These cheesy carrot bites are a great way of serving carrots! They are soft and tender, making for a perfect lunch or handheld snack!
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Cheese is pretty magical when it comes to enhancing the taste of veggies. It’s amazing how much flavor a little cheese can add and these cheesy carrot bites are no exception! They are perfect for dipping into ketchup, ranch dressing, or even snacking on as-is!
If you're looking for more veggie-based recipes, you'll also love these savory veggie muffins and green bean fritters! These cheesy zucchini fritters and broccoli and cheese bites are other fun ways of incorporating more greens into your little one's diet!
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What You'll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these cheesy carrot bites:
- Carrots: The main star ingredient for these cheesy bites.
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain flavored panko breadcrumbs.
- Egg: Used as a binder to help hold these bites together.
- Shredded Cheese: Used to add flavor to these bites. I used a 4-cheese Mexican blend for added flavor, but you may use any type of cheese.
- Garlic/Onion Powder: For added flavor.
- Black Pepper: For a little added kick and flavor.
- Salt: Optional ingredient for a little added flavor. You can make a batch without salt for a younger baby and add salt to the rest for everyone else!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions & Additions
- Eggs: For an egg-free version, substitute the egg with a flax egg by mixing one tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal with three tablespoons of water and letting it sit in the fridge for 15 minutes to set and thicken.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs in this recipe, but for a gluten-free version, replace the breadcrumbs with almond flour.
- Cheese: For a dairy-free version, substitute the cheese for dairy-free shredded cheese.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Shred the carrots using the smallest size hole on a box grater. Use your hands or a towel to squeeze out as much moisture from the carrots as possible. You may also place the carrots over a sieve and use the back of a spoon to press down on it to remove the moisture (Image 1).
STEP 2: Add the carrots to a bowl along with the other ingredients. Mix well until combined (Images 2 & 3).
STEP 3: Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them into small balls. Place the balls onto a parchment paper-lined pan (Image 4).
STEP 4: Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until the edges start to slightly brown.
Tips For Success
- It is extremely important to remove as much moisture from the carrots as possible. Excess moisture will result in an overmoist mixture that will cause the bites to be soggy. You can use your hands or a towel, but I find that using a nut milk bag is the easiest to remove the most moisture. Don’t throw out that juice! It has amazing nutrients that can be used in another recipe!
- This recipe makes 10 small carrot balls. Feel free to double the recipe for a larger batch!
- If you’d like to make these in a mini muffin pan, I recommend using a silicone muffin pan as they pop out easily without any sticking.
- I used 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese in this recipe for added flavor. Mozzarella cheese is a good low-sodium alternative.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store carrot bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave for 15-20 seconds or until warmed through. To freeze, place the cooled bites in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before reheating, or quickly reheat on high in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can air fryer these bites at 400 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Make sure to spray the tots with a little oil beforehand and keep an eye on them to ensure that they don't burn.
I recommend using the smallest size hole on a box grater to grate the carrots. This is so that the carrots merge seamlessly with the other ingredients and so that the mixture binds together well.
Yes! Zucchini and broccoli are great additions that could work here! If you are using zucchini, be sure to remove any excess moisture from it before adding it to the mixture.
Other Carrot Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Cheesy Carrot Bites please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Cheesy Carrot Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely grated carrots
- ⅓ cup grated cheese
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt (optional)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
- Shred the carrots using the smallest size hole on a box grater. Use your hands or a towel to squeeze out as much moisture from the carrots as possible. You may also place the carrots over a sieve and use the back of a spoon to press down on it to remove the moisture.
- Add the carrots to a bowl along with the other ingredients. Mix well until combined.
- Scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them into small balls. Place the balls onto a parchment paper-lined pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges start to slightly brown.
Notes
- It is extremely important to remove as much moisture from the carrots as possible. Excess moisture will result in an overmoist mixture that will cause the bites to be soggy. You can use your hands or a towel, but I find that using a nut milk bag is the easiest to remove the most moisture. Don’t throw out that juice! It has amazing nutrients that can be used in another recipe!
- This recipe makes 10 small carrot balls. Feel free to double the recipe for a larger batch!
- If you’d like to make these in a mini muffin pan, I recommend using a silicone muffin pan as they pop out easily without any sticking.
- I used 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese in this recipe for added flavor. Mozzarella cheese is a good low-sodium alternative.
Nutrition
Just tried this and he demolished it! Our son is 7 and struggling with his relationship with food. I’m so happy he loved this and am excited to try more!🥰
I'm so happy to hear that your little one enjoyed these bites! Thank you for sharing your feedback, Martha!😊
My three year old kept reminding me as I was making these how much he doesn't like carrots. he is now munching away. I guess he forgot about the carrot lol.
great recipe will make again but will definitely have to double it!
Haha I'm so happy to hear that your little one enjoyed these bites!😊
This might be a really stupid question, but would carrot purée work in this recipe?
Hi Adriane, not at all, always feel free to ask away! Unfortunately carrot puree wouldn't work for this recipe, the mixture would be too wet to form into balls.
These were so awesome and fast to whip up ! How long can you freeze the leftovers for ?
I'm so glad to hear that! These are good frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months😊
You've done it again!! These were a huge hit with my 9mo. Thank you thank you! Subbed mozz as suggested for lower sodium. I also didn't have panko so I just chopped up some stale sourdough which made for a lumpier texture but worked out.
Thank you so much for this feedback, Serenity, I'm so happy you loved them!😊
The whole family enjoyed these! I also added a little bit of nutritional yeast. Turned out great.
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed these! And I love the add in of nutritional yeast!😊
wow! these were so tasty! I used freshly grated parmesan and we inhaled them. thank you so much!
I'm so glad you enjoyed these, Sarah!😊
I’m so happy I found this recipe. Just made these today- I love them. Waiting for my son to wake up to try them. I love having more veggies added to his meals in a delicious way. (Used mozzarella, so good).
I'm so glad you like them! Thanks for sharing that feedback, Megan!😊
What can I use the leftover carrot juice in?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah! I like to save it to add to smoothies! You can also use it in soups😊