Gluten-Free, High Protein, Hidden Veggie Waffles
Make healthy, kid-friendly snacks, breakfasts, and meals with these easy homemade hidden veggie waffles for toddlers, kids, and adults. They are gluten-free, simple to make, and filled with zucchini or yellow squash!
Want to make your favorite comfort foods, snacks, and desserts healthier, gluten-free, sugar-free, or oil-free for you or your little one?
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These gluten-free, high protein, hidden veggie waffles have an entire zucchini hidden inside them, and my kids have been eating them almost every day!
I used to be so good about adding hidden vegetables to the foods my kids already loved. At some point, though, I gave up. Kids repeatedly get tired of their favorite foods, and I got tired of constantly trying to think of new things they might actually eat.
Then, this summer, my sister Jackie made zucchini waffles for her kids and reminded me how easy hidden veggie recipes can be. Thank you, @jackieviramontez, for officially re-jumpstarting my hidden-veggie era!
I made the zucchini version first. One of my sons spotted the tiniest hint of green and could not handle it, so I tried again with yellow squash. Voilà! The yellow squash disappears into the batter, and we have now been eating these waffles almost every day.
Why These Hidden Veggie Waffles Work for My Kids
The waffles are lightly sweet, filled with chocolate chips, and do not taste like vegetables. Yellow squash is especially helpful for kids who become suspicious the moment they see something green in their food.
I use Simple Mills Pancake & Waffle Mix because it is made with almond flour and gives the waffles a texture my kids love. With five eggs in our batch, the waffles also provide protein, healthy fats, and choline while still tasting like a special chocolate-chip breakfast.
They are also genuinely quick. Grating the squash and squeezing out the water is the only part that takes any effort. After that, the batter takes about two minutes to mix.
Zucchini or Yellow Squash: Which Is Better?
Both work! I love zucchini, and that is what my sister originally used. However, zucchini leaves small green flecks in the finished waffles.
Yellow squash has a similar mild flavor but blends into the batter more discreetly. If your child decides whether to try a food based entirely on its color, yellow squash may be your best option.
Can I Use Applesauce Instead of Sweetener?
Yes. You can replace the added sweetener and splash of milk with applesauce. It adds moisture and sweetness, although the exact amount you need will depend on the size and moisture of your squash.
Start with a small amount, stir the batter, and add more only if needed.
Don’t Skip the Most Important Step!
The most important step is squeezing the grated zucchini or yellow squash very well. Both vegetables contain a lot of water. If that water goes directly into the batter, the waffles may become soggy, gummy, and have an otherwise weird consistency.
It also helps to let freshly cooked waffles rest on a wire cooling rack instead of stacking them immediately. Stacking traps steam and softens the outside.
Can You Freeze These Waffles?
Yes! Make an extra batch and let the waffles cool completely. Freeze them flat on a tray or stack them on a plate with parchment paper between them, until frozen hard. Then place in freezer safe bag or container.
Reheat frozen waffles in a toaster or toaster oven until warmed through and slightly crisp. This makes them an easy breakfast for busy school mornings.
Supply List
These are the products I use for this recipe:
Sugar-free dark chocolate chips (without erythritol sugar alcohol)
Pure monk fruit or stevia sweetener (without erythritol)
Easy Hidden Veggie Waffle Ingredients
1 medium to large zucchini or yellow squash
5 eggs
Sugar-free pure Monk fruit or stevia sweetener (without erythritol sugar alcohols), to taste
A splash of milk, as needed
Sugar-free dark chocolate chips (without erythritol), to taste
Optional: applesauce in place of the added milk and sweetener
Note: Use yellow squash if your child refuses anything with visible green flecks. It blends into the waffles much more easily!
How to Make Zucchini or Yellow Squash Waffles
Preheat your waffle maker (or skillet to make pancakes).
Wash the zucchini or yellow squash and grate it finely.
Squeeze the zucchini firmly to remove as much water as possible. This keeps the waffles from having a weird gummy consistency.
Add the drained squash and 5 eggs to a large bowl.
Stir until combined, then add Simple Mills waffle and pancake mix.
Add splash of milk and monk fruit or stevia sweetener. If you prefer, replace the milk and sweetener with applesauce for natural sweetness and moisture.
Fold in the sugar-free dark chocolate chips.
Cook the batter in your waffle maker according to its directions, until the waffles are golden and cooked through. You can also cook the batter as pancakes on a heated skillet.
Serve warm, or freeze the waffles in a single layer on a large tray or in a stack separated by parchment paper. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat them in the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast.
More Easy Hidden Veggie Recipes for Kids
If your kids are more likely to eat a vegetable when they do not know it is there, my cookbook is filled with simple ways to add vegetables to familiar foods kids already love. It includes these hidden veggie waffles and many more realistic recipes for feeding kids without turning every meal into a negotiation.
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If you try the waffles, let me know whether zucchini or yellow squash works best for your family. And if your child detects microscopic green flecks from across the room like mine does, start with the yellow squash!
Want to make any comfort food, snack or dessert healthy for you or your little one? Hide veggies in your or your kid’s favorite foods with easy, healthy swaps and add-ins. Browse my Hidden Veggie Recipe Cookbook.