A quick and easy savoury muffin recipe, that is packed full of cheese and vegetables. Perfect for putting in packed lunches for kids and grown-ups, for picnics or lunch on the go. Light savoury muffins with sweetcorn, peas, carrots and courgette are a great way to get more veg into your kids' diet. They freeze well too - so make a big batch.
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We make this savoury muffin recipe a couple of times a month and keep a stash in the freezer for the kid's lunch boxes. Packed with 4 different vegetables, this veg muffin recipe is great if your kids aren't big fans of vegetables, as the flavour of the cheese kids them!
If you are looking for some more vegetable packed recipes, why not try our comforting Vegetable Pasta Bake, easy Creamy Vegetable Soup or our super quick 10 Minute Vegetable Teriyaki?
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Why You Will Love It
- Quick and easy - Only 5 minute prep goes into making these cheese muffins and there is minimal washing up too.
- Adaptable - These mini savoury muffins are so easy to adapt with different cheese and vegetables. Carry on reading for all our suggestions.
- Lunchbox filler - These make a great lunch box filler, and you can be happy knowing your kids are having some vegetables. Not just for kids though, grown-ups will love them in the packed lunch too.
- Kids LOVE them - The vegetables aren't exactly hidden, but these are cheesy enough that kids love them. Slather them in butter too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Flour - We used self raising flour to get a rise out of the muffins. If you don't have self raising, you can make your own with plain flour and baking powder.
- Baking powder - This is to get the muffins light and fluffy.
- Salt - It helps to bring out all the other flavours. If you are making these for little kids, then leave the salt out.
- Sweetcorn and peas - We used frozen as that is what we had and we find it much easier. If you used canned sweetcorn, then it would give a sweeter flavour.
- Courgette and carrot - This is an easy way to add some extra vegetables and they are grated so are fairly hidden. Make sure to squeeze the liquid out so the muffins are not too wet.
- Cheese - This is where most of the flavour comes from, so try to use a cheese with a strong flavour. We used a mature cheddar, but there are some suggestions below for other cheeses.
- Oil - We used vegetable oil, but sunflower oil will work too. Don't use oil with a strong flavour like olive oil.
- Eggs - We use medium eggs. Use room temperature eggs for best results.
- Milk - Use full fat milk for the best flavour, but any milk will work.
Variations
The great thing about this savoury muffin recipe is that it is easy to adapt so you can make lots of different ones at the same time. Here are some of our favourite ways to change them up:
- Bacon - Add some cooked chopped bacon to the mixture. The saltiness compliments the other flavours really well. If you do use bacon, then leave the salt out. Cooked chorizo, ham or pepperoni works well too.
- Cheese - Pretty much any cheese works here. Cheddar, mozzarella, feta, Swiss, goat's cheese and Stilton are all some of our favourite additions. Try to use a strong cheese for the best flavour.
- Vegetables - Some other vegetables that work well are spring onions (scallions) that add a nice crunch, but aren't usually a favourite with kids. Bell peppers add a nice colour and crunch too. Tomatoes add a lovely freshness and go well with the cheese giving a kind of pizza flavour. We love chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Chopped spinach is a nice way to give a green veggie boost and this pairs well with feta.
- Herbs - This is an easy way to give an easy flavour boost. Personally, my favourite would be chives, as they go well with the cheese. But any leafy (not woody) herb like parsley, dill or coriander would work well.
- Spice - If you are making this for adults or older kids that can handle spice, then some chipotle paste or a little cayenne is a good addition.
How to Make Savoury Muffins
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Brush a muffin tin with oil.
- Step 1: In a bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, sweetcorn, peas, courgette, carrot and cheese (a). Mix well to combine (b).
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, eggs and oil.
- Step 3: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently fold everything together.
- Step 4: Divide the mixture equally into the oiled muffin tin. This recipe makes 18 muffins, so you may need two tins or cook in batches.
- Step 5: Put into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
Serving Suggestions
We add these to a packed lunch or picnic, but if you wanted to just eat one as a snack then we have some suggestions. I think that butter is a must. It just makes them really creamy and delicious.
If you wanted to dip these savoury muffins in something, then why not try our Homemade Ketchup Recipe, Healthy BBQ Sauce or Healthy Ranch Dressing?
These also go really well with soup. Why not try our Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup, Easy Tomato Soup or Potato and Leek Soup?
Storage
Store: You need to let the muffins completely cool before storing them. Keep them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will go a little stale after a while though, which is why we recommend keeping them in the freezer.
Freeze: Individually wrap the muffins in cling film, and then store them in a freezer bag. They will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.
Defrost: You can defrost them in the fridge overnight, but they also don't take long to thaw at room temperature.
Reheat: These savoury muffins are best served warm, so put them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make sure to squeeze all the excess liquid out of the carrots and courgette, otherwise the muffin mixture will be too wet. Don't throw that juice away though - it has loads of goodness in it and can be added to smoothies.
- If you are making these for little kids, then leave the salt out. Also be mindful of the cheese you are using, as some can be high in salt.
- Don't over-mix the batter, as this will cause the muffins to be dense. You want to fold it until the flour is just mixed in.
- Make sure to grease your muffin pan really well. We have tried this with muffin cases before, but they were hard to get out. The best results we have had is with a really well oiled muffin tin.
- Keep an eye on the muffins, as every oven cooks differently. They will take between 20 and 25 minutes. You don't want dry muffins.
- Leave the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make a vegan version of this, you can swap the egg for flax egg and use a plant based milk. You can either use your favourite vegan cheese, or swap it for nutritional yeast.
As long as you use your favourite gluten free flour and make sure there is no cross contamination, then these can be gluten free.
If they are dry and dense, then you have either over-mixed the batter, or cooked them for too long. Remember, every oven cooks things at different rates.
Check them from around 18 minutes. Stick a skewer in them and it should come out dry. If it has any wet mixture on it, then it still needs cooking more.
More Savoury Recipes
If you've tried this savoury muffin recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Savoury Muffins with Cheese and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) Self-raising flour
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 100 g (0.66 cups) Frozen sweetcorn
- 50 g (0.33 cups) Frozen peas
- 1 Courgette (zucchini) - grated; liquid squeezed out
- 1 Carrot - grated
- 175 g (1.5 cups) Cheddar cheese - grated
- 100 ml (0.5 cups) Sunflower oil
- 2 Eggs
- 250 ml (1 cups) Milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6. Brush a muffin tin with oil.
- In a bowl, add 250 g Self-raising flour, 1 pinch Sea salt, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, 100 g Frozen sweetcorn, 50 g Frozen peas, 1 Courgette (zucchini) (grated), 1 Carrot (grated) and 175 g Cheddar cheese. Mix well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix together 250 ml Milk, 2 Eggs and 100 ml Sunflower oil.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently fold everything together.
- Divide the mixture equally into the oiled muffin tin. This recipe makes 18 muffins, so you may need two tins or cook in batches.
- Put into the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Carefully remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure to squeeze all the excess liquid out of the carrots and courgette, otherwise the muffin mixture will be too wet. Don't throw that juice away though - it has loads of goodness in it and can be added to smoothies.
- If you are making these for little kids, then leave the salt out. Also be mindful of the cheese you are using, as some can be high in salt.
- Don't over-mix the batter, as this will cause the muffins to be dense. You want to fold it until the flour is just mixed in.
- Make sure to grease your muffin pan really well. We have tried this with muffin cases before, but they were hard to get out. The best results we have had is with a really well oiled muffin tin.
- Keep an eye on the muffins, as every oven cooks differently. They will take between 20 and 25 minutes. You don't want dry muffins.
- Leave the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Karen says
Absolutely love that recipe thank you! Very clear instructions, straight forward, will be making them again!
Tay says
WHYYYY wouldn't you state in the ingredients AND method that the carrots and courgette need all liquid squeezing out?!
I made these, then saw the note after to do so but it was too late. What a waste of ingredients
Dannii Martin says
As you can see at the very top of the post, in the ingredients section, it says "Courgette and carrot - This is an easy way to add some extra vegetables and they are grated so are fairly hidden. Make sure to squeeze the liquid out so the muffins are not too wet." It is all there, before you even get to the bottom ingredients and method. I'm sorry you didn't read the post before making the recipe, but all the information you need is there and we work really hard to provide it all so the recipes work 100% of the time. Also, the extra tips are BEFORE the ingredients and method, where it tells you again to squeeze the liquid out. So, the post does tell you to do this twice, before you even get to the full ingredients and method.
Elisa says
Thank you for the recipe, will be making it really soon, I am really looking for vegetarian recipes. :)
Janessa says
I'm not really a sweets person so these savory muffins are the perfect snack for me.
Lima Ekram says
I made a batch for myself (not my kids!) Very tasty and so portable! What a great idea!
cyndy says
Love these - I had some left over roasted broccoli so I put that in because I was out of corn. So perfect because this recipe is so adaptable.
Alison Saalbach Corey says
These muffins are a flavor festival! The cheese and vegetables blend perfectly together and create a delicious savoury taste. It's a hard to resist combo. Perfect!!!
Andrea says
Super easy to make, great flavors and perfect for on the go lunches or snacks.
Tara says
So many amazing flavors packed into these muffins! I love the use of all the vegetables. So easy too!
Katherine says
These muffins would be perfect for the kids' lunchboxes!
TAYLER ROSS says
I made these muffins for breakfast this morning and they were delicious! So great for grab and go breakfasts too!