Description
Delicious and crispy Yellow Squash Tots baked to golden perfection, served with a refreshing Greek yogurt dip. This healthy twist on traditional tots uses fresh yellow squash, cheddar cheese, and breadcrumbs, making for a perfect appetizer or snack that’s both flavorful and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Tots
- 3 small yellow squashes or zucchini (about 1-1.5 lb)
- 1 egg
- 4 oz grated cheddar cheese (about ½ cup)
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ medium onion (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons – ¼ cup finely minced parsley leaves
Yogurt Dip
- â…“ cup unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp lemon juice (from about ½ lemon, or to taste)
- 1 tsp finely minced parsley (or dill, or ½ teaspoon dried parsley or dill)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder (or 1 small clove garlic, minced)
- ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
- ¼ tsp pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with olive oil to prevent the tots from sticking.
- Prepare the squash: Grate the yellow squash using a fine grater or food processor. Add ½ teaspoon salt and mix well. Transfer the grated squash to a colander or cheesecloth and let it sit while you prepare other ingredients to allow excess liquid to drain.
- Drain the squash: Use your hands to firmly squeeze out all the liquid from the grated squash. Expect about 1 cup of liquid per pound of squash. Discard the liquid to prevent soggy tots.
- Mix tot ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the squeezed squash, egg, grated cheddar, breadcrumbs, finely chopped onion, garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper, and optional minced parsley. Mix thoroughly until the mixture forms a sticky, thick paste. If too wet, add more breadcrumbs gradually.
- Shape the tots: With damp hands (dip in cold water between handfuls to prevent sticking), form small tots using about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each tot.
- Arrange and bake: Place the shaped tots evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the tots are golden on top and lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before transferring to avoid sticking.
- Prepare the yogurt dip: While the tots bake, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, minced parsley or dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well to create a flavorful dipping sauce.
- Serve: Serve the warm yellow squash tots with the Greek yogurt dip on the side for a delightful combination of flavors.
Notes
- Draining the squash thoroughly is essential to prevent soggy tots; you can use a cheesecloth for best results.
- Dipping your hands in cold water before shaping the tots helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- The Greek yogurt dip can be customized with herbs like dill or parsley according to your preference.
- This recipe is great as a healthy appetizer or side dish.
