Zucchini Slice

I love baking classic local recipes for my kids’ lunchboxes or breakfasts.

This zucchini bake is one of their favorites. It’s a classic Australian recipe revisited with a French touch, swapping a few ingredients to enhance its flavors.

How To Make A Zucchini Slice

A zucchini slice is a very simple breakfast bake recipe that requires only a few ingredients.

Ingredients

• Freshly Grated Zucchini – trim the ends and keep the skin on for extra fiber and texture.
• Large Eggs – I always buy local free-range eggs.
• Milk of Choice – I used almond milk. Even if the classic Australian recipe uses olive oil, we prefer the texture with milk.
• Flour – The classic recipe uses all-purpose flour. You can use white whole wheat flour or almond flour as a low-carb alternative. Feel free to use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Baking Powder
• Salt and Pepper
• Red Onion or white onions finely chopped.
• Grated Cheese – I use a combination of grated cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese, but you can use any hard grated cheese you love.

Preparation

Before you start, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a large 20-cm x 30-cm baking dish (9-inch x 13-inch) with parchment paper.

Slightly oil the paper with olive oil and set the dish aside.

First, trim the end of the fresh zucchini and grate them using a box grater.

Squeeze gently to remove some of their juice. This prevents the egg bake from being watery.

You can also use a kitchen towel to squeeze them even more, but it’s not needed if you are using all-purpose flour, squeezing by hand is enough. Set the zucchini aside in a bowl.

Making The Egg Batter

Next, beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and garlic powder in a large mixing bowl.

Then, stir in flour and baking powder until smooth or just a few flour lumps show. Don’t worry about them. They will disappear while baking.

Egg Slice Filling

You don’t have to stir fry the onion or bacon before adding them to the batter.

The onions soften in the oven while baking. That’s the idea of the authentic Australian recipe version.

However, I found the recipe way tastier if you stir fry the bacon pieces in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Then, stir in the onion and cook in the bacon fat.

Cool down on a plate for a few minutes before adding the egg mixture in the next step.

Combining Ingredients

Now, stir the grated zucchinis, bacon pieces, and onion into the bowl with the egg mixture.

Transfer the eggs and vegetables to the prepared 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish.

Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes at 180°C (350°F).

The baking time varies depending on how well you squeezed out the water from the zucchini and on the size of the dish.

Bake until the top is golden brown and eggs are set in the center.

You can insert a toothpick or skewer in the center of the egg bake to check. If it comes out clean, it’s cooked through.

Cooling Down

Let the zucchini slice cool down for 10 minutes before cutting into squares, and serve lukewarm or cold.

The slices firm up in the fridge overnight, making them perfect for a kid’s lunchbox as they hold their shape perfectly well.

Serving

Zucchini slices are served hot or cold in New Zealand.

It’s a great lunchbox filler for school lunch, and kids enjoy them cold in summer.

Storage Instructions

Store the sliced leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze them for later and thaw them in the fridge the day before.