Savory Zucchini Muffins (One Bowl)

Name: Savory Zucchini Muffins (One Bowl)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup butter ((see note 1)); 2 cloves minced garlic; 2 large eggs ((room temperature, see note 2)); ¾ cup milk ((room temperature, see note 2)); 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups shredded zucchini ((not squeezed, see note 3)); 2 minced scallions; 2½ cups all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1¾ cup shredded aged cheddar cheese ((see note 4)); ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cheesy Savory Zucchini Muffins make a delicious snack or breakfast. Flavored with cheddar cheese, Parmesan, scallions, garlic, and butter. One bowl and 35 minutes to make. With this easy recipe, you don't even need to squeeze the zucchini! Meal prep friendly, freezable, and great for the whole family. (Vegetarian).

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Best Savory Zucchini Muffin with cheese on a kitchen counter.

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
Ingredients (and substitutes)
How to make (step-by-step photos)
Tips
Recipe FAQs
📖 Recipe

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.

One bowl savory zucchini muffins on a cooling rack with oven mitt.

Ingredients (and substitutes)

There's just 10 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) for this savory zucchini muffin recipe. Here's what you need:

Ingredients to make Evergreen Kitchen's savory zucchini muffins.

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.

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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:

A stirring spoon mixing eggs, milk, and seasonings in a bowl. — 1. Melt butter with garlic. Then add egg, milk, and seasonings.

Stirring wet ingredients in a glass bowl for savory zucchini muffins. — 2. Stir until completely smooth.

Batter for zucchini muffins in a bowl with a stirring spoon. — 3. Add zucchini (don't squeeze after shredding). Then stir to mix.

Adding cheese to a bowl of savory zucchini muffin batter. — 4. Add flour and baking powder, then mix half-way. Add cheese.

Savory zucchini muffin batter in a bowl before baking. — 5. Stir in cheese, just until batter is mixed. (Avoid over-mixing the batter).

One bowl savory zucchini muffins in a muffin tin after baking. — 6. Bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

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.

Savory zucchini mmuffins with cheese on a kitchen counter.

Recipe FAQs

Should the shredded zucchini be squeezed?

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.

Why bake muffins at two different temperatures?

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!

Can I freeze zucchini muffins?

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.