Zucchini Garlic Bites

This tasty zucchini garlic bites recipe combines shredded zucchini with garlic, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and is served with a marinara dipping sauce for an Italian inspired twist.

Ah, zucchini…Its the crop that just keeps on giving throughout the growing season. This recipe is one more way to transform it into a scrumptious bite that can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or even a kid’s meal.

This time of year has the kitchen busy with preserving the harvest. Right now, the counters are filled with tomatoes and zucchini harvested from the garden. Both are in heavy rotation as I turn the ripe tomatoes into sauce or salsa, and the zucchini into zucchini lasagna, zucchini bread, or preserve for later. Once the counter is cleared, I have only a short moment of satisfaction before it begins filling up once again with newly picked fruit.

With football season approaching, I wanted to add something different to our weekly finger food spread. Since weekends spent preserving the harvest usually stretches well into fall, it had to be something tasty but easy to throw together.

Faced with a counter full of newly harvested zucchini, and the aroma of tomato sauce filling the kitchen as it simmered on the stove, it was then that I remembered one of those cooking videos on Facebook. It was some sort of shredded zucchini combination to resemble tater tots. I wanted to try something similar but with an Italian inspired twist.

I began chopping up some fresh parsley, oregano, and basil. I thought about adding minced onion and garlic, but worried about the texture since they wouldn’t have time to soften. Instead, I added chopped chives for a mild onion flavor and grated the garlic that infused into the mixture. A little Parmesan cheese added a slight nutty flavor.

Cooking Tip: How to Make Dried Bread Crumbs

How to Make Baked Zucchini Garlic Bites

Key to the success of this recipe is to squeeze out as much moisture as you can from the shredded zucchini. This will result in a bite that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Shred your zucchini by sliding across the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and twist the towel to wring out moisture. Grate the garlic using the small holes on the box grater and combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.

Shape the zucchini mixture into small balls, and place on your prepared baking sheets. Bake until golden and serve warm with a tomato dipping sauce.

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Zucchini Garlic Bites

Prep Time

12 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This tasty recipe combines shredded zucchini with garlic, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, and is served with a marinara dipping sauce for an Italian inspired twist.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 16 bites

Calories: 26 kcal

Author: Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

• 1 cup zucchini grated and drained well
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated fine
• 1 clove garlic grated fine
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
• pinch of salt and pepper
• tomato sauce for dipping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil or non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Use a box grater to grate the zucchini into a clean towel. Roll up the towel and twist to wring out the moisture. Grate the garlic using the small holes on the box grater.
3. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
4. Shape a tablespoon of the mixture into your hands, pat into small balls, and place on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven until golden. Serve warm with marinara sauce. Recipe makes about 16 bites.

Recipe Notes

Serve with warm marinara sauce:
Crockpot Tomato Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes
Seasoned Tomato Sauce for Home Canning

You May Also Like:

• Crockpot Tomato Sauce Recipe
• Seasoned Tomato Sauce for Home Canning
• Grilled Tomato Salsa Recipe
• Garden Fresh Zucchini Lasagna Recipe
• 3 Easy Ways to Preserve Zucchini
• How to Grow Zucchini and Summer Squash Vertically

Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden

Whether you are new to growing your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for years, you will benefit from some planning each year. You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden.