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Cheesy Savory Zucchini Muffins are a delicious way to celebrate zucchini. They're pillowy soft, moist, and flavored with garlic butter. Yum! Enjoy them as a low-sugar snack or breakfast on-the-go.
My family loves to eat these muffins warmed up. And, they're even better served with a pat of butter and pinch of flaky salt! In the summer, when zucchini is abundant, I meal prep extra muffins for the freezer. They're always convenient to have on hand.
For more zucchini recipes, check out: Easy Vegan Zucchini Muffins, Zucchini Fritters, Zucchini Noodle Tom Yum Soup, and Zucchini Pappardelle with Roasted Tomatoes.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Savory and delicious: These zucchini muffins are so yummy! They're cheesy, soft and tender. Scallions and garlic butter add extra savory flavor too.
- Easy (no squeezing zucchini): This one-bowl recipe doesn't call for squeezing the zucchini. It cuts down on prep time and mess.
- Meal prep snack: These savory zucchini muffins make a delicious snack or breakfast on-the-go. Prep a batch for the week ahead!
- Freezer friendly: These muffins freeze well. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
There's just 10 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for this savory zucchini muffin recipe. Here's what you need:
- Zucchini: Makes these muffins moist and tender. With this recipe, you won't need to squeeze the zucchini after shredding. It saves time and cuts down on dirty dishes.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use a Sharp cheddar (or Aged cheddar) for the best flavor. Cheese develops more complex flavor the longer it ages. You can substitute a Medium cheddar cheese but the flavor will be milder.
- Parmesan: In my recipe tests, the muffins made with Parmesan (in addition to cheddar) tasted better. Parmesan elevates the cheesy, salty flavor. Hard cheeses like Parmesan have a low-moisture content, so they don't melt as easily. But if you finely grate it, it'll mix into the batter more evenly. You can substitute Asiago or another hard Italian-style cheese instead.
- Butter: Adds delicious buttery flavor. And, helps keep the muffin moist. During recipe development, we tested a savory zucchini muffin without butter (or added oil). The muffins without butter/oil didn't stay "fresh" the following day. So, don't skip it!
- Scallions: Adds two flavors in one! The white bottoms add punchy onion flavor—without being as overpowering as raw white onion. Then, the green tops add a milder chive flavor. In a pinch, you could try substituting chives instead of green onions.
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
How to make (step-by-step photos)
This cheesy zucchini muffin recipe comes together in just one bowl. And, because you don't need to squeeze the zucchini, it's surprisingly easy to make. Here's how:
Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.
Tips
- Don't squeeze the zucchini: This recipe was developed for unsqueezed zucchini. This means you can just grate the zucchini, then add it directly to the bowl. There's no need to squeeze the water first! This saves time and reduces dirty dishes. The zucchini will release moisture as the muffins bake. So, expect the batter to be quite thick (stiff) when you mix it together. This is expected.
- For best results, use a kitchen scale: Baking by weight is more accurate than baking by volume. So, if you have a scale, definitely use it! (Refer to "metric" measurements in recipe card for gram equivalents).
- Be careful when measuring flour: It's very easy to add the wrong amount of flour when baking. If you don't have a kitchen scale, use the "Spoon and Level" method. To do this: fluff up the flour in its container, then gently spoon it into a measuring cup until overflowing, then use the back of a knife to level it off. (If you scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour bag, you'll probably add too much.)
- Avoid over mixing: If you stir the batter too much, it can make the muffins tough (not tender). Mix just until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Pro tip for loftier muffins: Start muffins at a higher temperature (425°F)—for 5 minutes—to get them to rise quickly. Then, reduce the oven temperature (350°F) and bake until the muffins are cooked through. This allows the muffins to rise and cook through the middle (without overcooking on the outside). This method works sweet Zucchini Muffins and other quick breads too.
Recipe FAQs
No, this recipe was developed to skip the messy step of squeezing zucchini. Just grate the zucchini and add it to the bowl. The muffin batter will be quite thick after mixing. This is on purpose, because the zucchini will release moisture into the batter as it bakes. The result is a moist and soft muffin after baking.
Muffins rise better when started at a higher temperature (425°F). But then reducing the oven temperature (350°F) ensures the muffins cook through in the middle—without overcooking on the outside.
This is the same technique I shared in my first print cookbook: Evergreen Kitchen. Try it and you'll be converted!
Yes, you can freeze these Savory Zucchini Muffins. Let the muffins fully cool after baking. Then, freeze the muffins in a single layer in an airtight freezer bag. The muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Breakfast on-the-go recipes:
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📖 Recipe
Savory Zucchini Muffins (One Bowl)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter (see note 1)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded zucchini (not squeezed, see note 2)
- 2 minced scallions
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 3½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1¾ cup shredded aged cheddar cheese (see note 3)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a muffin pan with baking cups.
- Melt butter: Add ¼ cup butter and 2 cloves minced garlic to a large heat safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second intervals (on low power), stirring in between, until butter is melted.
- Wet ingredients: To the bowl of melted butter, add 2 large eggs, ¾ cup milk, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 cups shredded zucchini (see note 2) and 2 minced scallions, stir until evenly combined.
- Dry ingredients: Scatter 2½ cups all purpose flour and 3½ teaspoons baking powder into the bowl. Stir until the flour is halfway incorporated. Scatter in 1¾ cup shredded aged cheddar cheese and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir just until flour is incorporated to avoid over mixing. (Dough will be quite stiff because zucchini will release moisture as it bakes).
- Bake: Divide batter into 12 lined muffin cups (they'll be quite full). Bake for 5 minutes at 425℉ (220℃). Then, keep the muffins in the oven and reduce the heat to 350℉ (177℃). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean, about another 20 minutes. (Total baking time will be about 25 minutes). Let muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Zucchini: Shred the zucchini with the skin-on. Once the zucchini is shredded, add it directly to the bowl—don't squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini.
- Cheddar Cheese: For the best flavor use an "aged" or "mature" cheddar cheese. While you can substitute "medium" cheddar instead, the flavor will be milder.
- Storage Tips: Muffins are best enjoyed within 3 days. Store in an airtight container. Can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow muffins to fully cool before freezing, then store in an airtight freezer bag.
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