These cheesy zucchini balls are delicious keto appetizers or snack with only 1.6g of net carbs per serve.
Baked keto zucchini Balls an easy healthy appetizer
Those baked keto zucchini balls are perfect snacks or appetizer with a delicious cheesy texture and garlic flavor. They are very easy to make using only few simple ingredients:
- Zucchini – keep skin on to add fiber and decrease net carbs
- Almond flour or almond meal
- Psyllium husk
- Eggs
- Hard grated cheese – grated mozzarella is my favorite as it gives the best cheesy texture to those zucchini bites. Other tasty cheese are mature cheddar and emmental
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Cumin
How to enjoy your zucchini bites?
They are delicious warm appetizers or snack even better if dipped into homemade guacamole or sour cream. You can also serve them cold into kids lunchbox. My kids are big fans of these and bring them school many times per month. They dip them into my keto sugar free ketchup recipe.
I very much inspired this recipe from my spinach balls recipe. This time I added some dried italian herbs and garlic in the batter. The texture is very soft, cheesy, with a crispy outside and crunchy zucchini bites all around the balls.
A quick make-ahead keto appetizer
It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare those zucchini balls and they freeze very well. Consequently. they are very handy make ahead appetizers for the holiday season or game night. Plus, you can create a large range of flavor playing with spices and cheese to surprise your guests every time!
More keto party food
I hope you guys enjoy this new keto appetizer recipe. If so I recommend you try the others low carb party food below to pair with the zucchini bites.
- Eggplant pizza bites – bite size pizza without crust
- Spinach cheese balls – a cheesy spinach appetizer
- Cauliflower dip – taste like hummus without the beans and carbs!
Don’t forget to share your creation with me on Instagram!
xoxo Carine
Zucchini Balls Baked
Ingredients
Keto version
- 1 1/2 cup Grated zucchini packed, squeeze to remove all juice
- 3 large Beaten egg
- 3 Garlic clove , finely crushed
- 1 cup Almond Flour (115 g)
- 2 tablespoon Whole Psyllium Husk (12 g)
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano or dried parsley, or italian mix
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon Ground paprika
- 1 cup Grated Mozzarella or cheddar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Classic version - not keto
Homemade Sugar free ketchup to dip
- 1 batch sugar free ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 370 F (200 C).
- Wash the zucchini and remove the ends, keep the skin on finely grate using a manual grater.
- Squeeze the grated zucchini in a clean towel to extract all the zucchini juice then pack the dried grated zucchini into a measuring cup. Measure 1 1/2 cup, set aside in a bowl.
- Stir in the beten eggs, crushed garlic, almond flour, psyllium husk, dried herbs, cumin, paprika, salt and grated mozzarella cheese.
- Combine with a spoon then knead with your hands, squeezing the batter to ensure that all the ingredients comes together. It should take 1 minute of squeezing/kneading until it forms a consistent batter.
- Form 18 zucchini balls, golf size balls rolling the batter within your hands.
- Place each balls onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. If your parchment paper tend to stick to food, brush a teaspoon of olive oil on top to avoid the zucchini balls to stick on the paper.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the outside is golden and crispy.
- Serve immediately with dip of your choice like my homemade sugar free ketchup or simple guacamole recipe or sour cream.
Storage
- Store up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container
- Freeze the baked zucchini bites in an airtight container leaving haf thumb space between each balls to make sure they don't stick to each other.
- Rewarm in hot oven 150C (300 F) on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until hot in the middle and crispy outside. No need to defrost before rewarming.
Leave a comment
I’ve made these twice, second time with only 2 eggs (all I had) and bacon bits chopped really small. I also used mature grated cheese as I had no Mozzarella. They were so yummy second time round that I think they may be a regular item in my recipe book
made these yesterday, did not care for the paprika flavour. Would increase cheese and garlic in future.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Take care, XOXO Carine
Is the psyllium husk necessary? I’ve never heard of it before. Looked it up and it’s for fiber?
Psyllium husk is pure fiber often used in keto baking to hold low carb flour together, absorb moisture and give a bready texture to food. Here you need the husk or the balls will sprea an flatten, no chew at all. You can find this online (this is my amazon affiliate link) or in the healthy food section of most supermarket. Enjoy the recipe, XOXO Carine
These were delicious! So easy to make, we loved them as an appetizer!
Thank you so much! I am so happy to read your feedback. Enjoy the recipes on the blog, XOXO Carine
Below nutritional panel is the following: “Nutrition panel is for one zucchini ball using pork rind.”
There is no pork rind in the Keto version, although substituting them for the panko would seem to be an easy change. Also wondering why the significant difference in the herbs for Keto….to cover almond flour taste?
Sorry for that, I updated that line as the nutrition panel is for the keto recipe, no pork rinds. Many of my followers are vegetarian so the pork rinds option can be used if you eat meat, swap the breadcrumb in the regular recipe by pork rinds. The variations of spices in the keto recipe cover the slighty yeasty flavor of husk. Enjoy the recipe, XOXO Carine.
Is there a more vegetarian keto option for the pork rinds?
More cheese Miriam ! They don’t shape as well into ball but more cheese works well yes. Otherwise, almond flour with coconut flour but I am not sure how much I didn’t try this option yet. Enjoy, XOXO Carine.
Can the mixture be put into a casserole dish, baked and cut into squares when set a bit?
That is a very good idea but as I didn’t try I am unsure how it will turn out. Let me know if you try! Enjoy, XOXO Carine
Recommend flavor of dip?
Sure! I love to dip them into my sugar free ketchup or in a simple avocado dip. Other great sauce are mustard or sriracha. Enjoy the balls! XOXO Carine.
Hello
Do you think I can use bread crumbs instead of panko crumbs? 🙂
Yes! Or even pork rinds if you ar eon low carb/keto diet. Enjoy the recipe ! XOXO Carine.
Thank you. My kids loveeee these and they don’t even like zucchini. 🙂
There is no better comment possible ! If kids are happy I am happy too 🙂 you made my day. I know how difficult it could be to sneak zucchini to your kids plate – mine are not big fan of this veggie but they love my zucchini balls too. Enjoy all the recipes on the blog. XOXO Carine.
Hi – these look good, but i’m doing keto. Do you have a recommendation for swapping out the panko crumbs (maybe some mix of almond and coconut flour)? Thanks
Many people report success using ground pork rinds. I didn’t try myself by I guess this will work well 🙂 Enjoy the recipe XOXO Carine.
Hi I just made these today and they came out very dry? Not sure what I did wrong? Any idea as to why?
The only thing I can think about is baking time. You probably overbaked them. I would recommend you to remove them from the oven as soon as they are crispy outside and golden. Pick with a skewer and see if it is set in the middle. If so, don’t bake longer. Also, grated mozarella makes them softer and cheesy – my kids prefer this cheese. Let me know if you try again ! Have a lovely time baking those. XOXO Carine.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I just made them and they’re delicious. I can’t wait to try out the spinach balls.
Hi Emily, Thnk you SO much for this lovely comment 🙂 You will definitely love the spinach balls as well I always have a batch of those in the freezer to serve as an appetizer or fill the kids lunchbox. So good! Thanks to read the blog and try my recipe. XOXO Carine.
Do you know Howe much sodium is in pne?
Hi, based on the breadcrumb and cheese I bought in New Zealand you have got 54.5 mg of sodium per zucchini balls. I updated the nutrition panel for you but be careful or the breadcrumb and cheese you buy from the store! It will impact the sodium very much. That is why I usually don’t show the sodium information, it is not really relevant depending on each ingredients. For example emmental or mozzarella will contain less sodium than cheddar etc. Enjoy the recipe. XOXO Carine.
Hi do you have to drain the water out of the courgettes?
Yes it is better to squeeze out any water from the grated courgette.
Ideas for dipping sauce?
Hi, We love to dip them in my homemade sugar free ketchup. It is also a great recipe to pair with guacamole or spinach avocado dip. Enjoy them ! xoxo Carine.
I swapped the mint for parsley and these were delicious! Would pair really well with a marinara sauce…tasted like mozzarella sticks!
Hi, thanks for your lovely comment! Those zucchini balls taste great with any fresh herbs. Parsley is a great swap to mint! I hope you will find even more delicious recipe around ! Carine.
Could something but substituted to remove the cheese?
Hi Julie, I never tried this recipe without cheese. I like the taste ad texture it adds to those simple zucchini balls. You may have to add more breadcrumbs until you obtain a consistency that makes balls easily. It will helps the batter to hold together but the result will be more dry. Let me know if you try to adapt this recipe ‘cheese free’. I am sure this will interest lots of others readers that don’t eat dairy. Thanks for reading my blog Julie. I hope you’ll find even more delicious recipe here – I have got plenty of others cheese free finger foods recipe, just browse! xoxo Carine.
I don’t usually comment, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe. I find most zucchini recipes like this one to be wet or very eggy. These were really good. Would make a great appetizer. Had it with a little yoghurt dip. Also, since I’m not a big fan of mint, I used half mint and half fresh basil. I also used cheddar instead of edam. Yummy!
Hi Emily, thank you so much for taking a minute to share your lovely feedback with this recipe. I must tell I love those zucchini balls too and all my friends are always surprised by their texture. Cheddar is a great substitute for edam I will give it a go next time. Thanks again for following the blog and for your kind comment. xoxo Carine.
Hi Carine, I just wanted to let you know I featured this recipe in my Low Carb Gluten-free Zucchini Recipes roundup. I hope you’ll get some visits coming your way!
Hi Maya, thank you SO much! very appreciate 🙂
Do you have any idea if I can freeze those? After baking maybe?
Hi Anna,
I do freeze those zucchini balls before baking them. Then, no need to defrost before baking. Simply lay the frozen zucchini balls on a baking tray covered with baking paper and bake as indicate until crispy outside and soft in the centre. It works like magic as a quick make ahead appetizer! Enjoy the recipe. Carine.
Do you know what the macros are per serving? Calories, Fat, protien, and carbs ?
Hi K, I just updated the recipe with the nutrition panel. Here it is, Nutrition panel per zucchini balls. This recipe makes 16 zucchini balls. [Recommended serving size 3-4 balls per persons as a light dinner with green salad or as an appetizer] Calories: 62.6 kcal | Carbs: 7.5 g | Sugar: 0.5 g| Protein: 3.1 g| Fat: 2.9 g| Fiber: 1 g| Net Carbs: 6.5 g
I hope you will make some ! It is delicious. Carine.
Is this per 1 ball? Or 3-4?
Hi, The nutrition panel is per zucchini ball. The recipe makes 16 balls. I recommend to serve 3 to 4 zucchini balls per person. Enjoy the recipe. xoxo Carine.
Sorry! Just re-read the ingredients and answered my own question. I’m an idiot!
no problem Carolina ! 🙂 you are welcome
I am making these as a Christmas app, and I’m so excited! If frozen about how long should I bake and at what temp to defrost/cook?
Thanknyou!
Don’t pre bake them before freezing then I recommend to defrost 2-3 hours before on a baking tray covered with parchment paper, at room temperature. This way they will be like fresh before baking and you could simply follow the same baking instruction, as if they were not frozen! Always check the color, when golden on the outside and crispy they are all good to eat! Merry Christmas and thanks for bringing my recipes on your table this year. XOXO Carine.