Cheese and Courgette (Zucchini) Muffins

These Cheese and Courgette Savoury Muffins will add a touch of green goodness to your day. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or add to lunchboxes. The post Cheese and Courgette (Zucchini) Muffins appeared first on The Real Meal Deal.

Cheese and Courgette (Zucchini) Muffins

Cheese and courgette (zucchini) muffins with chives are a delicious and savory twist on the classic muffin recipe. The subtle sweetness of the courgette goes nicely with the tangy flavor of cheese and sharpness of the chives. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or even as a snack. Whether you're a cheese lover looking to try something new or trying to sneak some veggies into your diet, you'll love these moist and flavourful muffins.

cheese and courgette muffins with chives on wooden board with butter and cheese to side.

Cheesy Muffins are so handy as they can be frozen, so why not make a batch and then add them to lunchboxes? A Courgette muffin is a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables.

If you're looking for more recipes that use courgettes, try my popular Carrot and Courgette Soup recipe, Tomato and Courgette Risotto or add them to a tomato-based pasta sauce. [feast_advanced_jump_to]

Ingredients

labelled ingredients for cheese and courgette muffins
  • Courgette/zucchini - look for a medium-sized courgette with a firm skin and no bruising.
  • Cheddar Cheese - I like to use a mature cheddar or a sharp cheddar cheese as it adds more flavour. It's best to buy it as a block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese has added anti-caking agents that make it more difficult to melt.
  • Self-Raising or Self-Rising Flour help give the muffins their lovely light, airy texture.
  • Vegetable Oil - This adds moisture to the muffins.
  • Chives - these are optional, but add great flavour.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Cheesy Courgette Muffins

grated courgette / zucchini in a bowl

Pre-heat the oven to 200C /400F and grate the courgette /zucchini including the skin into a bowl. You don't need to squeeze any moisture out of the courgette.

grated courgette /zucchini and cheddar cheese in a bowl

Grate the cheddar cheese and add to the bowl.

courgette cheese and flour in a bowl

Add the flour, oil, and milk and stir into the cheese and courgette. Stir until there is no more dry flour visible but don't overmix it.

egg milk and chives added to flour courgette and cheese

Add the whisked egg, salt, black pepper, and chopped chives if using, and stir together.

cheese and courgette muffins in cases ready for oven.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and cook in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Don't overbake them or they will be dry.

courgette and cheese muffins cooling on a rack

Allow the muffins to cool slightly then remove from the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack.

Hint: Be careful not to overmix the batter as your muffins will not have that light and airy texture. Stir until there is no more dry flour visible and that's enough.

Variations

These Cheese and Courgette Muffins with chives are the perfect combination of sweet and tanginess. If you want to mix them up a little, you could add a small cherry tomato to each muffin. Just push it into the centre of the muffin batter once in the muffin tin until it is just covered by the batter.

For extra heat, add a teaspoon of mustard along with the whisked egg.

Equipment

You will need the following equipment.

  • Grater - a box grater is the easiest. Use the side with the larger holes.
  • Scales - you need to weigh out your ingredients.
  • Measuring jug
  • A large bowl
  • Muffin tray and muffin cases. Alternatively, a silicone muffin tray is easy to use and doesn't need muffin cases.

Sustainable Tip

These savory cheese muffins are a great way to use up odd pieces of hard cheese that are past their best. Remove any mold from the outside and grate the cheese.

Serving Suggestion

Cheese and courgette muffins are a perfect snack but they also go well with soups. For a delicious lunch idea, serve with eggs. Try warming them and serving them with a little butter.

cheese and courgette muffins on a plate with more to the side and fresh chives, cheddar cheese and butter in a bowl.

These are some of my favourite soups to serve with cheesy muffins.

How to Store Cheese Muffins

Cheese and Courgette Muffins will keep well for 2 -3 days in an airtight container. If you need to freshen them up, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.

They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Leave them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Defrost them at room temperature.

Top tip

Because these muffins freeze well, why not double the recipe and make a batch? They are perfect for adding to lunchboxes or as an afternoon snack.

FAQ

Can I use butter instead of oil in my muffins?

The reason for using oil in muffin recipes is that the oil distributes easily in the mixture and is readily absorbed. A vegetable or sunflower oil has almost no flavour so won't change the flavour of the muffins. If you need to use butter instead, melt the butter first and let it cool before adding to the muffin mixture.

Can I use Olive Oil instead of vegetable oil in a muffin recipe?

You can substitute vegetable oil with olive oil and it will give the same texture. However, olive oil has a distinct taste and so may alter the flavour of your muffins.

Why do my muffins stick to the paper?

If your muffins are still slightly warm, they may stick to the paper muffins cases. Once properly cooled, the paper should come away easily. You could try using silicone muffin cases that are easier to remove.

Related

Looking for other cheese based snack recipes like this? Try these:

???? Recipe

cheese and courgette (zucchini) muffins on a wooden board with fresh chives.
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Cheese and Cougette (Zucchini) Savoury Muffins

These Cheese and Courgette Savoury Muffins will add a touch of green goodness to your day. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or serve a side with soups.
Course Breakfast, lunch, Snack
Cuisine American, British
Diet Vegetarian
Season Autumn, Summer
Type Snack
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 151kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Courgette / Zucchini about 200 g / 7oz
  • 100 g Cheddar Cheese grated / shredded
  • 225 g Self-Raising Flour /Self-Rising Flour
  • 50 ml Vegetable oil
  • 175 ml Semi-Skimmed milk
  • 1 egg whisked
  • 1 dash Black Pepper
  • 1 dash Salt
  • 10 g Fresh Chives optional, chopped

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 200C /400F and grate the courgette, including the skin into a bowl.
    1 Courgette / Zucchini
  • Grate the cheddar cheese and add to the bowl.
    100 g Cheddar Cheese
  • Add the flour, oil and milk and stir into the cheese and courgette. Stir until there is no more dry flour visible but don't overmix it.
    225 g Self-Raising Flour, 50 ml Vegetable oil, 175 ml Semi-Skimmed milk
  • Add the whisked egg, salt and black pepper and chopped chives if using and stir together.
    1 egg, 1 dash Black Pepper, 10 g Fresh Chives, 1 dash Salt
  • Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and cook in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. Don't overbake them or they will be dry.
  • Allow the muffins to cool slightly then remove the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

    • Courgette / zucchini - look for a medium sized courgette with a firm skin and no bruising.
    • Cheddar Cheese - I like to use a mature cheddar or a sharp cheddar cheese as it adds more flavour. It's best to buy it as a block and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese has added anti-caking agents that make it more difficult to melt.
    • Self-Raising or Self-Rising Flour help give the muffins their lovely light, airy texture.
    • Vegetable Oil - This adds moisture to the muffins.
    • Chives - these are optional, but add great flavour.

Storage Tips

Cheese and Courgette Muffins will keep well for 2 -3 days in an airtight container. If you need to freshen them up, pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Leave them to cool completely, then place in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. Defrost them at room temperature.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 0.3mg

The post Cheese and Courgette (Zucchini) Muffins appeared first on The Real Meal Deal.