Perfect Fall Snack Food: Zucchini Tots (Gluten Free and Vegan!)

Zucchini Tots

If your pantry runneth over with zuccs, it’s time to turn to tots. We totally recommend using the overabundance of zucchini to make the top tots.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cups zucchini, shredded
  • salt
  • 1 tsp oil (grapeseed, olive or coconut)
  • ¼ onion, finely diced
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • 2 Tbsp potato or corn starch
  • 1 cup almond meal (buy in bulk, or make your own by processing blanched almonds)
  • ½ Tbsp nutritional yeast or ¼ cup vegan cheese (optional)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. Lay the shredded zucchini onto a dry, clean tea towel. Sprinkle zucchini with salt, the salt helps draw out the excess moisture in the zucchini. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. While zucchini is sitting, sauté onion in oil until translucent. Set aside.
  4. Roll the tea towel and zucchini into a tight roll. Once rolled, apply pressure to get excess moisture from the zucchini.
  5. Mix together the zucchini, onion, nutritional yeast, paprika, starch and ½ cup almond meal. Mix with hands until mixture is thick and moist. Add more almond meal as needed to get a consistency that will hold together – consistency will vary depending on zucchinis moisture content. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning as needed.
  6. Roll about 1 tablespoon scoops into tight, oblong logs– like tiny jelly rolls. Or try out quenelles. Place on sheet pan, space far enough apart they are not touching.
  7. Optional: Roll the zucchini tots in extra almond meal for an extra crunch. Lightly spray each tot with oil to help crisp in oven.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Flip and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown all over.
  9. Let cool a few minutes before removing from sheet pan.
  10. Storage: Flash freeze cooked tots on a sheet pan. Once frozen store in an airtight container or freeze bag. To reheat, place on a lined sheet pan while still frozen and cook for 15-20 minutes or until crisp.
Morgan Shupe