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A delicious upgrade to fried zucchini…these Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites will not disappoint. Homemade, macaroni and cheese sandwiched between zucchini slices, breaded in panko breadcrumbs, and oven “fried” until golden and crisp. Enjoy as a fun summer snack or appetizer. Or make these bites into a family meal as part of a loaded summer salad. Each oven baked zucchini bite is crispy on the outside plus creamy and cheesy on the inside. A truly delicious summer snack.

side photo of Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites in serving basket

There is fried zucchini, and then there are these fried zucchini bites. AKA…little nuggets of deliciousness. I’m not entirely sure how I ever thought this concept up, but it’s a delicious recipe that gives mac and cheese AND fried zucchini a whole new identity.

Plus, if you’re looking to use up an abundance of zucchini this summer, this is the perfect recipe.

Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites before coating in breadcrumbs

The history on this recipe…

This is a remake of a recipe I shared years back, in the earlier days of HBH. Back in the day, I liked to create only the most complicated recipes. Recipes that no one had time to make. I’m talking multiple sauces, multiple steps, literally just so much happening. They were overly different recipes. And while delicious, at times they were honestly just a little too much.

As with everything, I’ve learned over time. Since those days I’ve honed in on creating simple, creative, and flavorful recipes without a million and one things happening. It’s actually crazy to see the evolution of growth if you look back through the years. I love how all of your input has helped to guide HBH to where it is today and how far we’ve come together. I’m so excited to see what the next five to ten years have in store. I have lots of ideas!

Anyway, the original version of this recipe was much more complicated, and also deep-fried. Listen, I’m not completely against deep frying, but I do try to avoid it whenever possible (but will make exceptions…hello to crispy BBQ cauliflower). I took inspiration from my original concept of mac and cheese stuffed fried zucchini and turned it into an oven-baked recipe that you’d think was actually fried.

Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites after coating in breadcrumbs, but before baking

The steps

First things first, this is not a 20-minute meal, like Monday’s dinner. But I did try my best to simplify things as much as possible. That said, plan ahead with this recipe, as the homemade mac and cheese needs time to chill before you roll it into “bites”.

For the mac and cheese, I use my go-to one pot mac and cheese recipe. It’s pretty simple and straight forward. Make the creamy sauce, add the pasta and cheese, toss…you now have cheesy macaroni and cheese. I like to use a mix of sharp cheddar cheese, creamy fontina, and buttery Havarti. But pretty much all cheese is good, so use what you and your family really love. Just be sure to use a melting cheese, not something like a parmesan.

Once the mac and cheese is made, you need to chill it to allow the cheese to stiffen up. I just throw my pan of mac and cheese into the freezer for thirty minutes while I prep the zucchini. If you have more time, you can chill the mac and cheese in the fridge for up to two to three days.

overhead photo of Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites

To assemble, scoop the mac and cheese into balls and simply sandwich between two rounds of zucchini. It’s key to really pack the balls of mac and cheese tight, so that they hold together while baking.

Then just secure the stuffed zucchini with a couple of toothpicks.

Once all of the bites are assembled, simply dip through a few beaten eggs, then dredge through a mix of panko breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

overhead close up photo of Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites | halfbakedharvest.com

And now for baking…

Just like with my oven fried chicken recipes, the key to getting a golden crust is to add olive oil before baking. I like to drizzle the bites with olive oil, then bake in a super hot oven. This helps the coating to really crisp up nicely in the oven. You can’t skip this step, it’s crucial.

If you do skip…your bites will be dry on the outside…not ideal.

As the bites bake, the kitchen is going to smell like mac and cheese baking in the oven, but with an extra special element…zucchini all coated in (cheesy) breadcrumbs.

And when you pull the pans out of the oven? They’re going to be sizzling, crisp, cheesy, and oh my gosh, they’re going to look GOOD. The bottoms will be crispier than the tops, but this is OK. There are varying textures and I found this to be delicious.

Here’s the thing, you have to eat these HOT while the cheese inside is all melty. It is THE BEST!

Of course, the leftovers are great too, but reheat them in the oven. Warm, just out of the oven, is the way to go.

overhead photo of Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites

Serving ideas plus make-ahead tips.

Serve these up at your next summer BBQ, enjoy on the 4th of July, or just incorporate into your family dinner with a summery salad to round out the meal.

And for sauces? Honestly, you don’t have to add any kind of sauce. But you could dip these into ketchup, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, ranch…really anything goes here. For me personally, no sauce is needed…though I do love a little ketchup dip if presented.

You can prepare the bites a few days ahead of time and keep them in the fridge. Then just bake them off before serving. This makes for simple and easy entertaining.

And the real added bonus? If you’re looking for a way to get everyone in the house to eat more zucchini this recipe will surely entice them. I mean, it’s fried mac and cheese with zucchini on either end. These are pretty hard not to love.

And fair warning? Stopping with just one bite is really not possible. Again, crispy and fried on the outside…melty, cheesy, and pasta filled inside.

Just too good!

overhead photo of Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites in serving basket

Looking for other summer appetizer recipes? Here are some favorites:

Pan Fried Feta with Peppery Honey

Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce 

Peach Thyme Tarts

Grilled Corn Salad with Avocado Mayo

Lastly, if you make these mac and cheese stuffed oven fried zucchini bites, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Mac and Cheese Stuffed Oven Fried Zucchini Bites

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 40 bites
Calories Per Serving: 98 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

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Instructions

  • 1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 minute, stirring to avoid burning—it will bubble. Gradually whisk in the milk and 1 cup of water, then stir in the macaroni. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir frequently until the macaroni is just al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. If the sauce thicken too quickly, add 1/2 additional water.
    2. When the macaroni is al dente, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar, fontina, Havarti, mustard, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheeses have fully melted. Let cool. Transfer to the fridge to chill 2 hours or place in the freezer 30-45 minutes, until cold.
    3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    4. Place the panko, parmesan, 2 tablespoons flour, and the paprika in a shallow bowl. Add the eggs to a separate bowl. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of mac and cheese and pack it into a ball. Sandwich the mac and cheese between 2 zucchini slices, secure with 2 toothpicks.
    5. Dredge the stuffed zucchini bites through the egg, and then through the panko mix, tossing to coat entirely. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the bites are breaded. Make sure not to crowd your pans.
    6. Brush/drizzling the bites with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crisp. Some of the bite may break in half, it's OK, they will still be delicious. Serve while hot with your favorite dipping sauces and or fresh herbs.
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Comments

  1. I love this write up. Ive come across your site before and while everything always looked so good, I never had the time or the ingredients. But a little while ago I needed to use up some mushrooms and found like a ginger sesame fried rice? It was SO good AND I happened to already have everything. Now I’ve been scouring your site for ideas and am looking for a cooking project this weekend. These look delicious!!

    Reply

    1. It is the best when you have all of the ingredients!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Kristi!! Thank you! xTieghan

      Reply

  2. Hi, I can’t wait to try this soon! I’m wondering what you think about freezing them? I would love to have this ready to pull out at the beach house without having to spend the extra time in the kitchen during those beach days. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hey Melissa,
      I would freeze and then roll in the coating when you are ready to enjoy! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. Made these little bites for the 4th. Not so successful. Had a very hard time with the egg wash + panko. Such uneven surface, made it very difficult. I also think it could have used a bit of salt in the panko mixture. Any advice on how to get a better egg wash/ panko coating?

    Reply

    1. Hi Pamela,
      So sorry you had issues with this recipe. I definitely think this recipe takes a bit of patience and time. I would recommend letting the gg wash drip off before adding to the Panko and add some salt according to taste. I hope this helps! xTieghan

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    I used just the mac & cheese recipe and substituted GF flour and noodles and made the most delicious GF mac & cheese for our bbq today. It was amazing. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  5. 4 stars
    I had a bit of a difficult time getting the breadcrumbs to stick to the zucchini, even when it was drenched in egg. Maybe I should have dried off the zucchini bites better so it the egg wasn’t slipping off from the water? I also did not use toothpicks because I didn’t have any on hand. I didn’t have any of the suggested cheese so I used grated smoked cheddar and pepper jack cheddar instead. Mac and cheese was delish! I used Italian panic breadcrumbs instead of plain. The end product was incredible and delicious! I only wish there was a recommended sauce! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Hi Kellie! Yes, I would definitely recommend making sure most of the egg gets off.. You just want a thin layer to coat with! Please let me know if there is anything else I can help with! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    I made this tonight. Had a frozen tray of homemade macNCheese so saved a step. We REALLY enjoyed them, they were the only thing we had for dinner. I had leftover bacon from brkfst so I chopped it finely & added it in. Made a homemade ketchup, was all so good & a fun new concept! I would probably do this again if I had mNc made beforehand. Love someone else’s idea of thinly slicing the zucchini longways, will def so that next time. Thanks Tieghan! Katie, BC Canada

    Reply

  7. Made the mac & cheese stuffed zucchini but thinly sliced the zucchini lengthways to wrap around the mac & cheese, delicious ??

    Reply

  8. 5 stars
    Made these tonight, well attempted to, but my roommates and I accidentally ate all the mac and cheese before I was ever able to form them into little zucchini sandwiches haha. Can’t recommend the mac and cheese enough! I’ll have to re try and keep it away from the roommates another time to try the full recipe. <3

    Reply

    1. Haha wow that is the best thing I have heard today! I am SO glad you guys loved the mac and cheese and hopefully love it with the zucchini some other time haha! xTieghan

      Reply

  9. This looks amazing! And I agree with Elle, as a long-term follower I sometimes miss your huge 1000-things-happening-at-once recipes! It’s great to make things simple and I get why those recipes are so popular, but something fancy and over the top once in a while would be nice 🙂

    Reply

  11. If these don’t get eaten in 1 sitting (unlikely, but ya never know), how would you recommend reheating these?

    Reply

    1. Hi Carrie,
      I would cover with foil and reheat in the oven. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Ellaina,
      So sorry but I don’t own an air fryer so I am not sure how these would turn out. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  14. Wow!!
    you never cease to amaze me!! these look awesome! going to the store Friday, will be sure to buy ALL ingredients!!

    Reply

  15. These look amazing! Can’t wait to try them!! Been looking for good snacks for quarantine movie nights, so this is perfect!

    I also have to say that I have a huge soft spot for the ‘vintage’ HBH recipes. I started following you in 2014. I was a lot younger than, too, and yeah those recipes had a lot of steps, but it was so much fun to take on those challenges. They always turned out incredible. And while I also love and appreciate your much easier recipes nowadays, I’m not going to lie, I still miss (and make!) your old school ones. So… don’t hate on those because I love them (haha). Honestly, it would be so cool if you had one of your weekly featured recipes be a throw back type ‘this will take all day but its worth it’ deal. I still use so many of the sauces you intro’d back in the day. Much <3, you are amazing either way!

    Reply

    1. Haha aw I am really glad you love those ones, Elle! Thank you for continuing to follow me.. wow!! Makes me so happy to hear! I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week! xTieghan

      Reply