Today, I want to share my recipe for easy-baked cheesy zucchini bites. If you’re like me, your garden is overflowing with zucchini. Updated in 2026.
Isn’t it wonderful to have a full garden and to harvest your own food items? Remember, you can freeze your grated or shredded zucchini and use it throughout the year. I measure out 2 cups per bag and store them in freezer bags.
When my girls were growing up, this recipe was a staple in our home. We had a large garden and froze bags and bags of grated zucchini.
Of course, we also made Zucchini Muffins, zucchini bread, and zucchini cookies. But sometimes, I would include these bites in the kids’ lunch boxes when they took their lunch to school.
You can make these smaller bites and serve them with ranch dressing as an appetizer. It’s great that it makes a small batch- not too many, but just enough to freeze some if we want to save them for later.
Or, what neighbor wouldn’t love a homemade healthy snack like this? The original recipe was from a neighbor our girls babysat for.
I’d never heard of zucchini bites until we met her. I’ve modified the recipe over the years, but it still brings back great memories of that neighborhood. In case you missed this post, Quick & Easy Salad Dressing Recipes From Scratch
Easy Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites
Items You Need In Your Kitchen
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Danish Whisk or Mixing Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- Zucchini
- Egg
- Shredded Cheese
- Bread Crumbs
- Salt and Pepper
- Dried Sweet Basil
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
Zucchini bites come together with a handful of simple ingredients that most families already keep on hand, which is part of what makes this recipe so appealing for busy home cooks. Fresh zucchini is the star of the show and should be grated and then squeezed dry with a clean towel to remove excess moisture, since a soggy mixture will keep the bites from holding together and crisping up in the oven. Shredded cheddar cheese or a blend of mozzarella and parmesan adds richness and that classic cheesy pull, while also helping bind the mixture together and adding a rich flavor.
Breadcrumbs or panko give the bites structure and a bit of texture, soaking up moisture from the zucchini while helping the outside turn golden as they bake. Eggs act as the binder that holds everything together, so the bites keep their shape instead of falling apart in the pan. A bit of chopped onion or garlic brings savory depth, while fresh herbs such as parsley or basil add color and a garden-fresh flavor that pairs so well with summer squash. A pinch of salt and pepper rounds out the seasoning, though many home cooks like to add a dash of paprika or Italian seasoning for extra flavor. Together, these ingredients turn an overflowing zucchini harvest into a wholesome, cheesy snack that the whole family will enjoy.
Easy Baked Cheesy Zucchini Bites
Step One
Gather your ingredients. Drain the shredded zucchini until it’s almost dry. If needed, use a towel to wring out the liquid.
Step Two
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet, spray with vegetable spray, and set aside. Combine the zucchini, slightly beaten egg, cheese, breadcrumbs, and seasonings, as stated in the recipe below.
Step Three
Mix thoroughly. I love using my Danish whisk for this recipe!
Step Four
I use a cookie scoop for the zucchini bites, but you can use a tablespoon if desired. I use my hands to mound them and flatten them a bit. The thicker you make the mounds, the longer they take to bake.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how large you make your zucchini bites. Bake until the edges are golden brown.
End Product
Cheesy Zucchini Bites Recipe
Cheesy Zucchini Bites Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups Shredded zucchini with skins, drained with a strainer or towel (it must be dry)
- 1 Egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup Grated cheese (I used a Cheddar/Monterey Jack combo). Please note: I've also used Mozzarella cheese in the recipe. Just about any cheese should work.
- 1/4 cup Breadcrumbs (I used plain)
- 1/4 teaspoon Dried sweet basil
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder or onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet, spray with vegetable spray, and set aside.
- Combine the zucchini, slightly beaten egg, cheese, breadcrumbs, and seasonings, as stated above.
- Mix thoroughly. I use a cookie scoop for the zucchini bites, but you can use a tablespoon if desired.
- I use my hands to mound them and flatten them a bit.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on how large you make your zucchini bites.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown. Drain on a rack.
How do I store these?
After cooking, I store them in a quart-size freezer bag in the refrigerator. They’ll be suitable for 3 – 4 days.
Can I serve them hot or cold?
You can serve them hot from the oven or eat them cold after storing them in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze these?
Absolutely. When you want a healthy snack for later, please freeze them in freezer bags and thaw them in your refrigerator when you’re ready to serve them.
Can I make these Gluten-Free?
Yes, I have family members who have gluten issues, and they use the Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs.
Are these the same as zucchini fritters?
They’re similar, but they’re different at the same time. I grew up eating fried zucchini patties; you may have eaten them too. My mom would grate some zucchini, add eggs, and some breadcrumbs.
She would fry the patties in a large cast-iron pan filled with oil. We would eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We always had a large garden and several fruit trees.
History Behind These Gems
Zucchini bites have roots that stretch back to the humble zucchini itself, a summer squash first cultivated by Italian growers in the late 1800s after squash seeds brought over from the Americas were bred into the slender green vegetable we know today. Italian immigrants carried zucchini recipes with them to the United States, where home cooks began grating and frying the squash into fritters as a way to use up the abundant harvest that summer gardens produce every single year.
Over time, American kitchens took that same idea of a fried squash fritter and gave it a cozy makeover by baking it instead of frying it and folding in cheese, breadcrumbs, and herbs, turning a simple vegetable side into the bite-sized snack so many families enjoy today. Baked cheesy zucchini bites became especially popular as home cooks looked for healthier ways to prepare classic fritter recipes without a skillet full of oil, and as more families started growing their own zucchini in backyard gardens as part of a self-reliant lifestyle. Today, these little bites are loved for being a simple way to stretch a garden harvest, sneak vegetables into a family meal, and create a snack that freezes and reheats beautifully, which makes them a natural fit for anyone who values scratch cooking and making the most of what the garden provides.
Final Word
I hope you try making these zucchini bites. It’s one more recipe we can teach our family to cook from scratch. How is your garden doing?
You may be able to get fresh zucchini at a Farmer’s Market if you don’t have room to grow them in your garden. May God bless this world, Linda
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