These keto savory zucchini waffles are gluten free and use 5 simple ingredients! They are a great way to use summer zucchini from your garden. These savory zucchini chaffles make a great low carb breakfast or snack. You can even freeze them for later. Each waffle has just 3.1g net carbs and 10.4g protein!
If you are dairy free, try these keto savory vegetable waffles!
It’s all about zucchini recipes in the summertime. It seems to be the easiest thing to grow and the most prolific. However my husband will only eat it fried and my son will only eat it in the form of zucchini bread (and that’s a new development).
So I end up eating most of it or trying to sneak it in dishes where they can’t see it (meatloaf for instance). And I also make these keto savory zucchini waffles. Even my hubby will eat these they are so good.
You only need 5 ingredients and each one is low carb, gluten free and high in protein. It’s also a good way to use those club sized zucchini from your summer garden!
Recipe ingredients I used.
All you need to make these waffles are fresh grated zucchini, egg, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and onion. I didn’t use any salt in this recipe because the cheeses are salty enough.
These are also called chaffles as they use cheese as a base instead of any kind of flour. You don’t even use any kind of flour. No regular all-purpose flour, almond or coconut flour. They are also savory waffles and not sweet though.
I have more chaffle recipes if you scroll down and some are sweet though they might use a bit of almond flour.
How to make low carb savory zucchini waffles.
Step 1: Grate the raw zucchini and onion either by hand with a box grater or in a food processor. I love, love, lover this rotary cheese grater and used it for both the zucchini and the cheese.
Then place the shredded zucchini and onion in a cheesecloth, paper towels or tea towel and squeeze out as much water as possible. This is important. The moisture from the excess water will affect the final outcome. It should like the picture below.
Step 2: Get out a medium sized bowl and add all the ingredients together. This is your “batter” so to speak and you can see it below. Note today I made this with freshly grated parmesan cheese so if you use grated parmesan in a canister it might look a bit different.
Step 3: Heat up your waffle iron and add about ¼ cup of batter onto the center. Cook according to your manufacturer’s instructions. If you are using a regular size waffle iron just place the batter in the middle and make it smaller in size so it’s easier to get out when done.
Note some waffle makers require you grease it first so check to see if you need to oil yours. My Dash mini waffle maker is PERFECT for this recipe. It makes the perfect size chaffles and they come out easily.
Step 4: They should only take a few minutes to cook. You want them to be nicely browned. Take them out carefully and let them set for a few minutes before eating. They will set up as they cool.
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. I like to freeze mine for a quick low carb breakfast or snack. Please scroll down of the printable recipe card.
You can eat these plain or with dip into sour cream, ranch dressing or even a garlic aioli would be nice. But they have plenty of taste on their own.
If you want to freeze these waffles.
All you need to do is let them cool completely and then place them in a ziplock freezer bag. When you want to eat one, take it out of the bag and place on a microwave safe plate. Cook for 30 second intervals until heated through.
You can also make these into zucchini pancakes.
If you don’t have a waffle iron you can just make these in a skillet like shown below. Just add the mixture to a heated skilled and cook until golden brown on both sides. Make sure to cook over medium heat and not to make them too thick.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
It’s important to squeeze as much water from the zucchini as you can before making the batter. The batter will have some liquid to it but it should be much.
I like to grease your waffle iron first though mine doesn’t need much but some waffle makers do. Check the manufacturers instructions to see. I often use coconut oil or butter after each waffle. You may need to grease after each one.
This recipe makes 4 small waffles. I keep them small because they are easier to get out of the machine. I add the “batter” to the center of the waffle iron and just enough to make a small waffle. Too big and it has more chances of sticking. My Dash mini iron works perfect for these smaller keto chaffles.
Yes, because mozzarella cheese has that stringy factor in that keeps it together well and makes crispy waffles. Cheddar cheese and other types won’t work as well. If you want the flavor of a different cheese you can try substituting ¼-1/2 of the mozzarella with your preferred cheese. Try cheddar, Monterey or pepper jack cheese, gouda, Colby, Swiss, etc.
Whether you are reheating from frozen or refrigerated, only microwave for 30 second intervals until heated through. If you over heat them they will get to soft but they will firm up as they cool. You can also try a toaster oven or air fryer but again only do it for a minute or two to get them heated through.
If you are lactose intolerant or want to use almond or coconut flour to keep these low carb and gluten free too, check out this similar recipe for savory keto vegetable waffles. It uses almond flour and there is no cheese involved.
You can add other things to these chaffles such as cooked chopped bacon, ham or chicken. You can also use other vegetables like broccoli, spinach or carrots. Lastly other fun ingredients would be sun dried tomatoes, chopped walnuts for crunch, olives, pickles, etc. See the recipe above for veggie waffles if you want less cheese or see below for more variations to try.
More keto chaffle recipes to try.
If you like this recipe and I really hope you do, here are a few more keto cheese waffles (chaffles) recipes that you will also love or check out this 30 keto waffle recipes post.
- pepperoni pizza
- blueberry and strawberry & cream
- stuffing flavored with Thanksgiving leftovers
- chicken, ham and swis
This recipe made 4 small waffles so I ate one for lunch and froze the rest and just microwaved one for breakfast everyday. I hope you enjoy this savory zucchini waffle recipe. Especially if you have an abundant zucchini crop like we always do.
The nutritional information for 1 is: 131 calories / 8.3g fat / 3.7g carbs / 10.4g protein = 3.1g net carbs
Savory Zucchini Waffles Recipe (keto)
These savory zucchini waffles are gluten free and low carb. They make a great low carb breakfast or snack and you can even freeze them for later. Only 5 ingredients and 3.1g net carbs per waffle.
Ingredients
- 2 cups zucchini grated
- ½ cup onion grated
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini and onion in a food processor fitted with a grating blade. Or grate by hand.
- Take the grated zucchini mixture and put in a tea towel or a few layered paper towels and ring out as much water as possible.
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with a fork and add cheeses and zucchini mixture. Mix well.
- Add a heaping spoonful to your prepared waffle iron and cook according to your manufacturer's instructions. Some waffle irons require you oil them first. Ours did not so check to see if you need to do that first so they don't stick.
- Eat immediately or freeze for later. To eat from frozen just microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
The nutritional information for 1 waffle is: 131 calories / 8.3g fat / 3.7g carbs / 0.6g fiber / 10.4g protein = 3.1g net carbs
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 131
Deb says
OMG…i prepared this dish for my family today, and with a few tweaks to the recipe, it was a hit!!!
I added basil, garlic and poblano peppers…eyeballed the amount of eggs and cheese because i was making enough for 10 people.
Topped off the waffles with sauted red peppers/onions and RAO’S Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce…Whew!!!!!!
Denise says
Hi Deb, that sounds wonderful! I haven’t made these in a while. Waiting for our garden zucchini to come in and then I’ll try your suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to comment and share your tweaks!
Denise says
These are amazing. Used onion powder instead, as onions can be quite carby. After making four, I sandwiched cheddar cheese between two and returned them to the iron to melt the cheese. Voila, grilled cheese zucchini waffles…the kids went wild over how crunchy they were. Next time I might melt the cheese a little and add to one, topping with another cooked waffle. Either way, crunchy good 😋 and filling!
Denise says
Hi Denise, so glad you liked them! I’ll have to try the onion powder and grill cheese trick next time. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Carol says
These are good I cooked them like potato pancakes.
Denise says
So glad you liked them! I’ll have to try that next time. Thanks for stopping by!
Shelie says
I’ve had this recipe for a while and tried it out this morning. Instead of the cheese recommended I used Goat Cheese – it worked just fine. Loved this, it will be in my rotation for sure!
Denise says
I would never thought to use goat cheese and I love goat cheese! Thanks for taking the time to comment and I’m so glad you liked it!
Andrea says
I had a lot of difficulty getting the last waffle off the iron. I do think that there was still too much moisture that kept it from really firming up. Despite that, they were great! I had added some pepper and tyme for more seasoning. Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Denise says
Yes, sometimes they stick. You really have to get the moisture out of the zucchini but also sometimes the size of the egg can make a difference. Glad you liked them and thanks for your tips!
Bonnie says
This did not work for me. I had to clean the mess off my waffle iron! I used the results as I don’t waste anything – not pretty- and put a fried egg on top and served with bacon. I added almond flour and coconut flour to make it work better. Still not pretty.
Denise says
I’m so sorry you had trouble with these. I’m guess you have to grease your waffle iron first. I do not have to with my waffle iron but my old one I did. If you use some coconut oil or butter, that should help. Also you could also make these into pancakes if you wish. Again I’m sorry this didn’t work for you.
Tina says
I like to use the waffles as the “bread” for sandwiches for my kids’ lunches. Add a little more nutrition to lunch!
Denise says
Great idea…I’ll have to try that for myself!
Lisa Zini says
LOVED the taste! My first two came out picture perfect – gorgeous. The remaining stuck to the waffle iron. I did squeeze out the zucchini, but am wondering if, as the batter sat, a little moisture built up and ruined the remaining waffles? Help! I ended up making the rest in a skillet because I didn’t want to waste their yummy-ness! Thanks Denise! I am going to try spinach waffles and zucchini waffles next. Lis
Denise says
Hi Lisa,
I’m glad you liked the waffles! I’m trying to think what the problem would be. You could always grease your waffle iron first by brushing some oil or butter on it. Also it could be the eggs that got a bit runny? Try putting the mixture in the refrigerator in between batches. One last suggestion is to make sure you wring out all the water from both the zucchini and the onion. Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have the problem again.
Thanks for stopping by!
Chris says
Made zucchini fritters last night and thought to myself I bet these could be done in the waffle iron with less oil! Can’t wait to try your recipe!!
Denise says
Tis the season for all things zucchini around here. My husband hands me about 3 or 4 a day so I have to find ways of using them.
The fritters sound great! I hope you like the waffles and thanks for stopping by.
Fiona says
It would be very helpful if you added the nutrient breakdown for those counting carbs, calories etc. I am new to Low Carb cooking and I am amazed at some of the recipes I see online that say they are low carb but actually consume more than half my daily carb target. If i don’t know the carb count its too much hassle to figure out before I cook it, usually.
Denise says
Hi Fiona, the nutritional information for one waffle is 131 calories / 8.3g fat / 3.7g carbs / 0.6g fiber / 10.4g protein = 3.1g net carbs. I’ve add right above the recipe. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Sophia Drenth says
There’s cheese in them. That’s not paleo at all if you ask me. Drawn to this recipe as a lactose intolerant. Dissapointed. 🙁
Denise says
Sophia, I’m sorry you are disappointed. I explain my stance on cheese and Paleo at the end of my post but I do see how strict Paleo enthusiasts and those who are lactose intolerant would be disappointed. I made a dairy free zucchini waffle today for you that was quite good. I personally prefer the cheese recipe but my husband gave this a thumbs up and he doesn’t eat zucchini so I think you might like it. I will alter this post with the recipe when I get a chance but in the meantime try this if you are interested:
2 cups zucchini, grated
1/2 vidalia onion, grated
3 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
Squeeze the excess water out of the grated zucchini and onion. In a large bowl beat your eggs and then add the rest of the ingredients excepted the melted coconut oil. Let the coconut oil cool a little so that it’s still a liquid but not so hot it will cook the eggs when mixing. Add the oil to the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Spoon on a preheated waffle iron. Mine does not require greasing ahead of time but if yours does, please do so first. Makes about 8 small waffles.
Anissa says
Served these for dinner tonight. Delicious! Thinking of serving these for a shower brunch with hollandaise sauce or balsamic reduction. Thanks for the great recipe.
Denise says
Thanks for commenting Anissa! I really liked them and I’m so glad you did too. Good luck with your with your brunch if you do make them and let me know how the sauces work!
Jasmine says
these look amazing! I’m going to try to replicate these in a George Foreman grill – I never could justify a waffle iron but now I’m seriously considering… These also look like they’ll be ok for Ketogenic requirements if I use a little less onion or sub green onions. Thanks!
[email protected] says
I think that will work just fine! Let me know if you do. Thanks for stopping by.
Claire says
These look too delicious to be good for you, I’m definately going to give them ago and see if my waffle mad kids will try them. Thanks for sharing
[email protected] says
I just made them again and froze them. They are good for a quick breakfast on the go. Hope your kids like them!
Sarah says
I had no idea you could make waffles with zucchini! Thanks for linking up to Blogger Brags. I’ve pinned your post to the Blogger Brags Pinterest board.
[email protected] says
Thank you Sarah!
GiGi Eats says
I’d like to order the Zucchini Waffles please!
[email protected] says
Haha! Would you like something to drink with that? 😉
Cathy says
This is amazing! What a yummy recipe! I would love for you to share this at my link party Making Memories Mondays going on now! 🙂
Cathy
[email protected] says
Thanks Cathy, I did share a couple.
Natasha in Oz says
They look so good Denise! Thanks for the brilliant recipe idea. Glad I found it via the Happiness is Homemade Link Party!
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
[email protected] says
Thanks Natasha!
Diana Rambles says
I’m thinking about making these and topping with pizza sauce and pepperoni for dinner.
[email protected] says
That sounds delicious! Hope you enjoy it!
Kristen @ A Mind Full Mom says
Totally making these asap Denise. They look great!
[email protected] says
Thanks Kristen!