Move over tater tots, there’s a new tot in town. Now why this recipe appealed to me is a mystery because I don’t like tater tots. I remember cooking tray after tray of them for the kids when they were little. They loved them! I thought those days were over until we moved to Oregon and found out that McMenamin’s Restaurants served them! And when the kids visited, yes, they ordered them!
So when this recipe came up I thought I could get into zucchini tots. They were almost kind of healthy. They are another way to use up zucchini from the garden. And they looked kind of cute. (Well, cute matters sometimes!) I also thought this might be a good way to sneak some vegetables into a recipe that kids might like.
Start with shredded zucchini.
Mix all ingredients together.
Shape into tots.
And done! The picture above is of tots made with bread crumbs. I’m still not a fan, but this recipe did get a thumbs up from taste testers.
Another way to make these tots is to substitute the bread crumbs with mashed potatoes. It makes the tots a bit lighter in my opinion. You have to add Italian seasonings if you do this substitution. I liked them better with the mashed potatoes.
As a dipping sauce, I used marinara. Other sauces that would go great with these is a lemon dill Greek yogurt sauce, garlic hummus, or ranch dressing would be good too.
Save RecipeIngredients
- • 1 1/2 cups shredded and lightly patted zucchini (about 1 1/2 medium zucchini)
- • 1 cup Italian seasoned panko bread crumbs (use panko for best results; if using regular bread crumbs, adjust proportion and use less; if you use non-seasoned panko bread crumbs, make sure to add Italian seasoning to your mix) Can substitute bread crumbs with mashed potatoes
- • 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- • 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Shred zucchini with a vegetable grater or food processor.*
- Pat zucchini dry with a few sheets of paper towels to absorb some of the moisture. Until the paper towel is moist but no longer soaking with water.
- Measure out 1 1/2 cups of patted dry zucchini and add to a large mixing bowl. Add egg, cheese and bread crumbs (or mashed potatoes). Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Take 1 tablespoon of zucchini batter and squeeze between palm of hand. Shape to resemble a cylinder tater tot shape.
- Place tots onto a baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until bottoms are golden brown and crispy. Flip over and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
*When I grate zucchini in the food processor it doesn't seem to get as watery as when shredded with a regular vegetable grater.
Nutrition
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