RITZ-Zucchini Nuggets

Name: RITZ-Zucchini Nuggets
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2½ cups zucchini (about 2 zucchini); 1 tsp. salt; ¼ cup ketchup; ¼ cup mayonnaise; 45 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed, divided; 2 eggs; 1 small carrot, shredded (about 1/2 cup); ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese; ½ tsp. Italian seasoning; ½ tsp. garlic powder

Looking for a make ahead side dish that everyone will love? Combine RITZ Crackers with shredded zucchini and cheese for delicious nugget bites.

Prep time:

0 min

Total time:

0 min

Servings:

Makes 8 servings, 4 nuggets and 1 Tbsp. sauce each.

Ingredient list

2½ cups packed shredded zucchini (about 2 zucchini)
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup mayonnaise
45 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed, divided
2 eggs
1 small carrot, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Place zucchini in colander. Sprinkle with salt; toss gently to evenly coat zucchini with salt. Let stand 10 min.

Meanwhile, mix ketchup and mayonnaise until blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat oven to 375°F.

Wrap zucchini in paper towels or clean kitchen towel, then squeeze to remove as much liquid from zucchini as possible.

Whisk eggs in medium bowl until blended. Add zucchini, carrots, cheese and dry seasonings; mix well. Stir in all but 3/4 cup cracker crumbs.

Cover baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place remaining cracker crumbs in pie plate. Roll tablespoonfuls of zucchini mixture into 32 balls; shape each into oval-shaped nugget. Roll, in small batches, in cracker crumbs until evenly coated with crumbs. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15 to 18 min. or until heated through and golden brown, turning after 10 min.

Serve with ketchup mixture.

Recipe Tips

Food Facts
After squeezing the drained salted zucchini, you should have about 1-1/3 cups packed drained zucchini.
Make Ahead
These crisp nuggets can be prepared ahead of time. Bake nuggets as directed; cool completely. Refrigerate up to 3 days. When ready to serve, bake in 350°F. oven 10 min. or until done. Or, freeze the cooled baked nuggets in tightly covered container up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator before reheating to serve.
How to Crush the Crackers
Place crackers in resealable plastic bag; press bag to remove excess air, then seal bag. Use rolling pin to crush crackers into crumbs.