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    Home » Recipes » Snacks and appetizers

    Zucchini Appetizer Rolls with Goat Cheese

    Published: Oct 16, 2015 · Modified: Mar 17, 2022 by Sally Cameron · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    543 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you're looking for new appetizer recipes or new appetizer ideas, try these creamy, bite sized vegetable bombs. Zucchini appetizer rolls with goat cheese and colorful vegetables make a great vegetarian appetizer. Try them when friends come for dinner and for healthy game day snacks. Zucchini rolls are another great way to use zucchini.

    Zucchini Roll Ups with Goat Cheese
    Zucchini roll ups, bite size appetizers with goat cheese and veggies.

    Zucchini Appetizer Rolls with Goat Cheese

    When my neighbors kids wolfed these down for an afternoon snack, I figured it was a good recipe to post. The are light, colorful and creamy. We were headed out of town for a few days and I was trying to use up my perishable produce and this was the idea. it worked!

    They look fancy standing up for the photo but you can lay them flat on a plate to serve. If you let them stand for long they do get soft so they are best served right away.

    How to Make Zucchini Roll Slices

    The answer is using a mandolin or other handheld slicer. Using a mandolin, I sliced whole zucchini into long, thin slices â…›" thick. Use a hand slicer that gives you clean, even slices.

    Mandolins come in all price ranges, from $15 to more than $100. Buy what suits your budget and cooking needs. It's a tool you'll only buy once and have forever. Do a search on Amazon or check with your local kitchen store.

    If you have a small kitchen, they usually fold flat (or are already flat) and don't take up much space plus they are handy for slicing all kinds of vegetables.

    Zucchini Roll Ups|AFoodCentricLife.comSalting the Zucchini Slices

    Raw zucchini slices do not roll easily. Even thinly sliced, they can break. To soften slices enough to roll, I tried two methods. Broiling briefly and salting. Briefly broiling them, they shrank too much.

    The method that worked best was simply salting the slices and waiting a 10-12 minutes until the slices softened, the pressing them dry between layers of paper towels to get rid of excess moisture. The slices did not shrink up and rolled easily once filled.

    If you let them sit too long with salt, they will get too soft and be mushy instead of soft and pliable.

    Zucchini Rolls Goat Cheese Filling

    For the filling, warmed up goat cheese blends more easily than cold. Remove any plastic wrap and allow the cheese to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. Then add it to a small bowl and stir in a little milk, olive oil, chopped chives and lemon zest until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

    To add more color and crunch, add thin strips of vegetables, sprouts and chives when you roll the rolls. I used raw carrot and bell pepper, plus some sprouts and herbs from my garden pots.

    Tip - Not a fan of goat cheese? Try softened cream cheese or whipped cream cheese, which is easier to spread.

    Zucchini Roll Ups with Goat Cheese|AFoodCentricLife.comHow to Assemble the Zucchini Appetizer Rolls

    After slicing the zucchini, salting and drying the slices, place about 2 teaspoons of the filling on the slices and spread over the length. Next, space out fine strips of raw carrot and raw red bell pepper, then fill in with a few strips of chives. I had a few basil leaves left in the garden, so I used them too. Smaller leaves worked better. If all you have is larger ones, cut them down to size.

    A Few Recipe Tips

    Choose medium zucchini, about 7-8 ounces in size. You can slice them ahead of time, just don't salt them until you are ready to complete the zucchini roll ups. If you slice them ahead, roll them in paper towels then wrap them tightly so they don't dry out. This also might reduce the drying time.

    The first slices won't be usable. Save them for chopping up and adding to a green salad.

    Zucchini Roll Ups with Goat Cheese

    Zucchini Appetizer Rolls with Goat Cheese

    Sally Cameron
    Creamy, crunchy and colorful, zucchini rolls with goat cheese are a great afternoon snack, pre-dinner appetizer or healthy game day nibble. The easiest way to slice is with a mandolin or other hand held slicer. To make the filling, set the goat cheese out on the counter to warm up about 20 minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 to 6
    Calories 77 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mandolin or handheld slicer

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 medium green zucchini about 7 ounces each
    • 2 carrots
    • ½ red bell pepper
    • 1 handful micro greens or soft sprouts optional
    • 1 5 ounce og goat cheese
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon milk
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black or white pepper pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
    • 1 lemon zested
    • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
    • 12 small thin chives to use in rolls
    • 12-24 basil leaves 1 package

    Instructions
     

    • Place the goat cheese, olive oil, milk, lemon zest, chives, salt, pepper and granulated garlic in a small bowl. Mix with a fork until soft and smooth.
    •  Trim ends off zucchini. With a mandolin or other hand held slicing tool, slice zucchini into â…›″thick  strips. You should get about 12 strips. Place zucchini on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt. Let the strips sit with the salt about 10-12 minutes, or just until they are soft and pliable. Wipe off the salt and pat the slices dry in more paper towels. Lay the slices flat, and spread end to end with about 2 teaspoons of the filling.
    • While the zucchini slices are resting, slice bell pepper and carrots into thin strips. Ready any sprouts and basil leaves. To assemble the rolls, spread about 2 teaspoon of the goat cheese blend across a slice, then space out the vegetables, sprouts and basil. See the photo in post for assistance. Roll from the smaller end first. Lay flat to serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 178mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5999IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Alexia Hall says

      May 18, 2018 at 12:58 pm

      Hi! Your recipe sounds absolutely amazing and your pics are incredibly inviting! Was wondering if I can use the recipe and the pictures as part of a class to teach a group of pediatric cancer survivors the benefits of whole foods?

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        May 21, 2018 at 5:20 pm

        Hi Alexia! What a wonderful thing you are doing! Of course you can. People with cancer have a special place in my heart, as I lost my late husband to cancer, and my dad as well. Food is medicine! Powerful medicine for battling cancer. You should talk about the power of juicing for them too. A great addition to a whole-foods, plant-focused diet to battle cancer. Please highlight my site name and tell them to subscribe (or their parents) for lots more healthy recipes. Good luck with your class!

        Reply
    2. arlette says

      August 19, 2016 at 6:54 am

      love this site any receipes for Fresh spring rolls veggie only and dipping sauces. thank u

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        August 21, 2016 at 5:16 pm

        Hi Arlette. Here is a link for my spring rolls. Hope you enjoy them. Please let me know! https://afoodcentriclife.com/rainbow-vegetable-spring-rolls/

        Reply
    3. Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says

      October 21, 2015 at 12:20 pm

      For some reason your email went into the spam folder. I do know why.

      Your roll ups look delicious.

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        October 22, 2015 at 3:39 pm

        Thanks Madonna. They really are nice bites of creamy veggie goodness. Good for the holidays.

        Reply
    4. Marilyn Stec says

      October 19, 2015 at 5:14 am

      I want to make zucchini rolls, but do not like goat cheese.
      What other cheese could be used?
      Thanks, Marilyn

      Reply
      • Sally Cameron says

        October 19, 2015 at 9:33 am

        Hi Marilyn. Try using whipped cream cheese and see how that works. Should be good!

        Reply

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