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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
Vivianne
Hi there! My son looooves this recipe. When you say you have made it with differnet veggies,such as sun dried tomato, mushroom, herbs...etc...do you keep the courgettes and Carrots and substitute the corn and peas for the other veggies or can we change all the veggies?
Amy
Hi Vivianne, you can mix and match or change them all. Just keep the amounts the same.
Nola
Thanks so much. Perfect first time and delicious
Amy
Great, thanks Nola
Darlene
I'm in the US and don't have a kitchen scale, so had to estimate a bit. I ended up using basically 1 cup each of finely grated carrot and zucchini, and 3 large leaves of curly kale (steamed, liquid squeezed out, then chopped). I used 2 Tbsp flaxseed instead of the eggs and had to up the milk to 1 cup; I think my flour measurements were way off without a scale, but it worked out with the extra milk. I also added 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 3/4 tsp salt. Overall very tasty and toddler approved!
Amy
Hi Darlene ,thanks for letting me know what worked for you and I'm glad the flaxseed worked well in place of the eggs.
Carolina
I made these muffins one and I remember they were delicious! But this time I'm thinking to use sour cream instead of yoghurt cause this is what I have. Do you think it will be just as good?
Amy
Yes, I think that will work well 🙂
Zee
What a great recipe! We use it all the time - but as our baby has a dairy allergy we use coconut yoghurt instead of greek yoghurt, almond milk instead of cow’s milk and for flavour we use pressed garlic and rosemary instead of cheese. Our baby absolutely loves them! Thanks for sharing!
Amy
Thanks for sharing your dietary subs, Zee, as this is really useful for other readers. So glad your little one loves them 🙂
Laura Robins
I rarely write reviews but I really want to Thank you for this great recipe.I 've been baking muffins or bread in a loaf pan at least 2years and my kids absolutely love it!One of them doesn't like zucchini but he always eats it in his muffin and they like to help me to make it!We always follow the recipe instructions and it turns out Perfect,!!!
Amy
Thank you, Laura, it means a lot that you took the time to rate and leave a comment. I'm so happy you like them 🙂
Bloss
I would like to make this for my daughter's 2nd birthday party. If I put it in a 24x mini muffin tray instead, how long do you think the bake time will be? Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Amy
Hi Bloss, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have never tried this recipe in mini muffin trays but other muffins I make take around 12-15 mins.
Bloss
Thanks!
Pmizz
Hi
I made these today with zucchini, carrot and pepper. The knife came out clean but wasn’t until I cut them they were moist inside and not like your pic! They taste amazing but gutted as I hate wasting food.
What veg do you recommend where there’s not much risk of water leaking?
Amy
Hi Pmizz, did you squeeze the liquid out of carrot/zucchini? Did you use cup or g measurements for the flour/veggies? The gram measurements are more accurate (due to the way everyone fills a cup) so maybe try this? Or it could maybe just need a couple more minutes in the oven. I'm glad you enjoyed the flavour, hopefully the texture can be sorted too 🙂
Pmizz
Yes I squeezed veg but then didn’t revisit once I’d weighed all dry ingredients. I think that’s where I went wrong.
Are there any relatively more dry veg I can use next time?
Natalie Mah
I made this recipe today but it tasted too “flour” and it was not moist. Too dry. What is it that i didn’t do right?
Amy
Hi Natalie, did you use cup measurements or gram measurements? Using grams is a lot more accurate as I believe people fill their cups different and so weights can differ. This may have been the problem?
Serena
Great recipe, loved the light texture but was still lovely and moist. So easy to add extra flavour as needed using herbs, spices or salt. I used carrot, capsicum, pumpkin corn, fresh parsley, sprinkle of paprika and cheese. My 7month old son loved it too. I made it into a loaf and handed him finger slices.
Can I make it using GF flour?
Amy
Thanks Serena, I'm so happy you and your little one enjoyed these. I haven't tested the recipe using gluten-free flour so can't guarantee the results. If you have the time to scroll through the comments you may find a reader that has had success using a gluten-free flour. Sorry I can't be of more help.
Natalia
I don't think GF flour will be any problem, as the whole point of muffins is not to overmix them, so you do not even develop the glutens. The glutens do not even work in muffins as they are supposed to.
Kate
I’ve made these muffins many times for my nearly 2 year old. I use a range of different veggies each time based on what I have at hand and it is a hit every time. I find it a great and easy snack or lunch to throw in the lunch box for while out and about
Amy
Thanks Kate 🙂
Cristina
We all love it. I put some cooked meat and didn't use corn and I used a mix of flour (2/3 oat and 1/3 wheat). As cheese I used homemade cheese without salt. Instead of egg I used chia seeds (my child is allergic to egg). I follow your advise to mix food and the result was so great. Thank you for recipes and for your time.
Amy
Thanks Cristina, loving the sound of your twist on the recipe 🙂 So glad you enjoyed them
Janice
These were delicious!! So tasty and healthy. I added pepper, thyme, oregano and melted butter on top sprinkled with salt for my husband and mine. Sooo yummy! Thank you.
Amy
So happy you enjoyed them, Janice 🙂
Jillian
I just made these but used egg replacer (Bob's Mill brand) because my littles are allergic. I really appreciated the weights given for the zucchini and carrots so I could get the right ratios. I was surprised at how little corn and peas the recipe called for, but I found plenty throughout the muffins!
I used a medium cheddar and added 1 tsp of sea salt, and it was perfect. Thank you!
Amy
Hi Jillian, Thank you for taking the time to rate and comment. I'm delighted that the recipe worked well with an egg replacer 🙂
Leanne
Hi! Just about to try making these muffins! I'd like to try adding herbs but no idea how much to add e.g. dried herbs such as oregano. Can you suggest an approx amount?
Amy
If using dried herbs then you will need to add less, I'd try 1 tsp. 🙂
Gemma
My little one loves this recipe - usually make them as mini muffins as part of his weaning, but now making them bigger for lunch as he’s nearly 11 months. What would you recommend to have with them?
Amy
Hi Gemma, you could serve them with some veggies and a dip such as hummus, plain yogurt, or guacamole. This will add protein / good fats to the meal to keep your little one satisfied for longer. Alternatively serve them with soup.
Kate
My son isn’t a fan of his vegetables AND has a milk protein allergy. The doctor suggested I give him baked goods with a little milk in them to help him build a tolerance. Plus I want to help him eat his veggies. This recipe looks great! But do you have a suggested substitution for the milk products in the recipe? I would imagine I might keep the 1/4 c of yogurt as the tolerance building ingredient and then substitute for the milk and cheese. I do BLW and go for as non-processed of products as possible. Thank you!
Amy
Hi Kate, You could try replacing the milk with non-dairy milk, water or the juices from the vegetables. Cheese is added for flavour so you can skip it but I would replace it with herbs to give the muffins some more flavour. I hope you have success with the recipe. 🙂
Lauren
Excellent muffins! Followed the the recipe exactly (except I had no peas so popped in some steamed broccoli instead) and they came out perfectly. My 13 month old goes mad for them, I really like them too! Thank you!!
Amy
Thank you, Lauren. So happy both you and your 13 month loves them 🙂
Fatema
I added a mixtures of olives (black, green and kalamata), chopped yellow capsicum, roughly chopped walnuts, fresh herbs, mixed cheeses (Parmesan, sharp cheddar and mini fresh mozzarella cubes chopped), chopped jalapeños, garlic powder, chilli powder, a swirl of pomegranate molasses, fresh chopped parsley, fresh chopped dill and black pepper ... currently waiting for the babies while they bake
Amy
Sounds delicious, hope you enjoyed them 🙂