Baked Zucchini Slice

This zucchini slice makes the best lunch box meal or make ahead breakfast! Super tasty and so easy to make, it’s delicious hot or cold.

two pieces of zucchini slice on a plate with a garnish of parsley leaves
My husband and I both have early starts to the day on weekdays and this has been great as both a quick breakfast in the car, or something simple to pack as lunch for work. It’s super easy to whip up on a Sunday night for most of the week, with fairly minimal clean up, and stores really well in the fridge or freezer.

Tips for Making Zucchini Slice
ingredients – eggs, zucchini, bacon, flour, baking powder, onion, oil, cheese, salt and pepper
Grating the Zucchini: Don’t be daunted by the idea of having to get the grater out for this recipe. Grating zucchini is quick and easy because of how soft they are. You can use a food processor to grate them but I find a hand grater is actually easier in this case (and it requires much less washing up)!

Simply slice a little off the bottom end off the zucchini so you have a flat surface and use the top of the zucchini as a handle. Then just grate up and down on the largest grater holes, being careful with your fingers, until you reach close to the stalk.

Once grated, take a handful of the zucchini in clean hands and squeeze it s over a bowl or sink, trying to remove as much excess liquid from the zucchini as possible. Place the squeezed zucchini into a large mixing bowl, ready for the rest of your ingredients, and repeat for the rest of it.

Ham or bacon both work for this recipe, or omit these completely for a vegetarian option which still tastes great. If you do the latter, you may need to increase the seasoning by a 1/2-1 tsp of salt. You may also wish to add a 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and/or other fresh or dried herbs- such as oregano, parsley or chives- which may help to replace some of the flavour that the cured meats provided.

It does take an extra step, but sautéing the onions and the ham/bacon first makes for a tastier slice. The slice will still taste alright without doing so but I think it adds more depth to the flavour and is worth taking the few extra minutes to do.
step by step process photos
How to Serve
One of the best things about this slice is that it can be eaten hot or cold. I prefer it warmed a little in the microwave, but it tastes perfectly fine if you aren’t able to do so. Below are a few suggestions on how to serve it:

It tastes great just heated on its own or with a side salad for a quick and easy lunch.
Have it cold in a lunch box (perfect for work or school lunches) or for a quick breakfast on the go.
Cut the zucchini slice into smaller, bite sized pieces for sharing as finger food at parties.

How to Store and Reheat
This zucchini slice is best stored in the fridge and can be kept for up to 4 days refrigerated. It can also be frozen and reheated easily.

Freezing: Once cool, freeze individual slices for up to 3 months wrapped in cling-wrap or baking paper and stored in an airtight container.
Defrosting: If serving cold, defrost frozen portions of slice in the fridge overnight before serving.
Reheating: To reheat, warm individual slices in the microwave for one minute or, if warming an entire tray, cover baking tray with foil and place back in the oven at 160 C / 325 F for 10-15 minutes.
slices on top of a white plate

Zucchini Slice

This baked zucchini slice is so easy and simple to make and can be enjoyed either hot or cold, making it great as a healthy make-ahead breakfast or lunch!

Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion (approx. 160g), finely chopped
200g ham/bacon (approx. 7 slices of bacon), diced
550g zucchini (approx. 2 large)
4 large eggs
1 cup (85g) grated tasty cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (100g) flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté diced onions and ham/bacon until softened and slightly browned, approximately 5-10 minutes. Remove pan from the stove and allow to cool while continuing with the next steps.
Preheat your oven to 180C / 350F (160 C Fan) and line a large rectangular baking tray with baking paper (we use a tray that measures 31.5 cm x 21.5 cm).
Use a hand grater or food processor to grate the zucchini. Over the sink or a large bowl, take a handful of grated zucchini and squeeze between your hands to remove the excess liquid. Place squeezed zucchini into a large mixing bowl and repeat with remaining zucchini.
Add remaining ingredients, including cooled onion and ham/bacon mixture into the same mixing bowl as the squeezed zucchini and combine well.
Pour batter into the prepared baking tray and place into the oven for 45 minutes, or until slice is golden on top.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes prior to serving.

Notes
1. FLOUR SUBSTITUTION: Plain flour and baking powder can be substituted for a 3/4 cup of self-raising flour.