Zucchini Tater Tots

Submitted by Jeff'sRecipeBox

"These tots are a healthy twist on classic tater tots. Classic tots are deep fried and made with potatoes, but these guys are baked and feature zucchini. Zucchini packs a nutritional punch! It's high in fiber and several vitamins and minerals including Vitamin C, Vitamin K, B vitamins, potassium and manganese. One medium zucchini supplies more than half of your daily Vitamin C needs! To make the tots, I mix shredded zucchini with some minced shallot and dried spices and bind it all together with an egg, breadcrumbs and yummy cheese. I like to use Italian spices and a mixture of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and serve the tots with marinara sauce for dipping. But what I love about this recipe is that it's a blank slate and you can use whatever types of seasoning and cheese you like. They would also be delicious with cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, dipped in a healthy Ranch style sauce. Just be sure to wring out as much water from the zucchini as you can. Zucchini has a high water content so this step is important to prevent the tots from getting soggy. After forming the mixture into tater tot shapes, simply spray them with olive oil and pop them in the oven. After about 20 minutes, they'll be puffed up and ready to be devoured!"

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 1⁄4 cup finely chopped shallots or 1/4 cup yellow onion
• 1⁄4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄4 cup whole wheat panko or 1/4 cup other unseasoned dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• olive oil
• marinara sauce, for serving

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Place the grated zucchini in cheesecloth or a kitchen towel and wring all of the excess water out (it will be a lot!).
3. Place the zucchini in a bowl along with all of the other ingredients except the olive oil. Mix until combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add a little more breadcrumbs.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and form it into an oval shape. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Arrange the tots on a single layer on the baking sheet and spray or brush the tops lightly with olive oil.
5. Bake until puffed up and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking. Serve with marinara sauce or other dipping sauce.

Reviews

[Pam L.]

I made this recipe twice in the past week (I had a lot of zucchini). The first time the only change I made was to use a combination of ground pretzels and saltines since I didn't have any panko on hand. The tots had a slightly bitter taste. I was thinking the Italian seasoning had something in it that gave the tots the off taste. The second time I made the recipe I left out the Italian seasoning altogether. I didn't have quite enough of the ground pretzels and saltines left (I was using a 1/3 cup measure this time), so I filled out the measuring cup with seasoned bread crumbs (probably only a tablespoon or two. The tots were outstanding! Apparently whatever seasoning that was in the seasoned bread crumbs was much better than the dry Italian seasoning. This is a simple and uncomplicated recipe for an excellent side dish. I did use a 1/3 cup measure for everything that called for a 1/4 cup measure.