Description
A quick, healthy, and crispy baked snack made with grated zucchini, parmesan cheese, and panko breadcrumbs. These tots are easy to make, crowd-pleasing, and ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large medium zucchini (about 600g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (50g)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (100g)
- Olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Wash zucchini and trim ends. Grate using a food processor or box grater. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Wrap the salted zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze tightly over the sink to remove as much water as possible.
- Transfer the dry zucchini to a mixing bowl. Add the beaten egg, parmesan, garlic, oregano, and black pepper. Mix until well combined into a thick paste.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Form the mixture into small cylinder shapes (tots) using about 2 tablespoons per tot. Place on the baking sheet with space between them.
- Roll each tot in panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure an even coating.
- Lightly spray or drizzle the tops with olive oil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Let cool for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Squeezing out the water is the most critical step for crispiness. Use freshly grated parmesan rather than pre-grated to avoid anti-caking agents. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free panko. For a vegan version, substitute the egg with a flax egg and use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 8 tots
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: zucchini tots, baked zucchini, healthy snack, parmesan tots, gluten-free option, air fryer zucchini, weeknight dinner, vegetarian snack