Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites
Simple and delicious, these baked cheesy zucchini bites are so easy to make and are a healthier alternative to a classic fried zucchini fritter!
Garden still overflowing with zucchini? I figure if that’s the case, you are probably feeling ecstatic…or frantically looking to pawn a ton of zucchini onto unsuspecting friends or neighbors.
I am a zucchini fiend. A lover of the humble green vegetable. In fact, it’s probably one of my favorite vegetables because it is so darn versatile.
Baked Zucchini Fritter
I posted this recipe for baked cheesy zucchini bites several years ago, and they continue to be one of our most oft-made recipes in the summer and late summer months when our backyard zucchini supply overfloweth.
They are so delicious and all of my kids (yes, even the veggie haters) love them to pieces.
Basically, these little cheesy zucchini bites are a baked variation on the usually-fried zucchini fritter.
Super Easy Recipe
And they are just as delicious, if not more so, than their less healthy counterpart.
Since they are baked at a high temperature, the edges crispify a bit while the insides stay tender and cheesy.
Major bonus? They are super easy to make.
All of the ingredients get tossed together in a large bowl:
- shredded zucchini
- bread crumbs
- egg
- shredded cheese (just a bit)
- garlic + basil + salt + pepper
Wring Out the Zucchini
Pro Tip: remember here is to squeeze as much water out of the zucchini as possible so the baked cheesy zucchini bites will crisp up as much as possible.
I usually use a nut milk bag {aff. link} or this awesome potato ricer {aff. link} for wringing out all the water.
Next, scoop out the cheesy, garlicky zucchini mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
And press into fritter-sized discs.
You can press as thick or thin as you like. We like them on the thinner side in order to maximize the golden, crispy edges, but if you want them a little heartier and more substantial, don’t press the quite as flat.
They’ll be yummy either way.
Once baked, these yummy zucchini bites are irresistible!
My kids will tell you the baked cheesy zucchini bites were elevated to otherworldly heights when dipped in their favorite ranch dressing.
While I don’t necessarily disagree, they are pretty stellar on their own, too, and make a fabulous side dish for just about anything.
Or just a mid-afternoon snack. Also, the baked zucchini bites freeze great for postponed enjoyment.
A Few Tips
I’ve edited the recipe below to include weight measures in case that makes your life a little easier (and because 1 1/2 cups of zucchini can be subjective depending on who is measuring).
I’ve come to rely on my food processor for easy shredding, but I don’t bother with this recipe. I quickly pull out my no-fuss box grater {aff. link} and go to town (or appoint one of the children to be on zucchini shredding duty).
The zucchini can be shredded as finely as you like – I prefer some zucchini texture so I use the large holes of the box grater.
Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites FAQ:
Yes. Several commenters have used gluten-free bread crumbs (1:1 as called for in the recipe). Another person used a gluten free flour blend for the bread crumbs with great results, and others have commented that almond meal subs in well for the bread crumbs.
The baked and cooled zucchini bites freeze great! Pull them out to reheat to serve as an appetizer or side dish or snack later on!
Yes, just make sure to thaw and wring out the zucchini VERY well of excess water (measure after wringing).
This recipe is really adaptable cheese-wise! Subbing in Parmesan or another type of cheese might work; feel free to experiment!
uestion: Can I leave out the egg or substitute it with something else?
Answer: I scoured the comment thread and from what I could see no one has tried making these egg-free (yet!). I don’t know of a great egg substitute; the purpose of the egg in the recipe is to act as a binder and for texture.
One Year Ago: Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes {Em’s Famous Recipe}
Two Years Ago: Homemade Chocolate Syrup for Chocolate Milk
Three Years Ago: Buttermilk Lime Shortbread Bars
Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (212 g) packed shredded zucchini (no need to peel zucchini)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ to ½ cup (28-56 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese or a blend of cheddar and Monterey jack
- ¼ cup (21 g) panko or regular bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil, or 1-2 teaspoons fresh
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray or lightly grease an unlined baking sheet.
- Place the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess water over the sink until the zucchini is really dry. You should have a little over 1 cup after squeezing out the water (if you have a scale, you’ll want about 6 ounces of zucchini that’s been squeezed dry).
- Place the zucchini and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
- Drop the mixture by tablespoonfuls on the prepared baking sheet and lightly press the mounds with your hands to flatten slightly.
- Bake for 16-20 minutes until the edges are golden.
Recipe Source: adapted from this recipe at Skinnytaste (used more zucchini, omitted the onion, added basil and garlic, changed the type of bread crumbs, increased oven temp, etc.)
I am going to give these a whirl but want to try a test batch on my BF before making it for his parents. Can I make the entire mixture, bake a few for testing purposes, refigerate the rest of the mixture then bake the rest later? I would think it would be OK, but wanted to double check.
I think that should work just fine – I wouldn’t refrigerate longer than a day, though.
I made these this morning and cooked them in my waffle iron. I used 2 eggs and another 1/4 cup of bread crumbs.
My son said they could have cooked a little longer to get more crispy but the taste was great. I also added some crushed red pepper because my family likes things with some zing.
Will make these again in the oven next time for the allotted time in hopes that they will crisp up a bit more.
I wonder if I added a little of flour if these would turn out like a sandwich patty and could be used as a bread and put some bacon or sausage in the middle.
Followed the recipe exactly and these were awesome! Whole family loved them! Husband dipped them in some thick blue cheese dressing. Thanks for this recipe!
Thank you-thank you- thank you for this recipe!! Made it tonight for 1st time!! Omg loove it!! Made it for an easy healthier different work lunch!! I doubled recipe & ate 1/2 already, yummy with a dip! This will be a regular go 2 recipe for me!!! Only deviation from your recipe for me was I added an epicure spice- a good shake of Brushetta!!
I’m going to try these for breakfast!
This is probably a silly question, but do you think I could bake these in a toaster oven? I love zucchini and these sound so good, but turning on the oven in the summer in Texas is just too much for me!
I’m not really familiar with toaster ovens, Beverly, but I think that should work as long as they don’t overcook. Good luck!
These look fantastic but they didn’t turn out well for me. They were soft and spongy and would not come off the pan! I squeezed and squeezed out all the moisture and lightly greased the baking sheet. What went wrong?
Sorry these didn’t work out for you! It’s really hard for me to know what exactly went wrong…they may have needed a bit of extra flour if the zucchini was extra wet.
I made these for the first time and they were really good. Will make again so friends and family can try them.
Did I miss something? New to Pinterest . Saw recipe and looked good but didn’t see the baking temp, just the ingredients. Advice?
Hello Nancy. Usually on Pinterest you won’t get the full recipe. If you click on the picture you pinned it should take you to the full recipe on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. You bake these at 425 for 16-20 minutes until golden brown. The directions are all here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/baked-cheesy-zucchini-bites/. Good luck if you try them!
Do you have nutritional information for this recipe?
I do not provide the nutritional information, sorry!
Oh, these were fabulous for my dinner tonight! 🙂 I used rounded tablespoons so my came out bigger but they are delish (as usual)! Do you think they’d freeze ok? I’m thinking just cooking them about half way and then freezing to pull out for a tasty snack whenever. Not sure how the zucchini would hold up to freezing though.
These should freeze quite well since the zucchini has been wrung of most the liquid. They might be slightly softer upon reheating but I think it’s definitely worth a try!
These were so yummy! We ate them with tomato dipping sauce. One question- any tips for keeping them from burning on the bottom? Mine seemed to brown pretty quickly on the bottom, but needed more time on the top.
Is your pan dark coated? That may be why – try reducing the oven temp by 25 degrees. You’ll want to add on more time but it should help the bottom not get overdone.
Yes! Thank you! I will try again today- thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Hi! Am about to put these in the oven. I have no idea how you were able to get 2-3 dozen out of these. I scraped together only 10. 🙁
Will definitely double the recipe next time! Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks for the recipe!
Same thing happened to me 🙁
Made these today on the grill on my yoshi mat. Turned out delicious! I couldn’t bear to turn my oven on.
What type of dipping sauce would you suggest for these. Thanks so much.
Ranch or ketchup or even hummus would be delicious.
I make all kinds of zucchini fritters and couldn’t find my favorite recipe tonight, so had to quickly Google something up. Found this. The recipe is definitely fast and easy. I had only limited time and got them done as an accompaniment to chicken soup.
.Try these with a dollop of sour cream and a crisp piece of turkey bacon on top!
Wowee, these were as yummy as I hoped they would be! So quick an easy and delicious paired with some tomato slices and a green salad. Now, I’m actually sad that the zucchini is finally petering out. 🙂
I just made these for dinner. AWESOME!!! I did change a couple things. I used Gluten free bread crumbs and shredded mozzarella because that’s what I had. Came out great.
These were just scrumptious. I did substitute dried dill weed as I was out of basil and I used up some swiss cheese that was in my fridge in lieu of the cheddar. I love how crispy the tops and edges were. We all devoured these in minutes. So easy to whip up and bake. Thank you for another delicious vegetable option.
I made these for dinner tonight, and they are very tasty! Thanks, Mel.
Question on the breadcrumbs – could you use fresh or do you have to use panko or purchased crumbs. I have some stale bread in the freezer I could use for these. But not sure if that will throw off the recipe. Thanks!
Erika – I haven’t used fresh breadcrumbs but I think it stands a good chance of working. If possible, try toasting the bread crumbs before using. If not, the mixture may end up a little gummy.
Mel, I was introduced to your site last week and have tried 3 recipes so far (Cheesy Zucchini Bites, White Bean Chicken Chili -using zucchini to thicken, and Zucchini Bread). All 3 have been MAJOR hits with the whole clan (ages 3-18). Today I’m making Brookies. I am a huge “Taste of Home”(r) but have loved adding your amazing creativity into my culinary mix. Thank you so much for sharing!
Perfectly delicious! I loved them. And one of the three kids liked them. Success!
I stumbled on your site thanks to a friend and this was the first of your recipes that I tried. My family – including a 4 & 7 year old – LOVED these! My kids finally ate zucchini and I’m thrilled to finally have another vegetable for them to eat. Thank you!!!
Zucchini + cheese = heaven…unless you read the recipe wrong! I don’t know what was going on in my brain but I put 1 1/2 cups of cheese in! Don’t get me wrong, it was still good but way too much cheese and way too greasy…probably not what you had in mind. I’ll just have to try it again! 🙂
Is the 1 1/2 cups of shredded zucchini before you wring out the excess water or after? It seems like it shrunk down considerably after l wrung the water out of it and I don’t think I ended up with more than a dozen bites. Thanks for all the great recipes I just seem to be missing something here.
Leann – The 1 1/2 cups is before I shred it but it’s really packed into the measuring cup. You might try using a bit more, especially if you think the shredded zucchini wasn’t as packed into the cup as it could be. Hope that helps!
Hey Mel! Surely you mean after you shred it? I don’t think you just stuck a zucchini in a measuring cup, right?
Just an error on my part when I responded to that last comment – the 1 1/2 cups is before I wring it out.
I stumbled upon your blog about a year ago and love it. My family has enjoyed many of your delicious recipes. This one required a special thanks, though. These were really yummy. But here is the best part. My nearly 5-year-old son has not consumed more than a few teeny nibbles of any vegetable in almost 3 years, but he LOVED these. I almost cried tears of joy as I watched him devour one after another, after another, after another. Unbelievable. Thank you so much! We will be making these again for sure!
I love hearing things like this, Margo! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for another great recipe, Mel! I made these last night and my whole family ate them! We liked them with a little dollop of pasta sauce. My oldest said, “It kind of tastes like a little pizza.” – That is a big compliment from him! 😉
Goodness, made them for lunch on Saturday for two friends, along with home made tomato soup…..delicious! Thanks, Mel!
These were very tasty! Even my kids said they weren’t “too bad” which, coming from them, is a compliment for any vegetable. Mine ended up being about 2 in. in diameter and must have been quite a bit larger than yours because I only could make 14 zucchini bites. Thanks for a fun new way for us to eat up our zucchini!
Seriously? Making these tonight, they look SOOOO good! What a great, quick, easy recipe. Everything on hand.
Oh, I think I could eat a hundred of these! YUM!
Mel,I cannot wait till you have a cookbook.Once again another great recipe.I found it worked even though i had to tamper with it.I substituted potato flakes and used Parmesan.
Yum! Sadly, my MIL’s garden plants are no longer producing anything except grape tomatoes, but lucky for me I have a great farmstand a few miles from my home. I will pick up some zucchini so I can try these! I think yellow squash would work, too!
These look divine! Can’t wait to give them a try! Hope the new move and family are adjusting well! 🙂
Oh no! I ran took a quick break to make the comment above, and when I got back ALL the zucchini cheesy bites were gone. Grandkids finished off the first batch while I was at the computer. LOL That’s a good testimony to the flavor. Now I need to shred and make more. So fun!
We are eating these right now for lunch — so yummy. I had a big bowl of shredded zucchini draining, ready to make zucchini fritters for lunch — saw your post — switched it up and I’m so glad. Baking is easier than frying — and these are great.
I never hesitate to try one of your recipes — they are all so good. Your quinoa bites are a family favorite — now these join that recipe as quick and delicious.
Oh — wondered when I was putting ingredients together if I needed salt. But I trusted your recipe and it was perfect.
Thanks again.
Yum! I love zucchini!
Sounds yummy! Have got some zucchini in the fridge that would be perfect for this recipe!
Mel, these look yummy! Do you serve them hot, cold, or both?
Linda – We like them warm or at room temperature (mostly because they get devoured that quickly). Haven’t tried them cold yet!
Great, helps to know what event I can plan them for. Thanks for the speedy reply!
Mel, when I saw the headline Baked-cheesy-zucchini-bites, I thought since “great minds think alike,” that you were going to share one of MY zucchini favorites that my kids grew up with and still beg me to make when they come to visit (they are grown: Ryan, Melanie, and James, now 40, 35, 29 years old).
It was so easy (best green vegetable stand-in) with few ingredients:
Several Zucchini (small, preferably), sliced in 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick circles
Shredded cheese (your choice – I like to use mild cheddar or monteray jack)
Salt & pepper
All you do is preheat the oven to 400
Spray a small shallow pan with non-stick spray (I use a cake pan)
Slice the zucchinis into circles
Salt and pepper the zucchini circles
Sprinkle the circles with cheese to cover each circle
Bake about 10 minutes (we like ours crisp, not soft veggies)
Yum!
Yes, the kids used to scrape & eat the cheese off the zucchini circles and leave the zucchini behind when I first made this recipe (kids always like to outsmart the adults), but pretty soon they were eating the whole zucchini circle along with the cheese and acquiring a taste for a yummy vegetable that was (oh my gosh!) healthy for them. They still love my zucchini circles!
Thanks for this recipe! I have tons of zucchini that needs to be used! These look awesome!
Yesssss! I love baked versions of normally fried things, and this looks absolutely delicious! Hope your move went well and are getting settled in to your new kitchen. 🙂
Just shredded about 12 zucchini and will have to give this a try! Looks so yummy!
Mel !!! Yum, yet again! Superstar 🙂 Congrats on your move & hope all is well!
Ok fellow gardeners! I had a lot of zukes this summer thanks to more than usual rain; but that also meant over-infestation of squash bugs! I tried really really really hard to go organic, but the bugs won the war. Any suggestions for next year??
Organic pesticides !
We lost half our crop to squash bugs every year, but now we plant three or four marigold plants around each plant. We haven’t lost one plant since doing this in over 10 years. Put them about 5 inches from the plant’s zuke’s main stem and the arch of the leaves grows right over the marigolds. A farmer gave us the tip and it’s worked like a charm ever since.
I make these all the time when I get a bumper crop from our CSA. I scoop them into a mini muffin tin sprayed with Pam. Then we dip them in sirracha mayo. They go great at potlucks.
Can these be frozen (either before or after cooking)?
Can these be frozen before or after cooking?
Hello Maureen – Mel doesn’t have access to internet right now so I’m helping her out with comments for the next few days. I have frozen these before with success after they were cooked. The texture does get a little softer and mushier though when you reheat them the second time.
Thanks so much!!
I just made these and they were delicious but the texture was like a quiche, very moist. Is it supposed to be more biscuit/bread like?
It kind of depends on how much liquid is left in the zucchini…but they are going to be more moist than a biscuit.
I’ll share! After making a quadruple batch of your zucchini bread I still have 8 zucchinis sitting on my counter… and that’s not even counting the ones I’m sure are currently waiting for me in my garden
If you lived closer I would love to share my zucchini horde with you! I love it too. It is awesome. These look great and will add them to my zucchini recipes. Thanks!
I don’t have a garden overflowing with zucchini either, but I will have to pick some up at the farmers’ market to try these! I love that you’ve added cheddar!