The photo appears to show golden-brown savory zucchini-and-cheese muffins: crisp around the edges, moist and tender inside, with shredded zucchini, herbs, and plenty of melted cheese. This recipe makes about 10–12 large muffins.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried oregano or Italian herbs
Wet ingredients
2 large eggs
½ cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard, optional
Main ingredients
2 cups (about 250 g) finely grated zucchini
1½ cups (150 g) shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup (50 g) shredded mozzarella
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped green onion or chives
Optional topping
¼ cup extra shredded cheddar
A little chopped parsley
Pinch of paprika
Sesame or pumpkin seeds, optional
👩🍳 Detailed Method
1. Prepare the zucchini
Grate the zucchini using the large holes of a box grater.
Place it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess water.
This step is extremely important. Zucchini contains a lot of water, and if you skip squeezing it, the muffins can become heavy or soggy.
You should have approximately 1½ cups of squeezed zucchini.
2. Prepare the oven
Preheat oven to:
375°F / 190°C
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line it with sturdy muffin liners.
For the browned, rustic appearance in the picture, lightly greasing the tin and baking directly in the tin works particularly well.
3. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl whisk together:
flour
baking powder
baking soda
salt
black pepper
garlic powder
oregano
4. Mix the wet ingredients
In another bowl whisk:
eggs
Greek yogurt
olive oil
Dijon mustard
Whisk until smooth.
5. Add zucchini and cheese
Add the squeezed zucchini, cheddar, mozzarella, parsley and green onion to the wet mixture.
Stir until evenly distributed.
6. Combine
Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture.
Fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
Don’t overmix—the batter should be thick and somewhat chunky.
7. Fill the muffin tin
Divide the batter between 10–12 muffin cups.
For large muffins like those in the photograph, fill each cup approximately ¾–almost full.
Sprinkle the tops with a little extra cheddar and parsley.
8. Bake
Bake at 375°F / 190°C for 22–28 minutes.
They’re ready when:
the tops are deeply golden
the cheese has browned in spots
the centers feel firm
a toothpick inserted into the bread portion comes out without wet batter
Because this recipe contains eggs, a food thermometer can also be used; USDA guidance says egg mixtures should reach 160°F / 71°C.
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9. Cool
Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5–10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Serve warm.
For the Flavor in the Photo
For a particularly flavorful version, use:
Cheddar + mozzarella + garlic + parsley + green onion + black pepper.
You can also add:
¼ tsp chili flakes for heat
¼ cup crumbled feta
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
¼ tsp smoked paprika
finely chopped jalapeño
fresh dill instead of oregano
Extra-crispy tops
Before baking, sprinkle each muffin with:
cheddar + Parmesan + a tiny drizzle of olive oil
This produces the browned, cheesy crust visible in the photograph.
Nut Information
This basic recipe contains:
No peanuts and no tree nuts.
There are, however, a few things to watch for:
Some packaged shredded cheeses can have allergen cross-contact.
If using pesto, check carefully—it commonly contains pine nuts.
Nut-based milk or yogurt would change the allergen profile.
If adding walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc., the recipe is no longer nut-free.
The FDA currently recognizes peanuts and tree nuts among the major food allergens, along with milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, crustacean shellfish and sesame.
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For someone with a serious allergy, check the actual ingredient labels and manufacturer’s allergen statements rather than relying solely on a recipe being described as “nut-free.”
Approximate Nutrition
For 12 muffins, using cheddar, mozzarella and Greek yogurt:
Nutrient Approx. per muffin
Calories 180–210 kcal
Protein 7–9 g
Carbohydrates 15–18 g
Fat 10–12 g
Fiber 1–2 g
Sugar 1–2 g
These are estimates and will vary considerably with the cheese, yogurt and amount of oil used.
Recipe Q&A
Can I use whole-wheat flour?
Yes. Replace up to ½ of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. Using 100% whole wheat will make them denser.
Why are my muffins soggy?
Usually because the zucchini wasn’t squeezed enough. Grate it, salt lightly if desired, wait a few minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Can I make them without eggs?
Yes. A commercial egg replacer is the most predictable option. You can also experiment with a flax egg, although the texture will be somewhat denser.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes. Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour formulated to replace wheat flour.
Can I make them without dairy?
Use dairy-free shredded cheese and unsweetened dairy-free yogurt. The flavor and browning will vary according to the products used.
Can I add chicken?
Yes. Add about ¾ cup cooked, finely chopped chicken. Don’t add raw chicken directly to this muffin batter.
Can I add bacon?
Yes. About 100 g cooked, crumbled bacon works very well. Reduce the added salt because bacon and cheese are already salty.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze for up to about 2–3 months for best quality. Reheat from thawed or frozen in an oven/air fryer until hot.
How do I reheat them?
For the best texture, use:
180°C / 350°F for 8–12 minutes
An air fryer works especially well for restoring the crispy edges.
Can I prepare the batter ahead?
It’s better to bake the muffins immediately after combining the wet and dry ingredients because the baking powder/soda begins working once hydrated.
Why didn’t mine rise?
Common causes are old baking powder, overmixing, excessive zucchini moisture, or filling the cups too shallowly.
Can I use frozen zucchini?
Yes, but thaw it completely and squeeze extremely well. Frozen zucchini releases a lot of water.
How should I store them?
Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3–4 days. Reheat before serving.
Can I make mini muffins?
Absolutely. Bake at approximately 180–190°C / 350–375°F for 11–15 minutes, checking early.
Can I make them more like the photograph?
Yes. Use large muffin cups, squeeze the zucchini very thoroughly, fill the cups generously, add extra cheddar on top, and bake until the cheese develops dark golden-brown patches. Don’t overfill with watery vegetables.
Quick Formula to Remember
2 cups grated zucchini → squeeze → 1½ cups flour → 2 eggs → ¾ cup cheese → yogurt + oil → herbs → bake 375°F/190°C for ~25 min.
That gives you the crispy cheesy exterior + soft, moist zucchini center shown in the image.