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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
Katherine
Loved the recipe, they went down a treat in my house! Thank you. I replaced the plain yogurt for honey flavoured yogurt as others had suggested and they turned out great! 🙂
Amy
Thanks Katherine, did honey yoghurt make them taste sweet?
Katherine
No, I wouldn't say they taste sweet, but it does avoid the need for any salt. Though the honey flavour in the yogurt was quite mild 🙂
Ann
Made these muffins today for my one year old grandson. Added a little salt, used whole wheat spelt flour and sprinkled a little grated cheese on top. Lovely texture and flavour and very yummy warm from the oven with a little butter. Bubby really enjoyed his muffin and I will freeze the extras for his lunches. I used frozen peas and corn straight from the freezer and squeezed liquid from the carrot and zucchini (used liquid in Applesauce Chicken Meatloaf that I was also making for baby).
Amy
Thanks for the feedback Ann, what a great Grandmother you are! Love the sound of the chicken meatloaf too 🙂
Laura
These are actually the best vege muffins I've ever made.
I used plain white flour as I'd run out of wholemeal. I added about 1/2 tsp black pepper to the dry ingredients.
For the veges, I put corn kernels, spring onion, zucchini and carrot in the food processor, then salted them to draw the moisture out. After I squeezed out the juice I left them in th fridge overnight (only because I ran out of time to actually make them yesterday). I also sprinkled a little bit of cheese on top of each one after I'd put the batter in the muffin tray.
Next time I think I'll add a bit more pepper and use stronger flavoured cheese.
I wish ij could add a picture here as they look wonderful too.
Amy
Thanks for the high praise, Laura! I'd love to see a pic - you can email me amy@healthylittlefoodies or tag me on Instagram @healthylittlefoodies 🙂
Lina
Absolutely amazing! My daughter ate 5 of them. Sooo delicious! Thank you!
Amy
Brilliant! So glad she liked them and thanks for taking the time to let me know, it means a lot to me 🙂
Katy hamilton
Hi thank you so much for this recipe.. my boy LOVES them!! Katy xx
Amy
Hi Katy, Glad he likes them! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Deepa Devi
Such a wonderful recipe .
Any suggestions on what to replace egg with in this recipe,?
Thankd
Amy
Hi Deepa, I haven't tried an egg substitute in this recipe, so can't say for sure. I would try a flax egg (1 tbsp flax seeds mixed with 3 tbsp water stirred until it thickens) 🙂
Naoko
These muffins look really good!
I want to freeze these muffins for later. When packing them for lunch, would you thaw/reheat and then pack them?
Thanks!
Amy
Hi Naoko, I usually pop them in my sons lunchbox frozen and they are defrosted by lunchtime. They are happy to eat them cold. You can defrost before popping in the lunch box if you prefer. 🙂
Julia
Do you thaw them in fridge or in room temperature? And do you start thawing them the night before or the morning of? Thank you!!
Amy
Hi Julia, thaw them at room temperature or you can heat from frozen in the microwave. 🙂
Andy
Not really impressed with the recipe. It was rather bland and there was no chance our 2 year old would have liked them. We had one with partner and the rest were goodbye...
Amy
Hi Andy, sorry you didn't enjoy the muffins.
Alison
Made a few changes but they still turned out really tasty! Didn’t have any courgette so added extra carrot and sweet corn. Used gluten free plain flour and dairy free creme fraiche (for intolerances). Also added some paprika and pepper for flavour. I imagine blander is better for baby led weaning but my little man is nearly 4 so up for a bit more. Will definitely be making again.
Amy
Thanks, Alison for taking the time to rate and comment. Paprika would be great in these 🙂
Carolina Winter
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing this recipe. I want to make this for my daughter but she is lactose intolerant. The cheese, the milk and the yogurt I will be substituting for lactose free. However, will the quantities change? Also if I want to take out the yogurt will I need to add extra of something? Thanks
Amy
I think the quantities would be the same. You can replace the yoghurt with olive oil. Without trying though, I can't guarantee how they will turn out, sorry.
Alison
I was just leaving a review about this. I made them today with lactofree milk, cheese and creme fraiche (in place of the yoghurt) and they turned out really tasty. I used the same quantities, except maybe a bit more cheese because lactofree definitely doesn’t taste as strong as regular cheddar!
Amy
Thanks for the feedback, Alison. It is always good to know allergy friendly suggestions, glad they worked out for you. 🙂
Esther
Can you make these muffins with whole meal self raising flour . Do you need to adjust anything ?
Amy
Hi Esther, if using self-raising flour you won't need to add the baking powder as it already has it mixed with the flour. I've never tested the recipe using self-raising but I suggest you keep the same recipe but just miss out the baking powder 🙂
Nicky
Thankyou for the wonderful recipe Amy. I love baking and keep trying new recipes. I made these muffins today and used spinach instead of zucchini. Also used the juice I squeezed from the carrots. Muffins turned out really soft and tasty. Added some salt, chilli flakes and Italian herbs. My husband is my biggest critic and I’m really glad that he loved these. A big Thankyou to all the people who give their feedback. It really helps.
Amy
Hi Nicky, delighted you liked them and they even passed the husband test! Glad reader comments are helping others out too 🙂
Jayme
Made these for a Mother’s group meet up - put a little less cheese so the bubs could have them and swapped our peas for some mushroom, added some mixed herbs and they turned out perfectly! Will definitely make again! Thank you!
Amy
That is great, Jayme. Delighted they worked for you - love the sound of mushroom in them 🙂