Zucchini & Feta Muffins with Dukkah
In the mornings, I often find myself thinking back to my school days. During recess, if I had forgotten my meal, I’d wander to the cafeteria and always order the same thing — warm baked bread with feta cheese, topped with nigella seeds. Those flavors became a core memory that has stayed with me.
As I grew older, that simple pairing turned into something I still love every morning. Most of my summer breakfasts are built around feta and nigella seeds, with a few seasonal vegetables, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of dukkah. Simple, satisfying, and full of comfort.
So I thought: why not bring all of that together in one dish? Something easy to enjoy for breakfast, to pack for school, or to carry into a busy day. That’s how these feta, zucchini, and dukkah muffins came to be — a little piece of nostalgia wrapped in something new.
Makes 6 large muffins or 8 medium
Ingredients
1 ½ cups (200 g) plain flour
½ cup (40 g) old-fashioned oats
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1–2 tsp flaky sea salt (depending on how salty your feta is)
A few grinds of black pepper
2 tbsp dukkah
1 tbsp nigella seeds (plus extra for sprinkling)
2 large eggs
1 cup (250 g) whole-milk yogurt
¼ cup (4 tbsp) olive or rapeseed oil
2 cups (200 g) zucchini , coarsely grated
1 cup (150 g) firm feta, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry if stored in brine
Method
Heat the oven to 200C (400F/gas mark 6). Line a muffin tin with 6 paper cases (or 8 if making medium muffins).
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, black pepper, dukkah, and half the nigella seeds.
In another bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: eggs, yogurt, and oil, until smooth.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined – don’t overmix.
Fold in the grated courgette, then add the feta cubes, being careful not to crush them.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cases, sprinkle with the remaining nigella seeds, and bake for about 18 minutes (15–16 minutes for medium muffins), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool for a few minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
