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Quick and easy Savoury Muffins made with four different veggies. Easy to customise and perfect for breakfast, school lunch boxes, served with soup, or warm and butter-kissed.
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Reasons to Love These Muffins
- Veggie Goodness: These muffins include a rainbow of veggies - zucchini, carrot, peas and corn. For those seeking different ways to add veggies, these muffins are a delightful solution.
- Portable: From hurried breakfasts to lunchbox essentials and on-the-move snacks, these vegetable muffins are great for your busy routine. Their handheld appeal makes them a hit with young kids too.
- Versatile: There are endless possibilities with these muffins. Customise them to match your preference or pantry items. Experiment by swapping veggies, adding herbs, or enhancing flavours with diced cooked ham or bacon.
- Freezer Friendly: Prepare a double batch and freeze. Whenever hectic mornings or afternoons strike, a quick reheat gives you a nutritious snack without the fuss.
Ingredient Information (and Alternative Suggestions)
For the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Zucchini and Carrot: Boosts flavour, moisture and nutrients. Grated for easy incorporation without pre-cooking.
- Corn and Peas: Introduces colour, texture, nutrition and a hint of sweetness.
- Cheese: Amplifies flavour. I typically use mature cheddar as it adds great flavour with less cheese. However, any melting, flavourful cheese works. For dairy free you can skip the cheese but you will want to up the flavour with herbs, salt (skip for baby) and/or nutritional yeast.
- Milk: Adds moisture and flavour. Swap with non-dairy milk or the veggie liquid for dairy-free.
- Yogurt: Maintains lightness and moisture while adding protein and fat. For dairy free, replace with extra olive oil
- Parsley: For flavour, can be skipped or replaced with other herbs.
- Olive Oil: Helps keep the muffins moist and adds a healthy dose of good fats.
- Eggs: Enriches texture, structure, and richness. For egg-free, consider a flax egg replacement. (not tested).
- White Whole Wheat Flour (Wholemeal): I used Australian white wholemeal flour, which has a lighter colour and a more refined appearance compared to the UK version I was accustomed to. Less processed options might yield denser muffins. All-purpose flour (plain flour) or a blend of whole wheat/all-purpose can also be used.
- Baking Powder: Leavens for a light texture.
Alternative Add-In Suggestions
These savoury muffins are easy to adapt and there are many great additions you could try -
- Different vegetables (such as finely chopped bell pepper, chopped spinach, finely chopped and lightly fried green onions, shallots, mushrooms, celery or leek.
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Olives
- Bacon, ham or chorizo.
- Fresh herbs
- Dried Italian Herbs
- Garlic powder
Step By Step Instructions
This section features step-by-step photos for visual reference. The complete recipe can be found by scrolling to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Wrap grated zucchini and carrot in a clean dish towel, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the zucchini, carrots, peas, sweetcorn, grated cheese, milk, yogurt, olive oil, and egg. Mix until combined
- Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the baking powder to the flour and gently combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until just combined.
- Grease a 12-hole muffin tray with oil or butter. Equally distribute the muffin batter into the sections. I use and ice-cream scoop. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Cooking Tips
Here are my tips to help make light, fluffy and delicious vegetable muffins.
- Ensure to squeeze out the juice from the grated carrots and zucchini. I do this by placing the grated vegetables onto a clean tea towel and squeezing it as hard as I can! I have made these muffins without doing this and they were a little too wet inside.
NOTE: Save the juice and use it in smoothies or sauces - don't throw away all that goodness! - Don't over stir the mixture. Resist the temptation to over stir or beat the batter, it will cause your muffin to go tough. You want the final mixture to be lumpy, thick and looking very messy. It should only take around 10 strokes with your wooden spoon.
- Don't skimp on the veggies. If your child doesn't like one of the vegetables, don't just leave it out. Add extra of the other vegetables or replace it with a different one. These muffins are so much better with a bit of veggie in every bite.
- Grease the muffin pan really well before adding the batter. I have baked these with muffin cases and without. I got better results without cases. Often I found the muffins stuck to the cases but if you use a nonstick pan and grease it well the muffins are easy to remove. If you prefer to use paper muffin cups, I would recommend greasing them with oil spray before putting the batter in. Alternatively, you could try silicon muffin cases.
- Keep an eye on the baking time. Take the muffins out of the oven too soon and they will be sticky and uncooked. Bake them too long, and you run the risk of dry muffins. Every oven is different, so while you should still follow the bake time in this recipe, use a skewer to test your muffins a couple minutes before the end of the bake time. Your skewer will come out clean if they are ready.
Storage Instructions
- Let your muffins cool completely on a wire rack. Before storing your muffins, it is important to allow them to properly cool. Allow your savoury muffins to cool in the muffin tray for around 5-7 minutes. If you leave them in the pan too long they run the risk of going soggy, you just want them to be firm enough to transfer to a wire rack.
- Once on the cooling rack, the muffins should be left to cool completely before storing. Storing the muffins when they are even a little bit warm will result in condensation and soggy muffins.
- Decide on how long and where you want to store your muffins My favourite way to store savoury muffins is to freeze them, and if properly frozen they will be good for around 2-3 months (but will remain safe to eat well past that). To ensure the best quality, individually wrap the muffins in clingfilm or foil and then transfer to ziplock bags or freezer containers.
- To reheat - just pop them out of the freezer and place them back in the muffin tin. Reheat at 170c /350f until heated through. Alternatively, allow them to thaw and then reheat them in the microwave.
- You can refrigerate muffins, but it isn't recommended. Refrigeration temperatures alter the texture of the muffin and can make them go stale quicker.
- Storing at room temperature is better than refrigeration when it comes to muffin quality. The best way to store them is to line an airtight container with kitchen paper, pop the muffins on top and then another layer of kitchen paper, before adding the lid. The paper absorbs the moisture from the muffins, stopping them from going soggy. It is hot and humid here, at the moment, so I only store the muffins at room temperature the day I bake them, the rest I always freeze.
Recipe FAQs
Are these muffins suitable for babies? From what age?
Yes, these muffins are suitable for baby-led weaning, but with certain precautions and adjustments. They can be introduced to babies that have already experimented with finger foods and are developmentally ready (6 months +).
These muffins contain common allergens like wheat, dairy and eggs. Before offering the muffins, ensure your baby has safely tried each individual allergen separately.
Mash or smash the peas and corn to reduce choking hazards.
This recipe contains less cheese than many savoury muffin recipes but you may wish to further reduce the cheese amount to lower sodium levels (read more about salt for babies). You can replace the lost flavour with fresh or dried herbs.
As with all foods, always closely supervise your baby when eating.
How would you serve these muffins?
Warm with Melted Butter - Enjoy them warm, split open, and buttered for a comforting snack.
Cold in Lunch Boxes: Pack as a satisfying snack or sandwich replacement.
Soup Side Kick: Serve as a dipper alongside a bowl of soup.
Breakfast Muffin: Start your day by pairing it with breakfast favourites such as egg or avocado.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes
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Vegetable Savoury Muffins
Savoury muffins packed with four different vegetables. Light and fluffy making them perfect for baby-led weaning, toddlers and the lunch box.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves:12 Muffins
Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler
Equipment
- 1 12 Hole Muffin Tray
Ingredients
- 1 medium (210g) Zucchini ,grated
- 1 medium (110g) Carrot ,grated
- ¼ cup (30g) Frozen Peas *See notes if making for baby
- ¼ cup (30g) Frozen Corn *See notes if making for baby
- 1 ⅓ cup (125g) Cheddar Cheese ,grated
- ½ Cup (125ml) Milk
- ¼ cup (60g) Plain Greek Yoghurt
- ¼ cup (60ml) Olive Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 3 tablespoon Chopped Parsley
- 2 cups (250g) Plain Wholemeal Flour *note 1
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt *Do not add for baby
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/ 160C (Fan)/ 350F
- Place the zucchini and carrot onto a clean dish towel and wrap it around the vegetables. Squeeze all the juice out. *note 2
- Place the zucchini and carrots into a large mixing bowl along with the peas and sweetcorn. Add the cheese, milk, yogurt, olive oil, egg and parsley. Stir until combined.
- Mix the flour and baking powder together and then slowly add to the wet ingredients. Fold in gently, until just combined. *note 3
- Spray a 12 hole muffin tray with oil or grease with butter. Spoon the mixture, equally, between the 12 muffin sections. Bake for 20-25 mins. *note 4
Video
Recipe Notes
- I used wholemeal plain flour (white whole-wheat). You can replace it with all-purpose (plain) flour or a mix of both.
- Save the juice! Add it to smoothies or pasta sauces etc.
- Don't be tempted to over-stir the mixture. The mixture should be lumpy, thick and looking very messy. It should only take around 10 strokes with your wooden spoon.
- Every oven is different, so while you should still follow the bake time in this recipe, use a skewer to test your muffins a couple of minutes before the end of the bake time. Your skewer will come out clean if they are ready.
- If serving babies/toddlers, thaw the peas and corn first and gently smash/mash them before mixing through to help reduce choking risk.
- Original Publication: Jan 2018
- Updated: Aug 2023 (Incorporating reader feedback and retesting)
- Changes Made: Added salt and parsley for enhanced flavour. Reduced baking powder from 3tsp to 2tsp to address metallic taste feedback.
Nutritional facts
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1834IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1mg
Kimberley mustard
I will not be using this recipe again, the mixture is too wet and they don’t cook through! I had mine in the oven for 40 mins and still not cooked through at 180 oc temp of oven very disappointed to spend morning in the kitchen and then not have anything at the end to actually eat. I am a pretty experienced baker and this is the first time I have baked something and they turn out like this. I gave up in the end and threw the remaining mixture in the bin, what a waste! Going to look for another recipe for veg muffins may get a better result, if not I’ll be making simple cheese scones lol
Amy
Hi Kimberly, thank you for your detailed feedback and I'm sorry you felt like you wasted time and ingredients. I'd love to try and troubleshoot where it went wrong. Did you squeeze out the juice of the vegetables? Did your mixture look like it did in my process shots? Why did you have some remaining mixture? Did you double the recipe or not cook a whole tray of muffins?
Do you realise you rated this 5 stars?
K Dabb
I really liked this recipe easy to make and lots of vegetables. It was my 7 month olds first muffin and he loved it!
As both the peas and corn are choking hazards, I put them still frozen in my food processor which chopped them up to make them safe. As an alternative, you could cook and smoosh them and then add them to the recipe.
Or you could just miss them out an add other vegetables instead.
Amy
Thanks for the tips Kristen and I'm so happy your little one enjoyed them 🙂
Izzy
Hi, I’ve just made these muffins for my 7 month and they’re great! However, I’ve just read that sweetcorn is a choke hazard under the age of one. Just wondering about your thoughts on this?
Amy
Hi Izzy, sweetcorn is actually considered a choking hazard by the United States CDC. I did actually serve my babies corn as I had never realised this at the time. As with all foods you should take care and supervise. Perhaps miss them out or mash them?
MM
Hi,
How much is 1 cup in ml please?
Thank you
Amy
250 ml 🙂
Charlene
This recipe is so great. My 2 year old son is a picky eater but he really enjoyed eating them. Thanks alot
Amy
This means a lot, thanks for taking the time to let me know, Charlene 🙂
Jill
Once baked, do I need to store these in the fridge? Or is a sealed container at room temperature ok? Novice baker here 😛
Amy
Hi Jill, I have included a whole section on storage instructions in the post above. Hope that helps 🙂
Helen
Oh my goodness these muffins are delicious! No extra salt needed if you use a decent cheddar. English wholemeal flour worked perfectly. We’ve just devoured them for lunch (15 months, 4, 33, 34!) and will definitely make again.
Agina
I added some sweet basil, oregano salt & pepper and my whole family loved them! It's a great & easy and I'm putting it into my favourite recipes file
Amy
Great additions, thanks Agina 🙂
RKS
Can I use whole wheat flour?
Amy
Yes you can 🙂
Belle
How long should I bake them for if using a mini muffin pan?
Amy
Hi Belle, I would check them after 15 mins 🙂
Jo
What a great lunchbox staple! Love everything about the recipe, except as suggested by others, i opted for a bit extra salt.superb
Amy
Fantastic, glad you liked them, Jo 🙂
Naomi
Just made these and they’re delicious! My 1 year old loved them straight away and they make a great breakfast/snack for us parents too.
And thank you so much for putting both cups and grams. So many great recipes come in cups only and I have to translate using a conversion chart!
I’ll add this to my blog (not sure if I’m allowed to put the url here) and link to your site!
Amy
Hi Naomi, thanks for your feedback. I always work with grams - It is much more accurate than using cups but many readers request cup measurements so add them too 🙂
Mia
These were great thank you! The only veg I had was a bag of roasting veg and some tenderstem broccoli. So because I couldn't grate them as they were pre-cut I roasted them with olive oil, garlic, celery salt and rosemary. When done I choped them into fine pieces and the veggies that were soft like the pumpkin and zucchini I dry fried to get rid of any extra moisture and then followed your recipe. The flavor was great and my 14month daughter loves them too!
Amy
Thanks Mia, so happy your little girl enjoyed them. Thanks for letting me know what worked well for you, it is always nice to know what variations work well 🙂
Sam
Thanks Ami. I was wondering if it would be possible to make them ready the night before, keep it in the fridge and bake it next morning? It might get juicy I am afraid.
Amy
Hi Sam, sorry that won't work. Once you mix the dry and wet ingredients together then you need to cook straight away.
jessica sutcliffe
ive made these muffins 4 times now!! theyre a hit with my son 🙂 ive subbed out the peas for broccoli on one occurrence and they were still great!
Rebecca T
Fab recipe, came out looking amazing and tasting delicious ❤️ we had these to go with my homemade spinach and cauliflower soup, game changer! Thanks so much
Amy
So glad you liked them, Rebecca! Perfect with soup 🙂
sam crealock
I have made these tonight for my daughter... are they safe to freeze? They’ve came out lovely 🙂
Amy
Hi Sam, so happy you liked them. Yes you can freeze them, I've included details on this in the post above. 🙂
Pinky R
Hi...can we replace egg with an other ingredient... please let me know
Amy
Hi Pinky, I have never tested this recipe with an egg replacer before. However, if you look through the comments I'm sure there have been others that have tried with success. Maybe a flax egg?
Vanessa
My 9 month old loves the savoury muffins at her day care so I came across this recipe when I was looking to make some for her at home. She loves these just as much (and so does my husband!)
Amy
Thanks Vanessa, so happy she likes them 🙂
Maryanne
Enjoyed this recipe- it’s a good base for whatever veggies/cheese you want to use.
I used capsicum, broccoli, zucchini, onion, carrot. For herbs I used dried sweet basil, garlic powder and oregano.
For cheese I used Parmesan, cream cheese, cheddar. 2 other mamas tried it with me and they asked for the link too. My daughter didn’t touch it (will take time but I will definitely make this again) lol but me & my husband loved & devoured this!!!
Amy
Thanks, Maryanne! I'm glad you enjoyed them - hopefully your daughter will with time 🙂