cheesy zucchini tots

Banana Bread

Cheesy Zucchini Tots

Not one, not two, but three cheeses make these low-carb cheesy zucchini tots live up to their name. Bake them in the oven or fry them in your air fryer for a crisp exterior and a gooey, melted center. Don't use pre-shredded cheese here; shred it fresh for the best and creamiest results. Serve with ketchup, marinara, ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.

Ingredients

1 medium-large zucchini (about 12 ounces)
1 ounce provolone cheese (about 1/3 cup shredded)
1 ounce fontina cheese (about 1/3 cup shredded)
1 ounce parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup grated)
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 large egg, beaten
cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven or air fryer to 400°F. If baking, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
Shred zucchini on the coarse side of a box grater. Place the shredded zucchini in a clean cotton towel (not terry cloth) and squeeze tightly to release excess liquid. Place in a large bowl. Shred provolone and fontina into the bowl, then grate Parmesan into the bowl. Add panko, flour, pepper and oregano; stir to combine. Add egg and stir to coat well.
Using your hands, lightly squeeze generous 1 1/2-tablespoon portions of the zucchini mixture to create 1-by-1 1/2-inch tots. You should have 28 tots.
If baking, place on the prepared baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Bake until lightly browned and crispy on top, about 20 minutes. If air-frying, coat the air-fryer basket and the tops of the tots with cooking spray. Air-fry until lightly browned and crispy on top, about 6 minutes.
Let the tots rest for 4 minutes before serving with your favorite sauce.