Garlicky Broccoli Peanut Butter Fritters

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

My all-time favorite broccoli dish is super simple: broccoli sautéed in olive oil with lots of garlic, a healthy dose of crushed red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. One day at a Thai restaurant I ordered a broccoli dish that had a very similar flavor profile, but with chopped peanuts sprinkled on top. It was an epiphany for me and these fritters are my twist on that dish.

I like these fritters pretty garlicky so I go with three cloves; for most people, two cloves will probably do just fine. The powdered peanut butter here adds a nutty dimension that enhances the flavor profile of these fritters nicely.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 16 fritters

Ingredients

For the Garlicky Broccoli Peanut Butter Fritters
1 small/medium head (1/2 pound) broccoli, chopped into florets
4 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Original Peanut Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Oil, for shallow frying (you may use canola, peanut, or avocado oil)

For the Garlic-Ginger-Chili Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 small clove garlic, grated or crushed
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

1. For the fritters, fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water in the bottom. Cover the saucepan, bring to a boil, and then salt the water. Add the broccoli, cover the saucepan, and cook until very tender but not mushy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well.

2. Add the broccoli to a large bowl and use a fork or potato masher to mash until the broccoli is a chunky consistency. Stir in the scallion, garlic, egg, powdered peanut butter, salt, and black pepper. Gradually stir in enough flour to form a scoopable batter (it should be thicker than pancake batter, but thinner than cookie dough).

3. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil; heat over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down to medium. Use a 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop to drop the fritters into the skillet, making sure not to crowd the pan. Use a lightly oiled metal spatula to slightly flatten each fritter. Cook until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, and then transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat as necessary until the batter is gone.