HIDDEN VEGETABLE MUFFINS RECIPE: EASY AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY
It’s no secret that incorporating veggies into kids (and even some adults!) diets can be tricky. Even I’ll admit that sometimes, instead of reaching for my freshly-made veggie tray, I’m grabbing homemade rice crispy treats instead. We’ve all been there! However, I also know how essential vegetables are to my and my family’s health.
Veggies are full of nutrients, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants—all things our bodies actually naturally crave. (Especially if we’re deficient!) That said, finding ways to eat them can be the tricky part. But, that’s why I love creating simple, no-stress recipes that sneak veggies into family favorites—like muffins!
Not only are these hidden veggie muffins kid-approved and easy to make, but they’re surprisingly delicious. Plus, they’re perfect for quick lunches, easy treats, or mid-day pick-me-ups. Take it from me, finding healthy, delicious meals doesn’t have to be hard—you just have to know how to sneak those good-for-you-ingrediets in!
So today, I’m sharing a super yummy hidden-veggie muffin recipe that will totally change the way you and your kiddos enjoy veggies. And, don’t worry—no professional baking experience is required! All you need is a handful of easy ingredients and a little enthusiasm. Let’s dive in!
Hidden Vegetable Muffins Recipe: Easy and Family-Friendly
Ever stack veggies on your kid’s plate just for them to immediately turn their nose up and push it away? Yep—been there, done that. That’s why I love serving dishes like veggie mac ‘n’ cheese, chicken nuggets with hidden vegetables, and these hidden vegetable muffins. Each recipe still has that classic taste and texture that kids are familiar with—just with lots of extra nutrients!
And the best part? You’ll actually enjoy serving it. No more confusing veggie percentages like “15% shredded carrots” or “10% spinach”—just total confidence that the meal is fresh, tasty, and fantastic for the whole family.
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s talk about a few different ways you can hide veggies in muffins. This way, you can adjust the ingredients or instructions in the recipe as needed.
How to Hide Veggies in Muffins
If you’re new to the whole “hiding veggies in baked goods” thing, don’t stress! This is a totally new concept for a lot of people. Fortunately, there are PLENTY of different tips and tricks you can use to make veggies in muffins “invisible.” Here are some of my go-to methods for sneaking those veggies in without sacrificing taste or texture:
Grate veggies finely: When you grate veggies, they essentially disappear right into the batter. That means a soft, smooth texture without a bunch of larger, unfamiliar bits or pieces.
Puree your veggies: If you really want to make those veggies disappear, grab your food processor and start pureeing. This process creates a smooth and creamy batter that may change in color, but won’t change in consistency. Perfect for picky eaters or little ones with food texture sensitivities!
Squeeze out excess moisture: Some veggies really hold their weight in water (literally!). Lettuce, zucchini, cauliflower, and tomatoes are particularly water-dense. If you plan to use these (or similar) veggies, make sure to squeeze out the extra moisture before adding them to the recipe. Otherwise, your muffins can get soggy.
Mix veggies into wet ingredients: If you start adding your veggies to the dry ingredients, they may clump instead of distributing evenly. So, make sure to add any chopped or grated vegetables to the wet ingredients. You don’t want to end up with one muffin full of carrots and another with none!
Add mix-ins kids love: Kids are much more likely to eat something when it’s paired with that “something special.” You can easily accomplish this by adding in chocolate chips, a handful of raisins, or a little bit of maple syrup on top. It makes things more exciting and can distract from the veggies entirely!
How to Make Hidden Vegetable Muffins
This veggie banana chocolate chip muffin recipe makes 12 regular-sized muffins for allergy-free eaters. However, stay tuned until the end for ingredient substitutions and different muffin size options!
Ingredients:
1 overripe banana, smashed
2 eggs
1 cup soft white wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt to taste
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ to ¾ cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
¼ cup oil (olive, coconut, vegetable, or avocado—all work well!)
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup spinach or kale
Optional: 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease your muffin tin or use paper liners/parchment paper.
Step 2: In your food processor (or blender), combine the wet ingredients. This will be your eggs, oil, overripe banana, carrots, spinach or kale, maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract. Process or blend until smooth.
Step 3: Add in your dry ingredients. This will be the baking powder, baking soda, both flours, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
Step 4: Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, process or blend again.
Step 5: When everything looks nice and smooth, add in your chocolate chips. Make sure you’re folding them into the mixture. This keeps everything light, fully, and evenly distributed.
Step 6: Divide your batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ of the way.
Step 7: Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 8: Once they’re done, top each muffin with a couple of chocolate chips. Then, let them cool and get ready to enjoy!
How to Customize Your Hidden Vegetable Muffins: Sizes and Substitutions
The best thing about making homemade muffins from scratch? Being able to experiment with sizes and having the option to substitute certain ingredients without any stress. Let’s look at a few different options!
If someone in your family is dairy- or gluten-free, you can absolutely still enjoy this hidden veggie muffin recipe. To avoid gluten, just opt for gluten-free flour! That’s the only ingredient in the recipe that you have to keep an eye out for. As for dairy, you’ll want to make sure your baking powder doesn’t have any starch from dairy sources. Also, be sure to use dairy-free or vegan chocolate chips.
Now, let’s talk muffin sizes. Sometimes, regular-sized muffins don’t spark the level of excitement you were hoping for. And, as a mom of three kiddos with totally different preferences, I get it… So, are you ready for the good news?
You can make both jumbo and mini muffins using the same ingredients AND steps as above! The only thing you need to change is the size of your muffin tin. A standard muffin recipe can make 36 mini muffins or 4-6 jumbo muffins. Yes, it can be that easy!
Last tip, and it’s an important one. Make sure you’re properly storing your veggie muffins so they don’t spoil too quickly! You’ll want to skip the zip-top bags this time and reach for an airtight container instead. These muffins can last up to 5 days in the fridge or up to a month in the freezer!
Eating veggies can be easy with this delicious muffin recipe!
With how yummy these muffins taste, you’ll practically forget you ever even added veggies! Which, honestly, is kind of the goal here. This recipe doesn’t just make serving vegetables to kids easier; it also helps adults get their healthy dose, too. Between prepping and cooking, this quick, 30-minute meal will make eating (and craving!) veggies easier than ever.
I’m not just big about kid-friendly recipes—I’m also SUPER passionate about sensory play. If you want to transform your home into a place of creativity and connection, order our new book, Playful by Design! It’s an easy guide for igniting your little one’s imagination and fostering independence.
For plenty of other exciting hidden veggie recipes, head over to the Mothercould blog! I have snack ideas, easy breakfasts, yummy lunches, and filling dinners. I also have a handful of healthy dessert recipes, too! Also, don’t forget to check Mothercould In Your Pocket for sensory play recipes, cleaning hacks, and downloadable activity packs.
