These golden Cheesy Baked Zucchini Bites are like peanuts, it’s impossible to eat only one. Fresh finely grated zucchini is combined with chive and onion cream cheese, butter, eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs and plenty of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Toss in some simple seasonings then they’re ready to bake in mini muffin tins. I like to top them just before serving with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh chives to make them pretty.
When someone gives you zucchini from their garden, it’s time to get creative. It usually doesn’t take me very long, when it comes to recipes like these cheesy zucchini squares and fried zucchini chips cooking with zucchini becomes deliciously fun. I love zucchini in almost any form and grew-up eating my Mom’s zucchini bread like it was a loaf of gold. Pure heaven. I also love combining it with crisp smoky bacon and making zucchini cornbread as a fun way to shake-up my side dish menu. To get my kids to interested in eating vegetables a bit more, I turn to these crispy baked zucchini fries that are amazing dipped in Ranch dressing or marinara sauce and served as a side dish or an appetizer. The sky is the limit when it comes to zucchini so, it was only a matter of time before I began making these bite-size beauties.
In this recipe I used whole wheat panko breadcrumbs but, you can use either whole wheat or plain panko with no other adjustments needed. They’re delicious served warm or at room temperature and they reheat beautifully. Need to make a batch in advance? Make and bake then cool completely and freeze. Simply place frozen zucchini bites in mini muffin tins or onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes at 375°F and they’re ready to be served as a swoon-worthy appetizer at your next soiree.
Cheesy Baked Zucchini Bites
Ingredients
- 4 oz softened Chive & Onion cream cheese softened
- 4 Tbsp butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Few dashes hot sauce optional
- 2 cups packed finely grated zucchini squeezed dry
- 2 cups finely grated sharp cheddar or cheddar blend cheese divided
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs Whole wheat or plain
- 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Sour Cream or plain Greek yogurt for serving
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray the openings of 2 (24) cup mini muffin tins with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Finely grate the zucchini then twist in a kitchen towel or cheese cloth until all moisture is removed. Measure AFTER drying. Set aside.
- In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, eggs, garlic salt, black pepper and hot sauce, if using. Whisk by hand until smooth.
- Add the zucchini, 1 cup cheese, panko, onion and Parmesan. Mix until fully combined.
- Using a tsp or 1-oz ice cream scoop divide evenly between the muffins tins. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a platter.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and chopped chives.
Recipe Notes
To prepare in advance, make, bake and cool thoroughly then freeze. To reheat, preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange frozen zucchini bites on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes or until heated through.
Alicia Polburn says
I cant wait to make these. Got the perfect cast iron pan. The Cast Iron Kitchen will be going today.
Thank You So Much
Melissa says
Enjoy, these beauties are mighty tasty! (Admittedly, I’m a bit biased)
Stefanie says
These sound delicious. This weekend I’ll be making these for sure.
Melissa says
I love ’em hope you do, too.
LindaM says
Hi, This looks delicious. Can this be baked in a casserole or glass dish? If so what size dish would be good, oven temperature and for how long to bake?
Thanks for all the great recipes.
LindaM
Melissa says
Hi Linda, these are meant to be bite-size. If you prefer them larger, use a standard muffin tin and increase the baking time to accommodate.
Sutton Bennett says
I just made these for a Labor Day picnic at my mom’s house. They are absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe and the only thing I added extra was smoked paprika to give a bit more flavor.
Melissa says
Thanks so much, I’m so happy you liked these!
Sutton Bennett says
I forgot to write that I made 1/2 of these in a mini cupcake pan and the other 1/2 I cooked in a glass casserole dish and cut into small bite-sized pieces. Had to cook the casserole dish double the time but they turned out great!
Bette Richey says
I made these for an open house. Because this was the first time I had made them, my husband was a bit nervous. The first one he popped into his mouth, convinced him they were a good choice.
Melissa says
I’m happy they worked well for your open house, they’re the perfect bite-size treat.Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know.
Stacy B says
I made these this morning and was so surprised at how yummy they were. I didn’t have cream cheese so I used plain greek yogurt.
I think I will try them again soon and omit the butter and add some cooked pork sausage.
Thank you so much for this recipe