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ByCrystal
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Zucchini Tots – these are absolutely delicious! I’m a Southern food lover, and big on ‘taters – and even I don’t miss the potatoes in this extremely delicious version of the classic tater tot. My kids go crazy over these too, & they’re super easy!
Tater tots are on most kids favorite foods list, but honestly – they just aren’t the healthiest option. This recipes takes the flavors of the classic tater tots & infuses that flavor into a much healthier alternative – shredded zucchini. Zucchini is a mild vegetable, and takes on the flavors of whatever you pair with it, making it the perfect substitution when making a healthier tot for your tot.
Adults will love these too, especially when paired with mychipotle ranch sauce. I created a lightened up version of my delectable sauce though for pairing with this recipe. So, you can choose to serve it with theoriginal chipotle ranch sauce, the new lightened up version, or heck – don’t use it at all and just pull out the ketchup, or whatever else you like to dip your tots in!
Taking care to press the zucchini mixture down in your mini muffin tins makes them nice & crispy – because no one likes a soggy tot. Unless you’re weird, which is still ok – because I never make any claims to be normal myself – or sane.-wink-
Feel free to experiment with this recipe a little too. Like the spice? Add some cayenne. Love garlic? Add more! Don’t like cheddar? Use another cheese! Customize it foryourtastes, you won’t hurt my feelings any.
I have made these for many years now, and not trying to toot my own horn or anything – but they’re awesome. I actually would much rather have a helping of these than tater tots. You won’t even know these are made with zucchini, so serve them up to your kiddos and sneak those veggies into them. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.
How to freeze Zucchini Tots:
These freeze great! I place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet once they are cooked and freeze them until solid, then I store them inside of a gallon size freezer bag and take out what I need. I prefer to heat them up in the air fryer or at 350 in the oven until hot.
Zucchini Tots
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings 24 tots
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded peeled zucchini (about 2 zucchinis)
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 egg
- 1/4 Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- paprika to garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Spray 24 mini muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Using a small spoon, evenly distribute the zucchini mixture among the cups – filling about halfway & pressing the mixture down a little with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Crystal
Crystal, AKA 'Mrs. Happy Homemaker' wears many hats - blogger, homesteader, widow, mom to three wonderful kids, and the self-proclaimed biscuit queen. She likes to think of herself as a domestic diva - just without all the glitz and glamour. Unless, of course, your idea of glamour involves staying in comfy PJs and sporting a ponytail almost all the time. If that's the case, well then, she's your gal! At her humble homestead, they raise chickens and enjoy gardening. She takes pride in preserving all their homegrown produce - canning, freezing, drying - you name it! The whole concept of homesteading fills her with such joy and excitement.
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I just made these and they are really yummy. Thank you for sharing
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how do you shred a zucchini ? with a veg peeler or what?
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use a cheese shredder it works wonders just not the tiny sized one. or you can use a food prosseser
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Is it 1/4 cup bread crumbs? The recipe only said 1/4 Italian seasoned bread crumbs.
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They are bread crumbs, I prefer the seasoned variety but you can use plain as well.
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I believe Barbara was asking for the amount of breadcrumbs.
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I see that now – I’m not sure what in the world I was thinking 3 months ago. Geez, lol. Yes, 1/4 cup.
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Is it 1/4 cup of bread crumbs or 1/4 Tablespoon?
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Is there a substitute for breadcrumbs? We eat gluten free and I can make my own, but it is time consuming. IS there is another binder you suggest?
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You could use gluten free pretzels, almond meal, or gluten free rice chex. Hope this helps!
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These made an amazing dinner tonight. I used yellow squash and no paprika. Props to you!
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I finally got around to making these. One of my family favorites is Tater Tot Casserole, but my husband is no longer supposed to have potatoes. So I made a double batch, and then rather than making them in mini muffin tins, I just put a thin layer on top of the tater tot casserole. It turned out great! The rest of the mixture I used a melon baller, and baked them on a cookie sheet. They turned out great! And the whole family loved this on top of the tater tot casserole! Thanks!
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I am SO happy to hear this!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back & share your success with the recipe!
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I love that when I print your recipe the photo is included!! Thanks for that 🙂
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Wow this is opportune. I have a gigantic zucchini sitting on my kitchen counter right now!
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Are these suppose to come out crispy or does it matter?
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They do come out somewhat crispy, but it doesn’t matter. Some folks like them less crispy and some like it more crispy. To get them crispier, just bake them for longer.
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