Sweet Potato Zucchini Tots - Feeding Tiny Bellies (2024)

These sweet potato zucchini tots are both savory and sweet with a soft and pillowy texture. They’re perfect for lunch, a side, or a fun snack!

Zucchini and sweet potatoes are vegetables that are so nutrient-dense and pair so well together. The sweet potato adds the perfect touch of sweetness and the zucchini and cheese add a savory flavor to balance out the potatoes. They freeze well and are great served with a dip or on their own!

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need to make these sweet potato zucchini tots:

• Sweet Potato: The main star ingredient for these tots. You can either cook the potato in the microwave or in the oven.
• Zucchini: You can remove the skin if you’d like, but I incorporated the skin into the mixture for all the more nutrients!
• Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain flavored panko breadcrumbs.
• Shredded Cheese: Used to add flavor to these veggie tots. I used parmesan cheese, but you may use any cheese.
• Onion Powder: For added flavor.
• Salt: Optional ingredient for a little added flavor. You can make a batch without salt for a younger baby and add salt to the rest for everyone else!

Step By Step Instructions

1. Pierce the sweet potato several times with a fork and cook it in the microwave for 6-7 minutes, or until it is soft and tender. Transfer the flesh to a bowl and measure out 1 cup of the mashed potato.
2. Shred the zucchini using a cheese grater. I used the side with the smallest-sized holes on my box grater to get the mixture to be as smooth as possible, but if you prefer larger chunks in the tots, use a larger-sized hole on the grater. You will want to have about 1 cup of packed grated zucchini.
3. Use your hands, a towel, or a cheesecloth to squeeze out as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. Once you remove the moisture, you should end up with about 1/2 cup of the grated zucchini.
4. Add the zucchini, mashed sweet potato to a bowl along with the breadcrumbs, cheese, onion powder, and salt (if using). Mix well until combined.
5. Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and shape them into small tots. Place the tots on a parchment paper-lined pan.
6. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-18 minutes, or until the edges begin to slightly brown.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Zucchini: The zucchini may be replaced with any other veggies! Carrots would also work well in this recipe.
• Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour.
• Cheese: For a dairy-free version, substitute the cheese for dairy-free shredded cheese. You may also swap it with nutritional yeast.

Storage Instructions

Once cooled, store the sweet potato zucchini tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake the tots at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed. To freeze, place the cooled tots in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before reheating, or quickly reheat on high in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, adding 10-second increments as needed. You may also reheat these tots in the air fryer using your air fryer’s reheat function.

Frequently Asked Questions

Recipe Notes

• It is extremely important to remove as much moisture from the zucchini as possible. Excess moisture will result in an overmoist mixture that will cause the tots to be soggy. You can use your hands or a towel, but I find that using a nut milk bag is the easiest to remove the most moisture.
• I used 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese in this recipe for added flavor. Mozzarella cheese is a good low-sodium alternative for young babies.
• Add salt and other seasonings for a bit more flavor if serving to adults. I usually make a batch for my baby and add salt and a little spice to a batch for everyone else!

Here are some other veggie-based recipes that you may like!

• Sweet Potato Waffles
• Savory Vegetable Muffins
• Cheesy Carrot Bites