This is my all-time favourite muffin recipe! They are so delicious and packed with nutritious vegetables like zucchini, carrot and spinach. Golden, cheesy and full of savoury bacon and cheese flavour, they are also freezer-friendly and made in just one bowl! Perfect for a mid-morning snack, sandwich substitute or lunchbox filler that both kids and adults will love.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Quick and easy – need a fast lunchbox snack? All you need is a handful of simple pantry and fridge staples and 10 minutes of prep time. And everything comes together in just one bowl!
Full of vegetables – while they taste like a completely irresistible bacon and cheese muffin, they are packed full of veggies like carrot, zucchini and spinach. Or customise them to suit the vegetables available in your fridge and freezer, if you want. Savoury muffins for kids and adults- everyone will love them!
Freezer friendly – make a double batch and keep them in the freezer, ready for a convenient snack or lunchbox filler, any time!
Great for fussy eaters – this muffin recipes comes kid-approved. Even my fussy two year old demolished them!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
Ingredient notes
Self raising flour – I used white flour, but you can use wholemeal (also called whole wheat) flour, if you prefer. For gluten free savoury muffins, substitute for gluten-free flour.
Shredded cheese (tasty/cheddar) – fresh, grated cheese is recommended over store bought, pre-packaged grated cheese. This is because pre-packed cheese won’t melt as nicely into the muffins.
Vegetables – finely grated carrot and zucchini help to provide moisture and flavour. I also add spinach for extra nutrients. You can also add a little corn or some peas, if you like! Either the fresh or frozen version boost the veggie content and add texture.
Bacon – along with the cheese, bacon adds an extra savoury element to the vegetable muffins. Use regular middle bacon, or short cut to reduce the fat content. Or leave it out for vegetarian muffins.
Step by step instructions
There are no fancy steps in this recipe. Everything gets thrown in together in one bowl and stirred. That’s it! Perfect for minimal dishes and clean up.
Step 1. Place all of the muffin ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. **Be careful not to over-mix. Around 15 strokes should be all you need to combine everything.
Step 2. Divide the mixture evenly into 1-2 muffin trays greased with a little oil spray. This recipe should make around 16 muffins. But you can make them smaller, or larger, if you prefer.
Step 3. Bake according to the recipe instructions below, until the muffins are cooked through. You can test this by gently pressing on the top of a muffin. If is springs back slightly, then they are ready. You can also insert a toothpick into the centre of a muffin. If it comes out clean, without wet batter sticking to it, then the muffins are ready.
Expert tips
- Do you have some sad, un-used veggies in your fridge that need a makeover? Use whichever veggies you have on hand, in equal quantities to the recipe card below. Try adding some frozen, fresh or canned peas or corn, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped broccoli, fresh herbs or grated sweet potato.
- White and wholemeal (whole wheat) flour are a little different in taste and texture, but both work in this recipe. Need gluten free savoury muffins? Use your favourite gluten-free flour instead!
- This recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Can’t be bothered with muffin tins? Bake the batter into a greased and lined baking tray instead and cut into slices when cooked through!
- These muffins can be eaten hot or cold and pair nicely with soup or salad and also make a great breakfast, lunch/lunchbox or dinner with simple sides like fruits, salad, eggs or steamed veggies.
FAQs
Storing muffins when they are still a little warm will result in condensation and soggy muffins. Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack, before using your preferred storage method. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, line an airtight, freezer safe container with paper towel and add the muffins in a single layer. Cover with another paper towel to prevent extra moisture and freeze. To thaw, remove the muffins from the freezer and store in the fridge overnight, or leave them at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
In these savoury muffins, the moisture comes from the eggs, along with the grated zucchini and carrot. If substituting or adding your own vegetables, I recommend leaving in the zucchini or carrot to keep them moist.
More lunchbox muffin recipes
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Vegetable Muffins
Ingredients
- 300 grams self-raising flour (300 grams = 2 cups)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (160 grams). Use fresh tasty/cheddar cheese rather than pre-packaged shredded cheese
- 1 cup grated carrot (120 grams), finely grated.
- 2 cups spinach leaves roughly chopped
- ½ cup grated zucchini (85 grams), finely grated.
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 175 grams bacon finely chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C/356 F and use a light oil spray to line enough muffin trays to make 16 muffins.
- Place all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Don't overmix.
- Evenly divide the muffin mixture into the greased muffin trays. You should get 16 muffins.
- Bake for around 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly golden and completely cooked through. Due to the melted cheese, the muffins will be soft in the middle when hot. As they cool, they will firm up.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
- Be sure to measure your ingredients accurately, for best results. Too much flour will result in dry, hard muffins. Too little flour and the muffins won’t set properly, resulting in mushy muffins that fall apart.
- Use whichever veggies you have on hand, in equal quantities to the recipe card below. Try adding some frozen, fresh or canned peas or corn, chopped tomatoes, finely chopped broccoli, fresh herbs or grated sweet potato. I do recommend keeping the zucchini if possible, as it provides moisture to the muffins.
- The muffins will be soft when first removed from the oven, due to the melted cheese. Allow them to cool on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes, to firm up slightly.
- White and wholemeal (whole wheat) flour are a little different in taste and texture, but both work in this recipe.
- Storage: Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack, before using your preferred storage method. They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, line an airtight, freezer safe container with paper towel and add the muffins in a single layer. Cover with another paper towel to prevent extra moisture and freeze. To thaw, remove the muffins from the freezer and store in the fridge overnight, or leave them at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the recipe being divided into 16 muffins, with one muffin being one serve. You can make them larger, or smaller depending on your needs. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the muffins.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Cathy says
Have you tried using oil instead of milk? Is so how much could you use?
I will leave out the bacon as some of my family don’t eat bacon and it will reduce the salt a bit. Will this still work out if the bacon is omited?
Looking forward to making these later today 🙂 Cathy
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Cathy! I have not tried to substitute oil for milk, so I’m not sure how they would turn out if you do this. You could use a dairy-free milk alternative in place of milk (in equal quantities) if you don’t want to use dairy milk. The bacon can be omitted, if preferred. Andrea.
Bernadette Weedon says
Great
Andrea Geddes says
Thanks Bernadette!
Kim says
Just made these and I’m so impressed! This is my new go to for lunch instead of sandwiches. Thabkyou for such a brilliant recipie!
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Kim! I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying these muffins! They are my favourite and I agree, such a great sandwich substitute to mix things up. Thanks for letting me know! Andrea 🙂
Sera says
Yum! Wow! Delicious! My 3 year old and 1 year old loved them too. Have just sent this recipe to my friends and family. So so yummy! I followed the recipe exactly and am looking forward to doing adaptations in the future with leftover veges.
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Sera, I’m so happy to hear that you loved the muffins! They are my go-to muffin recipe and are a great way to use up any veggies in your fridge – so I’m sure you’ll enjoy those variations too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. Andrea 🙂
Ros says
The best savoury muffin ive ever made, thank you
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Ros! I’m so happy that you love them. They’re my favourite! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Andrea 🙂
Kay says
Do you think they’d work without the grated cheese and feta? Or is it needed to bind?
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Kay, the grated cheese does help to bind the muffins as they cool. You could swap the feta out for something else though. Enjoy!
Saphira says
Such a fantastic repice to kill two birds with one stone: 1) use up the bits and bobs of veg left in the fridge at the end of the week and 2) add some easy extra veg to weekday mornings.
I have been making red pepper and mushroom, broccoli and corn, bacon and chive, and spinach and feta varieties. I just make the base (I double the carrot and skip the spinach) and then portion off a bit of a time into a smaller bowl to mix with custom veg. Love this recipe!
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Saphira! I’m so happy that you love this recipe and your adaptions sound absolutely delicious! I do love that the recipe can be used as a base for your favourite fillings and it’s always so handy to use it for a fridge clean out. Thanks for letting me know! Andrea 🙂
Gail says
Absolutely delicious. This will be my favourite savoury muffin. Thanks for the recipe
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Gail! I’m so happy that you enjoyed them and will be making them again! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! Andrea 🙂