Baked zucchini tater tots are crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle. These kid friendly, and adult approved taters are baked without oil and made using wholesome ingredients. Your little ones will never even taste the zucchini in here, but you can feel good about the extra nutrients they’re getting.
Plus, they’re vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free and oil free. Suitable for all eating preferences and made without any of the top allergens.
Most tater tot recipes out there are fried, but even the baked ones still call for oil. I felt determined to make a version that is oil free, simple to make, and still completely delicious.
Voila! This healthy version is certainly tasty, it’s toddler approved, and even husband approved. Kids and adults alike just love to dip. I find it easier to sneak in veggies and healthy components when a dip is involved. In this case, hubby chose ketchup, while my toddler insisted on mustard. Both were great! But if you want to kick it up a notch, try this simple Cayenne Spicy Dip instead.
How do you make baked zucchini tater tots?
First, peel your potatoes and get them in a pot with water. Bring to a boil and let them cook for about 10 minutes.
While that’s going, grate your zucchini, squeeze out as much moisture as possible and add them to a large bowl. Then add all the seasonings to the same bowl. By this time, your potatoes are probably ready, so drain them and immediately rinse them in cold water to stop them from overcooking. Plus this will allow you to handle them much sooner. Pat them dry and grate them into the same bowl, and mix well.
Preheat your oven and get a large baking tray ready with parchment paper so you can form your taters and place directly onto the tray. Using your hands, squeeze about a tablespoon worth of the mixture into a cylinder shape. Place on your tray and repeat with remaining batter.
Try and keep the tater tots small so they crisp up nicely. You should get about 24 tater tots in total. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until desired crispiness level is reached.
Since there’s no oil, use care when flipping in case any are getting stuck to the parchment paper. If you cannot lift the tater tots from the paper without them breaking, return to the oven for a few more minutes and try again. They will flip easier with longer cooking.
What to serve with zucchini tater tots?
Sandwiches and burgers are some of my favourite dishes to add a few tater tots to the side. Try them with my 5 Minute Chickpea Salad Sandwich or these delicious and EASY Pumpkin Black Bean Burgers. For a lighter main dish, you could even go for these Asian Slaw Vegan Wraps with Cauliflower Rice.
For more kid friendly, healthy recipes that are adult approved, try these!
- Baked Lentil Veggie Nuggets
- Banana Spinach Pancakes
- Sneaky Zucchini Meatballs [Vegan+GF+Oil Free]
- Quinoa Sweet Potato Mini Muffins
- Baked Chickpea Nuggets [Allergen Free]
- Easy Healthy Chickpea Cookies
- Vegan Cucumber Hummus Bites
- Baked Curly Fries
Equipment
- Grater
Ingredients
- 1 lb yellow potatoes (5-6 small potatoes) peeled
- 300 g zucchini (approx 2 small) I use 1 yellow and 1 green
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, until a fork can pierce the potato. Do not overcook, or they will be too soft to grate. Drain and rinse in cold water immediately, then pat them dry.
- Meanwhile, grate your zucchini onto paper towels and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Then transfer the shredded zucchini to a large mixing bowl and add all the seasoning. Grate the potatoes into the same bowl and mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into cylinder shapes, using approx 1 tablespoon worth for each one. Try and keep them on the smaller side for crispier taters. Place on prepared baking tray and repeat with remaining mixture. You should get about 24 tater tots.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, then carefully flip each one over and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until desired crispiness is achieved.
Are these good cold? I’m thinking of taking to a picnic.
Hi Renee, I prefer them warm, but yes they are still super tasty cold. Enjoy! 🙂
Omg these were a hit with my son! He has a love/hate relationship with potatoes. As soon as I gave one to him he said “mmmmm mommy”! Can’t wait to make them again!!!
Yay that’s great! So glad your son enjoyed these. Nothing beats a kid approved recipe, especially with hidden greens! 🙂