These cheesy broccoli muffins are one of my favourite ways to turn a simple vegetable into something a little more exciting for snack time or lunch. Made with chickpea flour, fresh broccoli, nutritional yeast and vegan cheese, they’re savoury, filling and easy to make with just one mixing bowl.

I use the whole broccoli in this recipe, including the stalk, so there’s no need to throw any of it away. Just chop it up finely, mix it with the remaining ingredients and divide the batter into muffin liners. The chickpea flour gives the muffins their structure, while the nutritional yeast, vegan cheese and optional basil pesto add plenty of savoury flavour.

I love recipes like this because they’re easy to prepare ahead of time and don’t require much fuss. You can make six jumbo broccoli muffins for a more substantial snack or lunchbox addition, or divide the mixture into 12 smaller muffins for little hands. They’re also handy to keep in the freezer for days when you need something quick.

These vegan broccoli muffins are naturally gluten-free when made with suitable ingredients, and they’re a great option for introducing different savoury flavours into family meals. Serve them on their own, alongside some fresh fruit and vegetables, or as part of a bigger lunch.

If you’re looking for an easy cheesy broccoli muffin recipe without eggs or dairy, these are well worth adding to your regular rotation.

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Cheesy Broccoli Muffins

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 27

Total Time 32

Servings 6

Suitable For 6m+

Metric - US Customary Units

Ingredients

1 small broccoli (including the stalk, finely chopped )
180 g chickpea flour
3 tbsp basil pesto (optional)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
15 g nutritional yeast
50 g vegan cheese (grated, can add up to 80g if you want them cheesier)
180 ml soy milk (can sub oat)
Pinch salt and pepper (to taste - omit for under 12 months)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f. Grease a jumbo muffin tin or line it with suitable muffin liners. If you don’t have a jumbo tin, you can add silicone liners to a regular baking dish.
Wash the broccoli and finely chop both the florets and stalk. Aim for small, even pieces so the broccoli distributes well throughout the muffins and cooks through (if serving under 12 months, lightly steam first to ensure it is soft)
Add the chickpea flour, chopped broccoli, basil pesto (if using), onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and grated vegan cheese to a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the soy milk and add the salt and pepper, if using. Stir until everything is evenly combined - the mixture will be thick.
Divide the mixture evenly between 6 jumbo muffin liners, filling each one generously. Alternatively, divide between 12 smaller muffin liners.
Bake for 27 to 30 minutes for jumbo muffins, or 18 to 20 minutes for smaller muffins, until lightly golden on top and cooked through in the centre.
Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let them cool fully in the liners as the chickpea flour will firm up as they cool.

Storage

Store in the fridge for 5 days or freezer for 2 months

Notes

Tip: Finely chopping the broccoli helps the muffins hold together and gives you a more even texture. These are also great for freezing, so you can make a batch ahead of time and defrost individual muffins as needed.