Here’s a healthy appetizer (or snack!) for you. Baked Potato and Zucchini Bites, a combination of mashed potato pancake and grated zucchini – and not an ounce of oil needed for this deliciously nourishing dish. Tops my list of favorite baked zucchini recipes – hands down!
Who does not like potato croquettes? Even those who claim to hate them are in denial. (?!) Seriously though, I always thought that potatoes served as appetizer are generally crowd-pleasers.
This healthy appetizer, baked potato and zucchini bites, is slightly a notch higher when it comes to vegetable content and TASTE!
HOW TO MAKE BAKED POTATO AND ZUCCHINI BITES
WHAT KIND OF POTATO SHOULD I USE FOR THESE MASHED POTATO PANCAKES?
The floury type is perfect for these baked mashed potatoes. Make sure you chop them all in (almost) equal sizes, so they will cook at the same time.
You can also place the pan back in the heat after draining the water once the potatoes are cooked. Keep the pan there for a couple of minutes to absorb more moisture from the cooked potatoes.
CAN I SKIP THE CHEESECLOTH FOR THIS BAKED ZUCCHINI RECIPE?
You can. But squeezing might get messy; bits and pieces of the grated zucchini would be sticking out for sure.
CAN I REPLACE PARMESAN WITH OTHER CHEESE FOR THIS HEALTHY ZUCCHINI RECIPE?
Yep. You can replace it with any hard cheese that you like. If it’s a slightly soft cheese though, add a bit more breadcrumbs to make the mixture less wet.
This applies to the amount of salt as well. If you’re going to replace parmesan with a less salty type of cheese, adjust the quantity of salt to balance it out.
CAN I USE PANKO BREADCRUMBS FOR THESE POTATO AND ZUCCHINI FRITTERS?
Absolutely. Admittedly, I rarely use them since I have bags of homemade breadcrumbs in my freezer. 🙂
HELPFUL TIPS ON MAKING BAKED POTATO AND ZUCCHINI FRITTERS
- If you feel that the mixture is too wet, add a bit more breadcrumbs. However, based on my experience, I have never added more than 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs in the mixture.
- You can fry these fritters if you want. That’s how it was when I initially published this post back in 2017 – and I kept them shaped as balls.
- Do NOT use aluminum foil on the baking tray. Line it with a baking sheet or you would have a hard time taking them out afterwards (Yep, learned my lesson :D).
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BAKED POTATO AND ZUCCHINI BITES?
A simple marinara sauce. That is everything you need to fully enjoy these treats – and your favorite drink, of course!
If you are looking for more appetizer ideas, check out my appetizers collection!
You get an equal amount of mashed potato and grated zucchini in each bite of these baked treats -- a healthy appetizer than can also be served as snack! My favorite baked zucchini recipe, hands down! (VIDEO ABOVE)
- 1/4 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into equal sizes
- 1/4 kg zucchini (at least), a medium-sized zucchini would be ok
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 lemon, grated zest
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling)
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- Boil potatoes until soft.
- While potatoes are boiling, peel and grate the zucchini.
- Remove the water out of the grated zucchini by using a cheesecloth. Do it in batches for easier handling.
- Place the squeezed, grated zucchini in a medium to large mixing bowl.
- Once the potatoes are ready, drain the water from them. Use a potato ricer to mash the potatoes and add them in the mixing bowl, with the zucchini.
- Add the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs for sprinkling.
- Mix, just enough to combine.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Take a tablespoon of the mixture, roll it into a ball and flatten the ball on top of a tray, lined with a baking sheet.
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Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the bites.
- Place baking tray in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until they get darker in color.
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Serve.
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