Zucchini Tots
Updated Dec 26, 2025
Zucchini Tots are a low-carb alternative to classic potato tater tots. They're cheesy, kid-friendly, and a great appetizer for gatherings!
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Try my low-carb zucchini tater tots!
These zucchini tots are a different appetizer to incorporate more veggies into your diet. They are baked rather than fried, and are a great low carb alternative potlucks, parties and get-togethers. Quick and easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, they can be made ahead of time and are a hit with kids and adults alike!
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Zucchini Tots Ingredients
- Zucchini: Look for smaller zucchini at the store, because larger zucchini tend to have more water and less flavor.
- Cheddar cheese: Or any sharp cheese. I recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work, too, if that’s all you have. To make the recipe gluten-free, use almond flour or oat flour.
- Egg: Use room temperature eggs to make it easier to bind.
- Spices: I use Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Use whatever seasonings you like!
How to Make Zucchini Tots
Zucchini Tots
Zucchini Tots are a low-carb alternative to classic potato tater tots. They're cheesy, kid-friendly, and a great appetizer for gatherings!
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini grated, about 2 zucchinis
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Ketchup for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the grated zucchini into a kitchen towel and squeeze all of the excess liquid out. Discard the liquid. You should end up with 1 cup of packed zucchini.
- Transfer the dried zucchini to a medium bowl. Add the egg, cheese, panko breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper, then combine until the mixture sticks together.
- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a small oval, like the shape of a tater tot. You should get about 16 zucchini tots.
- Place the zucchini tots on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden.
- Serve warm with ketchup or other dipping sauce.
Notes
My Top Tip: Squeeze as much water out of the shredded zucchini as possible. It’s the key to making crisp, cheesy zucchini tots. There will be a lot more water than you’d expect, so keep squeezing!
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or toaster oven.
Freezing: You can freeze the zucchini tots before or after cooking them. To freeze them before cooking, lay them flat on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Once frozen, store them in a freezer-safe airtight bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook according to recipe instructions. To freeze the zucchini tots after cooking, store them in a freezer-safe airtight bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350ºF until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 171mg, Potassium: 213mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 333IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 140mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Squeeze as much water out of the shredded zucchini as possible. It’s the key to making crisp, cheesy zucchini tots. There will be a lot more water than you’d expect, so keep squeezing!
- Add more panko breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. You should feel it sticking together. If not, add more breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon at a time until it does.
- Make the tots in a mini muffin tin. Instead of rolling each tot individually, you can scoop the mixture into mini muffin cavities sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Serving Ideas
- Classic dips: Homemade Ranch Dip, French Onion Dip, Marinara Sauce
- Cheesy dips: Whipped Feta Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, Whipped Cottage Cheese
- Veggie dips: Spinach Dip, Artichoke Tahini Dip, Muhammara Dip
FAQs
Should I peel the zucchini before grating it?
Nope! You can grate it whole. The peel adds color, texture, and nutrients.
Why are my zucchini tots soggy?
You probably didn’t squeeze enough moisture out of the shredded zucchini. Bake them for a few more minutes until golden brown.
Comments
Very good. Used Roasted Red Pepper dip instead of ketchup. My husband even said they were good, and he’s not a zucchini fan.
Yay! So happy you both liked the recipe! Thank you!!
Just tried them, they were awesome in the air fryer. I froze them first before air frying
Glad you liked them! Thank you!!
How is this gluten free if you are using PANKO??
Hi Shalene, sorry for the confusion. The panko breadcrumbs I use for this recipe (either Ian’s or Kikkoman) are both gluten free. In the recipe card, I also suggest using almond flour or oat flour if you prefer to not use breadcrumbs. Hope that provides clarity!
2 cups of grated zuccini measured before or after squeezing the liquid?
Before—it should come out to about 1 cup packed after the liquid is all squeezed out.
These were so good! I put in crushed almond crackers to make it gluten-free and it was so tasty with garlic salt. Yum! Yum!!
Sounds so good! Glad you liked them, Tracy!
Waiting for the 2nd batch to finish now. My husband could not wait for it to cool so used the ketchup to cool it down. He’s my zucchini grower and it is that time of year! He is very impressed. I watch my grandchildren during the week so wanted these for lunch tomorrow. I appreciate your GF panko info as my daughter has celiacs. She’s excited about taking some home tomorrow. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aww, I’m so glad your entire family gets to enjoy these zucchini tater tots—especially your daughter! I’m sure they’re especially delicious with your husband’s homegrown zucchini. Thanks, Liz!!
It’s annoying to see recipes labelled gluten free that aren’t. Panko is made of bread. It’s breadcrumbs. There aren’t even any alternatives suggested.
Sorry for the confusion! I say that I use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (either Ian’s or Kikkoman) in the recipe but have just updated all of the panko breadcrumb mentions to make it even more clear that they are gluten free. In the recipe card, I also suggest using almond flour or oat flour if you prefer to not use breadcrumbs. Hope that helps!
I liked this recipe added red pepper flakes, onion and herb d’ providence. Rolled in the panko instead of mixing in, froze for 4 hours. Will let you the outcome! Planning to air fry mine
Yum, sounds so good! Hope you enjoy!!
Thanks for the recipe! Always need another for zucchini!! Do you get better results freezing cooked or uncooked tots?
For sure cooked. The moisture can be a big problem if they are raw so cooking them first helps so much!
These were so delicious! I made w our 11 year old and she had run rolling them out. We rolled them in Italian seasoned panko before baking for extra crunch. So delicious it was our entire meal dipped in my homemade marinara. Thank you for sharing.
Oo I love that idea!! So glad you both liked them!
Made these a few weeks ago delish .. going to make tonight and add some bacon bits hope they turn out …
So glad you like them!
So do you grease the parchment paper? Step 1 says line pan with parchment paper, then says step 5 to place on greased tray????
Yes, just a light spray of olive oil or avocado oil to help crisp the bottoms. Hope you enjoy!
great i put them in the freezer and just reheated also like ranch dressing with them
Yay! That is such a delicious combo!
These look amazing! But was the cheddar sharp or regular?
Thank you so much! It was regular, but you could use either depending on your preference.
These are addictive! Putting Badia Ranch seasoning in them really makes them irresistible.
Love the sound of that! Glad you enjoyed!!
These are SO delicious. I used almond flour because I don’t eat gluten and Monterey Jack cheese since I didn’t have any cheddar on hand and they came out perfect.
Thank you!! Glad you made it work and enjoyed!
What’s the best dipping sauce you’ve found for these??
They are perfect to serve with ketchup or any of your other favorite dips, Homemade Ranch Dip and Creamy Feta Dip both work really well! You can also serve these as part of a main meal with a side of Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Hi dear
I am from iran.
I would be grateful if you could tell me about “tots”.
It would be helpful if you could tell me that What kinds of food are they? Because I need to translate it in persian.
Thanks alot
Tots are grated potatoes formed into small cylinders and then cooked!
Had no Cheddar ( rare wit 2 kids) Could have sworn some in the freezer, but either way. I did these with Feta (crumbled) so delicious. Just required an extra 5 minutes.
So glad it still turned out good!
Oh my God ! This recipe is amazing 😍😍😍it’s really a great idea for lunchbox as well
Thank you so much! Yes, for sure!
How can you make this vegan please? I must for medical reasons.
Instead of eggs, you can use a flax egg. Replace one egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes before incorporating into the mixture. For the cheese, you’d have to find a vegan shredded cheddar cheese!
I made the zucchini tots today and they were fabulous. Needless to say they sure didn’t last long.
Yay!! I’m glad to hear it!
These were really good! Great way to use all the extra zukes coming in. Thanks!
Thank you! I love that!
I made these today, and very tasty. Tastes like kabobs, such a plus that they are vegetarian 🙂 I didn’t have onion powder so finally chopped up a little bit of onion, and added cilantro because I didn’t want it to go bad! Thank-you for the recipe!
That makes me so happy to hear! You’re so welcome!!
I made it as a appetizer and everyone loves it
Thanks for healthy and easy recipe🙏
That makes me so happy to hear! You’re so welcome!!
This is very easy to make and delicious
Thanks for sharing
Yay!! You’re so welcome!
Yea
These came out perfectly crispy and cheesy! To cut carbs I went with almond flour, used half romano, half mozzarella and dipped in marinara. Thank you!
That’s perfect! You’re welcome!!
Tried this today, so easy to make and sooo goood.. I did mine in the air fryer so delicious.. thank you so much..
That makes me so happy to hear! You’re welcome!
Sounds yummy. Can’t help but feel slightly turned off by “Italian seasoning.” Why not just list the separate ingredients?
Thank you! Italian seasoning is a common blend of spices that is sold and what I used, which is why I listed that as one ingredient.
Love this idea!
Yay!!
At what degrees and how long would you cook this recipe in an air fryer and any other buttons to push on air fryer to cook these? I am new to my sir fryer.. Thanks
I have yet to cook these in the air fryer. However, I think you could cook these at 400°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the tots are golden brown and crisp.
Disappointed. Your nutritional assay is based upon an estimate for chicken tenders!?!? How misleading for people on a limited diet. And the serving size is not identified anyway, so how useful would an assay be anyway?
The nutritional information is for zucchini tater tots and for one serving, which would be a 1/4 of the recipe!
Can this be done in a regular oven and be crispy instead of an air fryer? If so, at what temp and for how long? Sound great for kids
This recipe is actually made using oven! Bake for 25-30 minutes at 400°F.
This recipe is really good and simple! I think I got too excited & put a little too much cheese but they were yum 😋
Thank you! Never too much cheese!
Really simple and good recipe.
Thank you!
Thank you! Your recipe was amazing 🤩 A great gluten free snack!
You’re so welcome! Yes!!
Thank you for the yummy recipe, the taste is so delicious and we approved it as a main dish in our menu 💗
You’re so welcome! I love that!
OH love that! They’re so good!
It turned out so beautiful and yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
I added some fried onions to the mixture as well and the combination was perfect!
Yay! So glad you liked it! And I love that you added fried onions to the mixture!!
Hi Yumna, Thanks for this recipe, it looks yummy. Is there any substitute for Cheese, trying to make a noncheese version for my family? thanks!
Yan can actually skip the cheese if you’d like. You can add a little more flour to help them hold their shape.
These turned out amazing!!!!!!! They were gone in minutes. They taste so good and cheesy!!! I added a little
Bit dried parmesan and it was amazing! Will definitely be making them again and again. Healthy and guilt free!
Yay, so glad to hear you enjoyed them and I love that you added parmesan to it!
Loved this recipe. These zucchini tots were very flavorful light snack. Will definitely be making them again.
Yay, so glad to hear that. Thank you!!
I did this a few days ago and they taste amazing! My daughter loved it and it is perfect for school lunchbox! We made them circle shaped and called them Cookirgettes (cookies + courgettes which is zucchini in French) thank you for this simple yet awesome recipe ?
So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for taking the time to share Sara 🙂
Heads up if you are planning to make these Zucchini tater tots “they will be all gone before you open and close your eyes. These are so delicious. I couldn’t do 4 servings, All gone. My kids loved it too. Paired mine with a combination of hummus and ketchup????. Super yum. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing!!! They turned out amazing and delicious and browned to perfection!!! They were also quick and simple to make!!
So glad to hear that! Thank you so much for the feedback! 🙂
This recipe sounds awesome! But I’m confused, Panko breadcrumbs are traditionally not gluten free – do you mean you used a gluten free version? I’m looking for GF recipes for my husband who is gluten intolerant.
You’re right, they’re not always gluten-free, but the ones I see in stores always happen to be gluten free. I buy Ian’s or Kikkoman. I will make that clear in the post. Thank you!