These Zucchini Waffles are one of my favorite ways to use up summer zucchini—and sneak an extra serving of vegetables into breakfast! They’re fluffy, lightly sweet, freezer-friendly, and best of all, you can’t even taste the zucchini. Whether you’re looking for an easy make-ahead breakfast for busy mornings or a fun way to use garden zucchini, these waffles are a family favorite you’ll find yourself making again and again.
We love waffles in our house and are constantly making this recipe for eggless waffles. But there are definitely days/weeks where I feel like I could use to sneak a few more vegetables into the kid’s diet (and mine too!). Enter this zucchini waffle recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A delicious way to use up fresh zucchini.
- Kid-approved—you can’t taste the zucchini!
- Perfect for meal prep and freezer breakfasts.
- Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
- Great for using garden zucchini during the summer.
- Easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins and toppings.
Tips for Success
- Be sure to squeeze as much moisture as possible from the shredded zucchini. This helps the waffles cook up crisp instead of soggy.
- Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes while the waffle iron heats up. This gives the baking powder time to activate for extra fluffy waffles.
- Don’t overfill your waffle maker—the batter expands as it cooks.
- Cook until the waffles are golden brown for the best texture.
- If making a big batch, place cooked waffles on a wire rack so they stay crisp.
Customizations
- Replace ½ cup of the flour with ground oats or rolled oats for extra fiber.
- Add mini chocolate chips for a kid-friendly treat.
- Sprinkle in a little nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Make them gluten-free by substituting a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
What to Serve With
These zucchini waffles are delicious served with:
- Fresh berries
- Maple syrup
- Greek yogurt
- Scrambled Eggs (my dad’s scrambled eggs recipe)
- Green Juice (No Juicer Needed)
- Fresh fruit salad (melon salad)
- Crispy breakfast sausage
Perfect For
- Back-to-school breakfasts
- Meal prep
- Freezer breakfasts
- Summer zucchini season
- Weekend brunch
Anytime we make waffles lately, we use these mini waffle makers (we have two of them because they are SO AFFORDABLE!). We made the switch to mini makers and haven’t looked back. The waffles cook so much more quickly and they are the perfect size to freeze and re-heat for breakfast; which we do all of the time!
If you’re using a mini waffle maker, you can make about 16 waffles using this zucchini waffle recipe. So freeze up the extras and when you’re ready to eat them, throw them in a toaster or toaster oven for a quick breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you taste the zucchini?
Not at all! The zucchini keeps the waffles moist, but the cinnamon and vanilla are the flavors that really shine.
Can I freeze zucchini waffles?
Yes! These freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer bag. Reheat in the toaster or toaster oven until warm and crisp.
Can I use frozen shredded zucchini?
Yes. Just thaw it completely and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible before adding it to the batter.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Absolutely! Use your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
Storage
Store leftover waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Pop them in the toaster for an easy breakfast on busy mornings.
As if zucchini’s in your waffle isn’t healthy enough, you can even add in some oats to make these a bit more hearty and healthy. Just use 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup oats. I like to grind my oats up, but you don’t have to. It just changes the texture of the waffles.
And hey, if waffles aren’t your thing (or maybe you don’t have a waffle maker), you can use this same mixture and make them into pancakes! Simple just cook them on a griddle and enjoy zucchini pancakes!
If your kids ask about ‘the green stuff’ you can always do what my husband does and say it’s green sprinkles! Now the kids ask for “green sprinkle waffles” and I feel so good about feeding them these.
If you’re looking for a simple way to add more vegetables to your family’s day, these Zucchini Waffles are a recipe worth keeping on repeat. They’re fluffy, delicious, freezer-friendly, and one of those breakfasts that both kids and adults genuinely enjoy. Make a double batch—you’ll be glad you have extras waiting in the freezer for busy mornings!
Zucchini Waffles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini medium, shredded and excess liquid removed. This will be 1 cup shredded.
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups milk I use whole milk but you can use any kind you'd like
Instructions
- Shred zucchini and drain excess liquid by squeezing in paper towel. Put in medium bowl.
- Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients and stir.
- Add dry ingredients to zucchini shreds and mix.
- Add wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Warm waffle makers. Let mixture sit while waffle makers warm up - about 5 minutes.
- Spray waffle makers with cooking spray. Add approximately 2-4 Tbs. per mini waffle maker or approximately 1/3 cup for a full size waffle maker.
- Cook until each side is golden brown. Remove, top with butter and syrup. Enjoy!
Pat Dan says
I’m going to add cocoa powder to cover any traces of green! Any idea how much? And should I add more sugar then? Thanks!
Sweetphi says
Oooh I bet chocolate would be amazing in these waffles. I’d suggest adding 1/2 cup cocoa powder and increasing the sugar to 1/3 of a cup! You could even add some mini chocolate chips!
Susan Craig says
Your 5 Ingredient Cinnamon Spice Roasted Carrots are a family favorite. No need to hide the carrots when they are so delicious. The kids eat them right off of the baking sheet.
The Sweetphi Team says
Thanks Susan! So glad everyone loves them
Jess Fout says
As far as sneaking veggies goes, your Healthy Instant Pot potato soup recipe helps me sneak in the cauliflower. Sometimes I add some shredded carrots to that soup as well since that blends in with the cheese.
Fried rice is another way I sneak in veggies — when I dice things small enough, they don’t really notice or care to pick them out.
I’m actually kind of lucky — my kids are pretty good about eating vegetables. We garden, so since they help grow & pick the veggies, they are more receptive to eating them. I definitely tell other parents that if they have the time & space to grow veggies, that’s the best way to get kids to eat them!
SweetPhi Team says
These are great ways to sneak in veggies! Thanks so much for sharing
Cheri says
I’ve made these and Wow! So good. I also put zucchini into muffins and make them mini size then use as a snack with nut butter. My grandson gobbles them up he thinks they’re little cupcakes. These waffles make the rotation with the banana waffles in our house.
SweetPhi Team says
I love that he thinks they’re cupcakes – great work!
Tamara B. says
Thank goodness for the hand blenders and a grater! I am able to sneak many veggies in most of the foods without the children knowing! I love your recipes and thank-you for posting!
SweetPhi Team says
Thanks so much for the nice comment!
Denise L says
“Green sprinkles” – I love it! Luckily I don’t have to hide veggies but these pancakes still love delicious and healthy.
SweetPhi Team says
Whatever works, right!? Glad you like it!
Kristy says
I love sneaking veggies in anywhere I can! For me, it’s spinach in smoothies (can’t taste it) and a can of pumpkin in chili!
SweetPhi Team says
Thanks for sharing!
Sara says
Our kiddo isn’t a huge fan of veggies, so I try to sneak them in whenever possible. I put a handful of spinach in his smoothies, and when I made chili or spaghetti, I add a ton of finely chopped carrots to the base.
SweetPhi Team says
I love using smoothies to sneak spinach in too – great idea!
Monica says
Fortunately I don’t have to sneak veggies in my recipes. We love them raw or cooked. I cut up a colorful array of veggies each week. What we don’t eat in the next 3-4 days goes on a sheet pan, with a sliced onion, olive oil, salt & pepper. I then toss it into the oven for 45 – 60 minutes (depending on which veggies I am roasting). Then I cut up a new assortment of veggies to put in fridge. Love roasted vegetable – they come out so sweet.