Savory zucchini muffins are an easy side dish to add to your next soup or pasta dinner. They're filled with savory flavors like garlic, parmesan, and chives, and make the perfect vehicle for extra butter.
Recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Moist, cheesy, garlicky
Key ingredients: Shredded zucchini, fresh chives, parmesan cheese.
Yield: 13 muffins
Freezes well. Make a batch of muffins and freeze leftovers for up to 6 months.
Great for: Summer side dish, serving with Zucchini Pesto Pasta or Tomato Zucchini Soup
Loaf version: Savory Zucchini Bread
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini - You'll need 220 grams or 1.5 cups of finely grated zucchini (or about 1 to 1.5 medium zucchini). After measuring, you'll need to squeeze the excess liquid from the zucchini so that we don't add too much moisture to the recipe. Too much moisture = soggy and dense muffins.
- All-purpose flour - I've only tested this recipe with all-purpose (plain) flour, so I can't say for sure how other flours will turn out. If you have a different type of flour on hand, I recommend searching for a recipe that is developed with that specific flour in mind.
- Buttermilk - This recipe is written to work perfectly with buttermilk and the listed leavening, so regular milk (or other non-dairy milks) won't work as substitutes. If you don't have buttermilk on hand, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup, then fill to the 1-cup line with whole milk. Allow it to set for 5 minutes and you'll have a buttermilk substitute that works in this recipe.
- Eggs - Add structure and moisture to the zucchini muffins.
- Unsalted butter - Unsalted butter and ⅛ teaspoon of the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if desired.
- Chives - Add flavor to your muffins. Can be omitted if desired.
- Leavening - You'll need both baking powder and baking soda for the proper lift in this recipe.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of the muffins. I do not recommend omitting the salt - muffins will taste bland in comparison.
- Garlic powder - Adds garlicky flavor to your muffins. Can be omitted if desired.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds savory flavor. If desired, it can be substituted with other cheeses like cheddar or gruyere. I recommend using cheese freshly shredded from a block rather than pre-shredded cheeses in a canister or bag. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated in anti-clumping powders that can add a grainy texture when melted.
How to make savory zucchini muffins
- Whisk wet ingredients in a large bowl until no streaks of eggs remain.
- Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly incorporate into wet ingredients. Last, add cheese and chives and stir to combine. Mixture will be thick.
- Portion into 13 muffin liners. A large cookie scoop makes this easy.
- Bake until edges begin to brown and centers pop back when gently pressed.
Tips and tricks
Grating zucchini for muffins - I recommend shredding zucchini using the small or "fine" side of a box grater. The smaller pieces melt right into the zucchini muffins as they bake. A larger grate will work but adds a noticeable texture to your finished muffins. Here's the grater I use for my zucchini: OXO Good Grips Box Grater
Gently mix batter - If the batter is overmixed, the gluten is overworked and your muffins can turn out tough. Instead, use a gentle stirring motion with a spoon (no need for a stand mixer or hand mixer) and only stir until ingredients are just incorporated.
Pan size - This recipe makes standard size muffins. I recommend a Wilton Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan. If you'd like to make mini muffins or large muffins, keep in mind that the baking times and quantity of muffins made will differ from what's written in the recipe.
Food processor - If you have a food processor with a grating disc, this is a great time-saving way to grate zucchini.
Storage
For detailed information how to store zucchini bread and muffins, check out my full post: How to store zucchini bread
Zucchini muffins will keep for about 3 to 4 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
Muffins can be frozen for up to six months. To freeze, wait until muffins have cooled completely to room temperature. Store in a freezer safe container or plastic bag (with excess air removed). Optionally, wrap each muffin in plastic wrap/foil before storing in a freezer-safe container for extra protection. To thaw, place on the counter top for 1 hour.
Frequently asked questions
No, there's no need to peel your zucchini before shredding it for muffins. The skin of the zucchini contains fiber and other nutrients you'd otherwise be missing out on by peeling it off.
Once your muffins have baked, the only sign of zucchini is tiny flecks of green throughout. Otherwise, the zucchini (skin included) melts right into the muffins.
Yes, for this recipe you'll need to squeeze the excess liquid from the shredded zucchini before adding it to the batter. Too much liquid will make the muffins soggy, gummy, and dense.
No, zucchini has a mild flavor that makes it ideal for baking. Cucumber has a fresh "melon" flavor that's much more pronounced and not ideal for hiding in baked goods. For more information: Zucchini vs Cucumber - What's the Difference?
As written, this recipe makes standard size muffins. This recipe will work to make mini muffins or large muffins, but I have not tested baking times for these sizes. Keep in mind that the baking time and quantity will differ from what's written in the recipe card below. If you give another muffin size a try, let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
If you're using a large zucchini with mature, hard seeds inside, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds before grating.
This recipe makes about 13 standard size muffins. This is the muffin pan I use for all my muffins and cupcakes: Wilton 24 cup standard size muffin pan
Troubleshooting
If your baked zucchini muffins turned out soggy or sinking in the center, then they were either underbaked or had too much moisture. Make sure not to add extra wet ingredients to this recipe, like extra zucchini, a dollop of sour cream, applesauce, or extra vegetable oil. This recipe includes exact measurements of wet and dry ingredients to ensure your muffins turn out perfectly baked and moist, not wet or soggy.
Dry baked goods can happen for several reasons. Either your muffins were overbaked, too many dry ingredients (like flour) were added to the recipe, or the moisture-adding ingredients (eggs, butter, buttermilk, zucchini) were reduced.
Bland baked goods can happen for a few reasons. Omitting the salt or adding too much flour can cause your muffins to turn out bland. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients - it's not there to make your muffins "salty". Measure flour accurately by weighing it using the gram measurements listed in the recipe card. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Gently spoon flour into a measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Scooping flour with a measuring cup compacts flour into the cup, adding up to 25% extra flour to the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Savory Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups (220 g) finely grated zucchini, after measuring, squeeze liquid out
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (56 g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a muffin pan with 13 paper liners and set aside.
- In a bowl, add finely grated zucchini (after liquid has been squeezed out), buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk until evenly incorporated. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients. Stir until incorporated. Add cheese and chives and stir just until incorporated. Batter will be thick.
- Divide batter between 13 lined muffin cups and bake for about 17-19 minutes, OR until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with crumbs (baking times will vary based on your oven and type of pan used).
- Allow muffins to cool completely on the counter before unwrapping and enjoying. Hot muffins will stick to the liners.
Recommended Equipment
Notes
- Storage: Leftover zucchini muffins will keep in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If your muffins are very moist/wet, I recommend refrigerating.
- Freezing: Muffins can be frozen for up to 6 months. Tightly wrap in plastic wrap/foil and store in a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw on the counter top for 1 hour or more.
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