Zucchini Quiche Recipe
Too Many Zucchinis?
Do you need an idea on what to do with all those zucchinis from your garden? You can stuff, fry, roast, freeze, bake bread, fritters, grill, and my favorite, make quiche with zucchini.
If you don't grow this vegetable, chances are a neighbors garden could be overflowing, or the local farmer's market has zucchini and you find yourself with a counter full of this vegetable not knowing how to use them all.
Baking quiche is my favorite way to use zucchini from our garden. I received this recipe from a friend over 20 years ago and make several quiches all summer long. The recipe card is yellowed, dripped on, written on and every time I make the recipe, I think of my friend Nancy.
Zucchini quiche is an excellent vegetarian dish and can be served hot or at room temperature; for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; at a party, shower, or picnic; and is attractive in appearance.
A Variety of Ways to Use Zucchini
What is Your Favorite Way to Use Zucchini?
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini, thinly sliced or shredded
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt or cottage cheese, (sometimes I split these)
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, (or your choice of flavor)
- 1 Pillsbury Ready Made Crust
- 2 tsp ground mustard
- 8 pieces of thinly sliced tomato, (optional)
- Slice or shred 3-4 zucchini to make 4 cups
- Chop onion
- Place margarine and butter in medium sauce pan, melt
- Add zucchini and onions to pan, cook and stir for 10 minutes then add: salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, basil and oregano until everything blends together. Turn off heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In large bowl, combine eggs, yogurt or cottage cheese, and shredded cheese. Add zucchini mixture and blend.
- Prepare pie plate by sprinkling a tablespoon of floor on plate then laying prepared crust in the plate. Spread the ground mustard evenly on the bottom of the pie plate.
- Pour mixture into pie plate. Place in preheated oven. Cover crust edge with foil or round crust protector. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Use a knife to check for doneness.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
- If desired, place thinly sliced tomatoes on top of quiche for a more sophisticated effect.
Mixing Up the Recipe - Suggestions
For your cheese choice: the original recipe called for mozzarella cheese. I have used mozzarella, swiss, sharp cheddar, colby jack, and a combination of some of these. So far my favorite which I just tried, was fontina merely because it was all the cheese I had. It was my favorite tasting quiche to date!
For the herbs: I use fresh herbs in this recipe because we always have fresh herbs from our garden in the summer, and most times, year round. Do not limit yourself to the recipe, try whatever you have or like. You can use dry herbs, but the end result will always be better with fresh herbs. They permeate the entire dish and become the stars!
For your fruit choice: If I have a yellow squash available, I substitute one grated yellow squash instead of all zucchini as it lends a sweeter taste to the finished quiche.
Too many zucchini? I grate the recipe amount and freeze it. Remember to mark the bag with the amount and the delight I enjoy, when in the middle of winter, I have this frozen product available for a winter quiche.
For the crust: I take the easy way out using a store-bought item and will admit, a home made crust would be best. Remember, you just need one crust, there is no cover crust.
Ways To Use Zucchini in Kids Food
- Zucchini Bread - sneak in a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips in the recipe so you can declare "there's chocolate in this!" and you also get a slightly sweeter taste that most kids love.
- Spaghetti Sauce - grate some zucchini into the sauce, it blends in and cannot be detected when visibly looking at the sauce. I love doing this as it makes me feel like the sauce is even more healthy than it already is.
- Fried Zucchini - make your breading light to concoct this summertime favorite. Also, cut the zucchini into strips instead of round "dollar" shapes, and sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. They are more kid-friendly to pick up this way.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2013 Joanie Ruppel
