This Zucchini Scarpaccia is a classic Italian way to celebrate plentiful summer squash. Made with simple ingredients but full of the flavors of fresh zucchini, with little crispy edges you'll want to make this delicious recipe over and over.
This traditional Italian dish is best made in summer when zucchini season is in full flow. It's very easy to make, plus can be customized according to your tastes and produce available. (see my notes in the Substitution Section for ideas). Eat as a light lunch with a salad or serve as a snack.
I often grow way too many zucchini, so make it a mission to test and make vegan zucchini dishes each year. Why not try these Turkish Vegan Mücver- Zucchini Fritters or my favourite Zucchini Baba Ganoush Dip if you find your self with a garden glut!
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🥒Ingredients
The ingredients for this Italian Zucchini Tart are simple: Head to the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Zucchini/Courgette: Choose firm zucchini that aren't squishy in the middle.
- Red onion: I love to add finely sliced red onions in with the zucchini slices, it pairs beautifully with zucchini flavor.
- Plain Flour or All Purpose Flour: This helps to bind the tart together.
- Polenta (or fine cornmeal): This adds crunch and a subtle corn flavor. I also use it sprinkled on the bottom of the pan to help prevent the scarpaccia from sticking.
- Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This helps the scarpaccia crisp up, and prevents it sticking.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary is traditionally used in scarpaccia for a reason, it tastes so delicious paired with the tender zucchini tart.
- Sea Salt: a sprinkle of flakey salt enhances the flavors. You can also add a few twists of black pepper.
- Optional: Nutritional Yeast for a parmesan cheese flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
👩🍳Instructions
Use these step-by-step instructions to help visualize so you can make your own yummy vegan scarpaccia.
1. Thinly slice your zucchini into coin shapes. I like to use a mandolin or the slicer part of my square grater. Very finely slice onions too.
2. Sprinkle salt over the zucchini and onion slices, and drain them in a colander over a large bowl for at least 2 hours. Help them to drain by putting a plate over them and pressing with cans. 3. Save the liquid and use in the next step!
4. Mix the zuccchini water, cornmeal /polenta, flour and salt in the large mixing bowl until you make a thin batter. 5. Mix the zucchini and onion into the batter so it is thoroughly covered.
6. Ready a baking tray by spreading with a little olive oil and sprinkling over extra polenta to prevent the scarpaccia from sticking. 7. Add the zucchini mixture to the tray, pushing it down well with a spatula or covering it with baking parchement and pressing firmly.
8. Top the scarpaccia with a drizzle of olive oil, and scatter over rosemary and a little salt. Bake at 180c/ 356F for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Bake longer for a crispier result! Once cool, cut into large squares and serve at room temperature.
Hint: Really press down on the zucchini mixture on the tray, this helps the batter adhere to the zucchini slices and makes for a perfect crispy texture.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
Here are some yummy ways you can change up this savory scarpaccia recipe to make it yours!
- Gluten-Free - use chickpea flour in place of the regular white flour to make a simple batter for a gluten-free scarpaccia.
- Other Fresh Herbs - use fresh basil, oregano or parsley as well as or instead of the rosemary.
- Zucchini Flowers - if you're lucky enough to have fresh zucchini flowers, half them lengthwise and dip in the batter. Press into the top of the scarpaccia for a super pretty effect.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese- Traditional scarpaccia sometimes adds parmesan cheese, add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or some vegan parmesan to the batter.
- Other veggies- very finely slice potatoes, a red bell pepper or carrots for yummy mixed vegetable scarpaccia.
- A little spicy- add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the batter.
- Garlicky- choose to add some finely sliced fresh garlic, or sprinkle a generous dash of garlic powder over.
🔪Equipment
I like to use a mandolin or the slice part of a box grater to make my thin slices of zucchini, however you can also use a good sharp knife. You'll also need a baking sheet and an oven!
🫙Storage
The Scarpaccia is best served at room temperature. It keeps for up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container. I like to pop slices in the air fryer or under the grill to crisp them up if they have been in the fridge.
Top tip
The more excess water you can squeeze out of the zucchini, the better the final result will be!
❓FAQ
Traditional scarpaccia is made with a blend of plain flour and polenta or cornmeal. You can make it gluten free by using chickpea flour.
More Zucchini Recipes!
Looking for other vegan recipes like this zucchini scarpaccia? Try these:
Salads
Serve this scarpaccia up with a crispy salad:
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Scarpaccia: Easy Vegan Italian Tart
Equipment
- 1 mandolin or box grater
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 ⅕ lb) zucchini (you don't have to be too precise with the weight)
- 150 g (1 cups) red onion (1 onion)
- 125 g (1 cups) white flour
- 50 g (⅓ cups) cornmeal (or polenta- plus a little extra for sprinkling.)
- 50 ml (3 tablespoon) olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt (or to taste)
- 50 ml water (if needed)
Instructions
- Using a thin setting on a mandolin, or the slicer on the side of your box grater, finely slice the zucchini (you can use a knife but it takes ages) and the onion.
- Sprinkle some flakey sea salt over the zucchini and onion, mix and put into a colander that is balanced over a large bowl. Put something heavy on top of the veggies (I use a plate and some food tins) and leave for an hour or two to extract as much liquid as possible. Squeeze more liquid out in a clean tea towel.1 kg zucchini, 150 g red onion
- Make sure to keep the liquid that is squeezed out!
- Finely chop some rosemary and preheat the oven to 200℃/392℉
- Now, use the zucchini liquid to make the batter by mixing in all the flour and the cornmeal /polenta.125 g white flour, 50 g cornmeal
- Add a little extra water as needed to make a looseish simple batter.50 ml water
- Miz the zucchini and onion, plus half the rosemary in with the polenta & flour batter.2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- Sprinkle some polenta over a non-stick baking sheet and brush olive oil all over it. (This prevents it from catching, plus makes a crunchy coating on the bottom.50 ml olive oil
- Spread the zucchini and batter mixture over the sheet. Press down hard with a spatula or put a sheet of parchement paper over the top and press down on that.
- The scarpaccia should be even and quite thin, plus you want good contact with the batter and zucchini slices.
- Brush with more olive oil, and sprinkle over the rest of the rosemary and some flakey sea salt.50 ml olive oil, 1 teaspoon flakey sea salt
- Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until crispy on the top and edges.
- You can cook for longer if you want the scarpaccia to be extra crispy!
- Leave to cool for half an hour, then cut into squares and eat!
Notes
- Gluten-Free - use chickpea flour in place of the regular white flour to make a simple batter for a gluten-free scarpaccia.
- Other Fresh Herbs - use fresh basil, oregano or parsley as well as or instead of the rosemary.
- Zucchini Flowers - if you're lucky enough to have fresh zucchini flowers, half them lengthwise and dip in the batter. Press into the top of the scarpaccia for a super pretty effect.
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese- Traditional scarpaccia sometimes adds parmesan cheese, add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or some vegan parmesan to the batter.
- Other veggies- very finely slice potatoes, a red bell pepper or carrots for yummy mixed vegetable scarpaccia.
- A little spicy- add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the batter.
- Garlicky- choose to add some finely sliced fresh garlic, or sprinkle a generous dash of garlic powder over.
Janelle says
Oh man, I love baked zucchini, so this was a real delight to my tastebuds!