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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    Baked Sweet Potato Zucchini Tots (Paleo + Vegan)

    Published: Aug 31, 2020 by Caitlin Rule · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    These healthy baked sweet potato zucchini tots are the perfect kid friendly vegetable recipe. Made with just 3 key ingredients, these baked veggie tots are also nut free, paleo and vegan!

    Veggie tots on baking tray with tomato sauce in small dish.

    If I can promise you guys one thing this year, it is that you are getting a TON of easy vegetable recipes.

    Growing up, tater tots (or potato gems) were one of my FAVOURITE things ever! They are a childhood classic and bring back so many memories. You know your girl loves all things veggies soo I had to come up with a veggie loaded version. 

    Side view shot of veggie tots on baking tray.

    What I love about these healthy baked veggie tater tots

    Traditional tots are made from grated white potatoes and deep fried. My veggie version is made from zucchini, sweet potato and coconut flour, and they are BAKED in the oven. No oil required.

    Once you try these veggie tater tots you’ll never buy a bag of frozen potato tots again!

    They’re golden crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside. These tater tots are also vegan, nut free and paleo-friendly! They make the perfect addition for school lunch boxes and are ideal for healthy snacking! All you need is some ketchup or mustard for dipping and your good to go! What’s a tater tot without sauce, right?!

    Making these baked sweet potato zucchini tots is a great way to sneak in extra vegetables to your meals. Especially if you have any fussy eaters. This is a recipe the whole family will enjoy.

    Veggie tots on plate with tomato sauce.

    Ingredients you’ll need

    • Zucchini: keep the skins on for added nutrition. Grate them then squeeze out all of the excess moisture! This is so important.
    • Sweet potato: instead of white potatoes we use mashed sweet potatoes in these baked veggie tots. Make sure to steam them first then mash them up with a fork. Sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants, including beta carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A in the body, Vitamin C, and Potassium.
    • Coconut flour: the binding agent here. It’s gluten free, paleo and nut free which makes it suitable for most dietary requirements. The high amount of fibre makes coconut flour super absorbent so we only need to add 2 tablespoons. I have not tried it but you can like likely replace it with ½ a cup of almond flour if you prefer. Sub at your own risk!
    • Seasonings: garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper to add a delicious flavour to these baked veggie tots!
    Ingredients in a mixing bowl.

    How to make healthy sweet potato zucchini Tots

    1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 350°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
    2. Start by grating your zucchini on a box grater and measure 2 cups or 300g tightly packed.
    3. Then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the grated zucchini. Don’t skip this step – it’s crucial for getting the tots to stick together and come out golden and crispy around the edges. Place with zucchini in a large bowl.
    4. Add the sweet potato, coconut flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
    5. Use your hands to form the mixture into tablespoon sized tots- either round balls or small log- shaped pieces. 
    6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden.
    7. Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 350°F and line a baking tray with baking paper.
    8. Start by grating your zucchini on a box grater and measure 2 cups or 300g tightly packed.
    9. Then use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the grated zucchini. Don’t skip this step – it’s crucial for getting the tots to stick together and come out golden and crispy around the edges. Place with zucchini in a large bowl.
    10. Add the sweet potato, coconut flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
    11. Use your hands to form the mixture into tablespoon sized tots- either round balls or small log- shaped pieces. 
    12. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden.
    Top view of veggie tots on baking paper.

    Freezing veggie tater tots

    These veggie tots freeze beautifully! Just bake them according to the recipe then place in a ziplock bag and freeze. Arrange the tots on a sheet of baking paper and place in the freezer for a couple of hours before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag. 

    How to cook from the freezer: Warm them in the oven at 160°C/ 350°F for about 10-15 minutes!

    If you try this healthy baked sweet potato zucchini tots recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.

    Print
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    Veggie tots on baking tray with tomato sauce in small dish

    Baked Sweet Potato Zucchini Tots


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 4 reviews

    • Author: Caitlin Rule
    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 32 tots 1x
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    Description

    Healthy veggie tater tots that are BAKED instead of fried, and are made made with just 3 key ingredients including zucchini and sweet potato! They are nut free, paleo and vegan friendly.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 (about 250g) grated zucchinis
    • 1 cup/ 250g cooked mashed sweet potato
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons coconut flour

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 160C/ 350F and line a baking tray with baking paper. Use your hands to squeeze out all the moisture from the zucchini.
    2. In a bowl combine the zucchini, sweet potato, garlic powder, salt, pepper and coconut flour.
    3. Form the mixture into tablespoon sized tots and place on the baking sheet.
    4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
    5. Serve warm with your favourite dipping sauce.

    Notes

    • These tots freeze well. Freeze before cooking and make sure to seperate them to avoiding sticking together. Can be frozen for up to 3 months in a large zip lock bag.
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Category: Side
    • Method: Baked
    • Cuisine: American

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Ariana says

      October 13, 2021 at 1:00 pm

      Followed the recipe and these were mushy. Pass

      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        October 23, 2021 at 10:06 pm

        Hi Ariana, I'm sorry to hear. Did you squeeze out all the water from the zucchini? This is a key step to ensure they bake properly. Please let me know if you try them again ???? x

        Reply
    2. Nina aka “new mom” says

      January 06, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      I tried this recipe and used bleached flour instead of coconut flour (because I didn’t have coconut flour) and they were delicious! The recipe yielded 2 dozen. I froze the lot afterward and pull a couple out every now and then to bake for my toddler. Thanks for this amazing recipe!

      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        January 18, 2022 at 10:45 pm

        That's amazing to hear Nina. I'm so glad the recipe also worked for you with plain flour! I hope your little one enjoys them xx

        Reply
    3. Donjeta says

      January 03, 2023 at 10:17 am

      I squeezed out all the water from the zuchinni. Still came out mushy. Pass

      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        January 29, 2023 at 8:05 am

        Oh no! Did you use warm mashed sweet potatoes? They need to be cold for this recipe as they are firmer. Please let me know if you try the recipe again, the mixture will be a bit moist but should dry out in the oven.

        Reply
    4. Katherine says

      January 27, 2023 at 3:14 pm

      Really liked this recipe but I used less than 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and they were overly garlicky. I think the ratio of that ingredient may be off. Texture was nice but didn’t brown as much as I hoped. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        January 29, 2023 at 8:12 am

        Hi Katherine, oh really? I find some garlic powder brands are slightly stronger than others. Next time, try increasing the oven temp in the last 5 minutes to help them brown more 😊

        Reply
        • Candace says

          June 04, 2023 at 5:20 am

          I read the comments and followed according to Caitlin’s replies for not turning out mushy, but they still are quite so… its just the nature of the ingredients 🤷‍♀️ not bad. Gets nice & crispy in the air fryer, tho! Only thing is it could use a little more seasoning, since i added a tbl each of hemp powder & flaxseed, that may have toned down the flavors a bit, but my 18-month yr old son loved it!! So its a hit in my book 🥰

          Reply
          • Caitlin Rule says

            June 20, 2023 at 3:44 pm

            Hi Candace, I'm so happy your son loved the tots! I've never had a problem with the recipe myself however I do squeeze my zucchinis really well. Such a great idea crisping them up in the air fryer! xx

            Reply
          • Alex says

            February 02, 2024 at 7:43 am

            Hi, how long and what temp in the air fryer. Also, for extra safe and yummy condiments, my 1.5 year old loves Little Palates check it out. Super clean ingredients and amazing flavor.

            Reply
    5. Mehg says

      June 06, 2023 at 8:13 am

      I’ve made these 4 times now and my 12 month old LOVES them. I cannot stress enough how important it is to strain the water from the zucchini. Take the time to do this because that is the only way to avoid a soggy nugget. Also, I’ve used all purpose flour and it turns out just fine.






      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        June 07, 2023 at 9:39 pm

        Hey Mehg, aw I'm so happy to hear your little one loves the tots! Yes, squeezing out the excess zucchini water is key here. Thank you for your 5 star rating and letting me know all purpose flour works well too. 😊xx

        Reply
    6. Jada Rae Sawatzky says

      September 20, 2023 at 9:54 am

      Is there anything I can do to salvage them if I forgot to squeeze out excess moisture?

      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        September 20, 2023 at 10:23 am

        Hi Jada, unfortunately squeezing the moisture out of the zucchini is a key step in this recipe. Add extra coconut flour may make the dough too dry so I would try adding some plain flour to help absorb some moisture. Please let me know how you go 🙂

        Reply
    7. jasmine says

      February 02, 2024 at 8:17 am

      These came out amazing! My baby and my husband and I loved them! I subed in oat flour and they came out great.






      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        February 03, 2024 at 8:58 am

        Hey Jasmine, yay! That makes me so happy to hear, I'm so happy you all loved the recipe especially your little one! So great to hear it worked well with oat flour too 🙂 xx

        Reply
    8. Esme says

      May 18, 2024 at 10:08 pm

      Amazing, I changed it up a little using plain flour and adding cheese but oh my god they smell like zucchini slice in nugget form so yum! I love having such a veggie loaded meal for my baby but if he doesn’t eat them I definitely will 😂 thanks so much for your recipes I can’t wait to try more.






      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        October 08, 2024 at 3:10 pm

        Yum! I love the cheese addition! So happy you loved them xx

        Reply
    9. Alexis says

      January 16, 2025 at 10:14 am

      These were soo yummy! I added some Cajun seasoning too for some extra flavor. I didn’t have coconut flour but they came out great with the almond flour sub that was suggested.






      Reply
      • Caitlin Rule says

        February 15, 2025 at 8:17 am

        I'm so happy you loved them and that's great to know they worked well with almond flour! xx

        Reply

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    About Caitlin

    Welcome! I’m Caitlin

    I'm a nutritionist, foodie, and mum, here to help you add more goodness to your everyday life! You'll find plenty of delicious, simple, and nutritious recipes to satisfy your cravings and nourish your family.

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