Cheesy Zucchini Muffins
Recipe video above. These are savoury Zucchini Muffins, the cheesy kind rather than the sweet zucchini bread kind. They're soft inside with a subtle hint of garlic, golden and crusty on the outside. Quick to make, stays fresh for 3 to 4 days and are great to tuck into lunch boxes or take into work to share for morning tea!Gluten-free - Yes, this works with gluten-free flour!
Servings: 12 muffins
Calories: 231cal
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray , for greasing the muffin tins well
Add Ins:
- 1 zucchini , larg-ish, about 180g / 6 oz each, shredded using a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out using hands (Note 1)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded (or tasty, Colby or other melting cheese except mozzarella - Note 2)
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb soda (sub 1 1/2 tsp baking powder)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Wet ingredients (no need to bring to room temp):
- 1 large egg (~50 - 55g/2 oz each)
- 3/4 cup milk (full or low fat)
- 1/4 cup plain yoghurt or sour cream, full fat best but low-fat works as well
- 1/4 cup olive oil (or any plain flavoured oil)
- 1 garlic clove , grated or crushed using a garlic press
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Whisk wet and dry in separate bowls, combine, stir in cheese and grated zucchini (excess water squeezed out). Bake 25 min in well greased or lined muffin tin (cheese gets stuck!) at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced).
- Prepare muffin tin - Spray a 12 hole standard muffin tin generously with oil. If your non-stick coating isn't in great shape (like mine), either use liners instead or lightly dust with flour - I prefer this, for golden muffin sides and base. (Note 3 for how to flour dust pans). Cheese is a strong glue!!
- Grate the zucchini with a standard box grater. Grab handfuls and squeeze out excess water (no need to go to extremes with a tea towel).
- Dry ingredients - Whisk Dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Wet ingredients - Whisk Wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Combine wet and dry - Pour Wet into the Dry ingredients bowl. Mix 8 times or until flour is almost mixed in but you can still see some.
- Add zucchini and cheese then mix as few times as possible just to incorporate remaining bits of flour - no more than 7 big stirs (secret to soft muffs). The batter will be quite thick - don't worry, the zucchini releases moisture as it bakes.
- Bake 25 min - Divide between 12 holes in muffin in (I use an ice cream scooper). Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and crusty, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm for optimum experience!
Notes
1. Zucchini / courgettes - You need about 2 heaped cups, once shredded. No need to go to extremes squeezing the water out using a tea towel, just use your hands.
Optional peel for hidden greens - if you have picky eaters who will be suspicious at the sight of green specks in the muffin, you can always just peel it! :)
2. Cheese - Use anything you want that melts, but not mozzarella as the flavour and salt is too mild. Pre-shredded cheese is fine here, I don't always say that! :) My favourite is Devondale 3 Cheese Blend (Woolies, Coles), melts well and good value.
3. Avoid stuck muffins - Cheese is strong food glue! If your muffin tin’s non-stick coating isn’t great, use liners or dust the holes with flour. Spray lightly with oil, sprinkle with flour, rotate to coat sides and base of each hole, then (IMPORTANT!) turn upside down over the sink and tap out excess very well. Too much flour won’t absorb into the batter properly, leaving a layer of flour on the sides/base.
Note: If you use paper liners, you won't get golden undersides on your muffin, but on the plus side, clean up is much easier!
4. Gluten-free - Substitute the flour with gluten-free flour, and ensure your baking powder is gluten free (most are). I use White Wings Gluten-Free flour (I'm in Australia) and the muffins came out virtually identical, both exterior and inside!
Storage - Stays fresh 4 to 5 days, in a cool pantry or fridge if it's hot where you are. They can also be frozen for 3 months.
Nutrition per muffin.
Nutrition
Calories: 231cal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 284mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 288IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 191mg | Iron: 1mg