not need to add a splash of water if using soy.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
