Cheesy Carrot Bites
on Jan 03, 2022, Updated Nov 15, 2023
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These cheesy carrot bites are a great way of serving carrots! They are soft and tender, making for a perfect lunch or handheld snack!
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!
Table of Contents
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.
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.
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.
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
Carrot Fritters
Carrot Oatmeal Cookies
Oven-Baked Zucchini Carrot Tots
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins
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!
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.
They taste bomb! Will double the batch next time.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Laurie!😊
I made these tonight and it took restraint for my husband and I not to eat them all. They are absolutely delicious! Can’t wait for my daughter to try them tomorrow.
I’m so happy to hear that you both loved these bites! Hopefully, your daughter approves as well!😉 Thanks for sharing your great review, Courtney!
You’re a lifesaver!! This is a family favorite.
I’m so happy to hear that your whole family enjoys these carrot bites!😊
Amazing taste! Served them with a side of greek joghurt – mustard die, everything was devoured in minutes! Thank you so much for your recipes!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed these bites! Thanks for your great feedback, Frauke!😊
Wow, crave worthy! I only made a single batch but I might eat them all before my toddler gets to try them lol. So so good!! I might try them with the almond flour next just to sneak in a little more protein. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed these bites, Francesca!😊
These are so easy to make and my 17-month-old loved them. He kept asking for more!
Thanks for sharing your great feedback, Rachel!😊
These are soo yummy! My daughter and I ate every last bite. Definitely making more of these in the future 😍
I’m so happy that your daughter loved these! Thanks for sharing your great review, Clarissa! 🙂
My 13 mo old loved these! Served them for the first time with dinner and they were the first thing to disappear from her plate!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your great review, Alisa!😊
omg, i just made these!!
i love them. i love them so much and am so excited yo incorporate them into our meals. Now, my 3yr old ate a couple. Which is GREAT!! He is very picky, so this was an awesome outcome.
My husband, who is as picky as the 3yr old, also enjoyed them!
I cant wait to make the zucchini bites!
(oh, and i am so excited to look thru all your other recipes. This one, honestly, healed my heart. I struggle greatly with things, and have such difficulty trying to figure out what to feed my family that is both healthy-ish, and that will get eaten!)
I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed these bites! I hope that you also love any future recipes you try out, Kathleen!😊
I’ve been trying to offer my son carrots for a very long time and this is probably the best, yummiest, creative way to offer carrots to your toddler! My son loves these carrot bites and I do too!! Overall, I’ve tried many recipes from @feedingtinybellies and my son has loved everything. Love her recipes!
I’m so happy that this was a successful way to offer your son carrots! And so happy that he’s been loving other recipes as well! Thanks for sharing your great review, Melissa!😊
Best recipe ever! Not only do I (the mom) but also my husband and son love this! So so good!
I’m so happy to hear that you all enjoyed these! Thank you for sharing your great feedback, Vanessa!😊
What is one serving in this case
OMG! Absolutely love these so much! They’re super easy to make and mess free! Both me and my little one loved them so much, I plan on making a second batch some time soon (: Thanks so much!
I’m so happy to hear that both you and your little one likes these bites! Thank you for sharing your great feedback, Tamia😊