• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mess for Less
  • Recipes
    • breakfast
    • lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Appetizers
    • Crock Pot
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Crafts
    • Art
    • Winter
    • spring
    • Summer
    • fall
  • Kids Activities
    • Baby and Toddler
    • Preschool
    • Elementary
    • Sensory
    • Fine Motor Skills
    • Learning Activities
      • literacy
      • Math
      • science
  • Family
    • Family
    • Pets
    • parenting
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Browse Categories
  • Kids Activities
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Food Fun Friday » Zucchini Tots

    Zucchini Tots

    Published: Jul 1, 2016 · Modified: Jun 7, 2021 by Vicky

    Pin4K
    Share82
    Tweet
    Yum7K
    12K Shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Have you ever tried Zucchini Tots before? If you haven't, you are in for a treat. If you have ever had a tater tot before, the concept is similar except in place of grated potatoes, you have shredded zucchini. I find they are great for veggie averse kids since they are cute and fun to eat and the shredded zucchini is well hidden among the other ingredients. After you make this, be sure to check out our other Family Friendly Recipes.

    My kids don't like veggies but they loved these zucchini tots! So simple to make, this recipe is a keeper!

    One of the reasons I love this zucchini tots recipe so much is that it tricks my kids into eating more veggies. It doesn't hurt that these zucchini tots contain two kinds of cheese. More cheese is always a good thing!


    Zucchini Tots

    You will need some shredded zucchini for this recipe. Shredding zucchini is a step that should be done by adults because of the potential for little hands to scrape and cut themselves.

    zucchini tots

    Once the zucchini is shredded, use a cheese cloth to squeeze out the water from the zucchini.

    zucchini tots

    My daughter was so excited to help with the recipe, but not excited enough to put down her crayon. I'm just glad we didn't end up with a yellow crayon in our zucchini tots.

    zucchini tots

    We used a mini muffin pan for our zucchini tots. You can also just mold them by hand into small tater tot sized pieces and bake them on a greased cookie sheet. I prefer the mini muffin pan because it keeps your hands from getting dirty and the size tots it makes are just perfect for kids.

    zucchini tots

    I like baking these up until they become slightly crispy on the top and bottom.

    zucchini tots

    My kids loved these little zucchini tots. My youngest liked dipping them in ketchup. They made a great veggie side dish for adults too.

    zucchini tots

    kid-made-zucchini-tots

    DO YOUR KIDS LOVE COOKING

    I have long been a proponent of cooking with kids. There are so many things kids learn helping out in the kitchen. Math, reading, chemistry and cooperation and more are used while following a recipe.

    ​Raddish is a monthly subscription box for kids that is a cooking club, culinary lesson, and mealtime solution all-in-one. Young children get to work with an adult, while older kids and teens independently indulge their culinary curiosity! And it's perfect for picky eaters — kids who cook, eat!

    ​A new kit is delivered to your doorstep every month​!

    Each kit features a new culinary theme! You'll also get a shopping list emailed to you prior to delivery so you will be ready to cook. These kits are a great way for kids to develop new cooking skills and confidence in the kitchen while the entire family builds memories together. Find out more here.

    If you enjoyed this zucchini tots recipe, you'll love:

    Easy Zucchini Muffins

    zucchini-muffins-recipe-8

    Zucchini Bread Recipe

    zucchini-bread-recipe-for-kids.jpg

    Zucchini Tots

    My kids don't like veggies but they loved these zucchini tots! So simple to make, this recipe is a keeper!
    3.72 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Zucchini Tots
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 12 tots
    Calories: 35kcal
    Author: Vicky

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium zucchini roughly one cup of zucchini after the water has been squeezed out
    • ¼ cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
    • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 egg
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Grease a mini muffin pan.
    • Shred one zucchini and wrap in cheese cloth. Squeeze out excess water from the zucchini.
    • In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup shredded zucchini,egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper.
    • Using a spoon, scoop the mixture into a greased mini muffin pan. The mixture will make 12 zucchini tots.
    • Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees until tops start to crisp.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 53mg | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.3mg

     

    Pin4K
    Share82
    Tweet
    Yum7K
    12K Shares
    « DIY Cat Toys
    10 Ice Play Activities »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heather

      July 20, 2016 at 7:58 am

      I should like to make this with my grand-niece but medium is such a loose word especially when talking about zucchini which can grow huge..or what if I only have a few smaller ones...how many cups of grated zucchini should I have. In the pics it looks like about 4...is that right?

    2. Betty

      July 20, 2016 at 8:01 am

      The egg is listed in the ingredients but not in the preparation?

    3. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 8:09 am

      Sorry, typo. All fixed. Thanks!

    4. Bette Behrens

      July 20, 2016 at 10:06 am

      can they be made in regular size muffin tin? If so how long would you bake them?

    5. Kari

      July 20, 2016 at 10:29 am

      Bake at how many degrees please?

    6. Sallie

      July 20, 2016 at 12:11 pm

      I googled on the internet "how many cups in a medium zucchini & found: 1 medium sized zucchini about 8 inches long, 2 inches in diameter and weighing about 5 ounces for our how many zucchini in a cup testing samples.

      When sliced, 1 medium zucchini yielded about 1 to 1.25 cups and if grated, you end up with about 2/3 cup of tamped down zucchini" from http://www.howmuchisin.com/produce_converters/zucchini

    7. Lisolio

      July 20, 2016 at 12:46 pm

      Have you ever tried freezing these, and if so, did it work, or were they mushy when you thawed them? Thx!

    8. Sunny Drohan

      July 20, 2016 at 3:02 pm

      4 stars
      I am asking the same question as Heather. How many cups of shredded zucchini? If we have too little it won't be right or too much also won't be right. Please help. Much thanks.
      I can't post a fair review yet. So putting 3 in hopes an answer will be forthcoming.
      Thanks.
      Sunny

    9. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 3:42 pm

      Hi Sunny, Roughly 1 cup of zucchini after the excess water has been squeezed out. Hope this helps!

    10. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      I have never frozen them myself. If you decided to, I recommend using an airtight container. When you are ready to use them bake for about 15 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

    11. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 3:48 pm

      The recipe calls for it to baked at 400 degrees.

    12. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 3:49 pm

      Heather, the medium zucchini I had made one cup of grated zucchini after squeezing out the excess water.

    13. Vicky

      July 20, 2016 at 3:51 pm

      Since I have always made them as tots - bite sized yummies for my kids - I don't know how they would work in a larger muffin tin. I would expect they would need to be baked longer, but can't give you an exact number.

    14. eleni michael

      July 20, 2016 at 10:41 pm

      3 stars
      I believe that if we mix in it grated onion and parsley, the taste will rock.

    15. Vicky

      July 21, 2016 at 11:18 am

      I love this idea Eleni. I will have to try it and see if I can sneak it past the kids. 🙂

    16. Candace Berkley

      July 21, 2016 at 6:10 pm

      I added chopped cooked bacon, a scallion, and garlic powder. Lots of great flavor!

    17. Justlookingforyummyfood

      August 09, 2016 at 10:27 am

      I made these just now...I also just ate more than half of them...opps.
      Delicious! I had to use mostly all marble cheese as its all I had and I added just a little bit of chopped green onion (I had to use up)
      Oh MAN these are so good. I don't even have kids haha...there will probably be none left by the time hubby comes home.

    18. Vicky

      August 11, 2016 at 10:01 am

      Thanks so much for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed them. Love the variations you made!

    19. Gina

      August 15, 2016 at 7:07 am

      The directions in this recipe need to be revised to say "shred instead of "grate", as it pertains to the zucchini. This makes a huge difference. The photos in this recipe display shredded zucchini and not grated. I made them the first time and grated the zucchini and it tasted like a savory muffin. I am encouraging Vicky to revise the wording, because grated zucchini produces an entirely different food item.

    20. Vicky

      August 15, 2016 at 10:26 am

      Gina, thanks for the kind comments. I think you'll like the update. 🙂

    21. Elaine Albu

      February 02, 2017 at 12:44 pm

      Where can I get a copy of this recipe without all the ads, large pictures, etc. So I can try the recipe and comment.?

    22. Vicky

      February 05, 2017 at 11:11 am

      Hi Elanie,
      At the bottom of the post there is a section that says Zucchini Tots with icons to save or print. If you click on print in this area it will open up a page with just the recipe. It will print out on one page with no photos. Hope this helps.

    23. Suzy

      April 15, 2019 at 5:48 pm

      5 stars
      I absolutely love these!❤great to make ahead and keep at work.😆

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Vicky, founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find it at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

    Spring Recipes and Activities

    • No Bake Twinkies Cake for Spring
    • Spring Meringue Recipe
    • Cupcake Wrapper Butterfly Craft
    • DIY Seed Starter for Kids

    Popular Recipes

    • Crack Chicken Casserole
    • 15 Amazing Recipes for Toddlers
    • Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole with Cauliflower
    • Spinach Stuffed Shells

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclosure
    • About Me

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for our newsletter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • Advertise

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 MessForLess