Parmesan Zucchini Tots
These Parmesan zucchini tots are crispy, lightly cheesy, and stuffed with zucchini. They come together in just 30 minutes, making them a quick and easy appetizer or side dish.
Servings: 16 tots
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, shredded, squeezed, pat dried (about 2 cups)
- 2 eggs (use egg substitute or aquafaba for vegan option)
- ¼ c almond meal
- ¼ c panko breadcrumbs (sub whole wheat breadcrumbs)
- ¼ c fresh shredded Parmesan (2 Tbsp grated)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Alternately, if you use an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Grate the zucchini. Use a dish towel or cheese cloth to squeeze the excess liquid out of the grated zucchini (there will be a lot of liquid). Pat dry the squeezed zucchini and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the egg, almond meal, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of zucchini mixture into your hand and shape into an oval. Transfer the raw tot to the cooking sheet and repeat until all of the mixture is used.
- Oven baked tots: Bake the tots for 16 to 18 minutes, turning over halfway through. Remove from the oven and enjoy with your choice of dip.Air fryer tots: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and add the tots. Cook the tots at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. For smaller air fryers, cook in batches. Serve with your choice of dip.
Notes
- Do you have to peel zucchini before cooking - no! In fact a ton of the nutrition comes from zucchini skin. Be sure to wash the exterior well before shredding.
- How do you get moisture out of shredded zucchini - there are several methods for removing excess moisture from zucchini. You can press the water out using a kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or nut milk bag. Using something sturdier than paper towels will make sure your towels don't tear and they do a better job of absorbing the moisture. You can also use a fine mesh sieve and press the liquid out, but we have limited success with this method.
- What do I do if my tots aren't sticking together - try adding more breadcrumbs. The tots should be a little wet and sticky, but should hold their shape.