📌 Australian Zucchini Slice

Posted 30 April 2026 by: Admin #Recipes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Total Time

50 minutes

Servings

8 servings

Zucchini is often underestimated. We imagine a bland, vaguely dietary dish eaten out of obligation. The Australian zucchini slice is exactly the opposite of that — it’s the kind of recipe you’ll want to make again the very next day.

Final result — Zucchini slice cut into generous squares, ready to be shared — warm or cold, it’s great either way.

A thick square, cleanly cut. The top crust is a light caramel color, slightly crackled at the edges. Inside, the texture lies somewhere between a frittata and a savory muffin: firm but not dry, with zucchini strands melted into the batter and little pockets of cheddar that have coagulated into golden spots. It smells of grilled cheese and cooked eggs, with that sweet undertone of sautéed garlic still lingering in the kitchen.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Even better cold : Take a square out of the fridge the next morning — the texture is denser, the flavors sharper. It’s one of those rare dishes that truly benefits from resting overnight.

✓One bowl, one dish : Everything is mixed in one large bowl before going straight into the oven. No separate sauce, no complicated garnish. On weekends, that’s much appreciated.

✓It’s filling : Zucchini, eggs, flour, cheddar, turkey bacon — it’s a solid base. Not the kind of thing that leaves you hungry two hours later.

✓A base, not a constraint : The batter easily supports an extra cup of ingredients: chopped spinach, corn, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed peppers. It changes completely depending on what you have on hand.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Everything you need for zucchini slice: zucchini, eggs, cheddar, turkey bacon, onion, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Zucchini : Quantity: 400g, or about two medium zucchinis. The exact size doesn’t matter — a few grams more or less won’t change anything. What matters is squeezing the grated zucchini before folding it in. If you skip this step, the batter will swim in water in the center and won’t hold its shape when cut.
Self-raising flour : This is what distinguishes the zucchini slice from a classic frittata. Self-raising flour (or plain flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder) gives a slightly puffy texture, closer to a savory muffin. Without it, you have a frittata — not bad, but different.
Cheddar : No mozzarella here. Mozzarella strings and melts well, but it has almost no flavor, and in such a simple dish, the cheese has to do the work. A well-aged cheddar, or any sharp hard cheese, brings the salt and flavor that the rest of the recipe lacks.
Turkey bacon : Sauté it before adding it to the batter — it’s the difference between an aromatic slice and an ordinary one. While cooking, turkey bacon loses its moisture and develops a light caramelization. If you add it raw directly to the batter, you lose all of that.
Olive oil : A quarter of a cup, and no reducing it. This is what keeps the slice’s texture moist even when cold, even the next day. With less, you slide toward a frittata — eat it immediately or it becomes rubbery in the fridge.

Zucchini first

Grate the zucchini on a large-hole grater. It goes fast — two minutes per zucchini, and you’re left with a pile of light green filaments that smell vaguely of fresh greenery. Take handfuls and squeeze hard over the sink. The water comes out in streams. No need for a towel, no need to be obsessive — just squeeze until nothing more drips out. This step is the only truly non-negotiable part of the recipe. Skip it, and the center of your slice will remain wet and soft even after 40 minutes in the oven.

The critical moment

In a pan over medium heat, sauté the turkey bacon cut into small lardons — no oil needed, it doesn’t need it. In two minutes, the pieces start to sizzle, a roasted meat smell fills the kitchen, the kind that brings everyone to see what’s happening. Add the minced garlic and onion — grated on the box grater, not chopped, so it melts into the batter without leaving raw pieces to chew. One more minute over medium heat. Set aside and let cool slightly before mixing with the eggs. If added hot, the mixture would cook the eggs before they even get to the oven.

Starting the batter

Large bowl. Whisk the five eggs first, then the flour, olive oil, and grated cheddar. Add the squeezed zucchini and the cooled bacon-onion-garlic mixture. A turn of the pepper mill. Mix with a spatula — not vigorously, just until everything is homogeneous. The batter is thick, a bit heavy under the spatula. Pour into a 30×20 cm mold lined with crumpled parchment paper. The surface will be irregular. That’s normal.

And now, patience

Oven at 180°C fan, 35 minutes. Around the twentieth minute, the surface starts to set and the cheese takes on that light caramel hue on the edges — that’s the signal it’s progressing well. At 35 minutes, stick a knife in the center: it should come out clean, without liquid batter. Take the pan out and wait. Really wait. Ten minutes minimum before cutting. A hot slice crumbles under the blade and doesn’t hold well on the plate. Ten minutes later, the squares cut clean.

Tips & Tricks

Grate the onion instead of chopping it — raw onion pieces standing out in a slice are really unpleasant to chew. When grated, it completely disappears into the batter during cooking.
Don’t reduce the olive oil. The quarter cup in the recipe is precisely what keeps the slice moist even cold the next day — non-negotiable.
To reheat, 160°C for 8 minutes in the oven. This restores the crispness of the top without drying out the interior. The microwave makes it rubbery.

Close-up — Soft on the inside, golden on top: the perfect texture between a frittata and a savory muffin.

FAQs

How do I prevent the slice from being soggy in the middle?

You must squeeze the grated zucchini before incorporating it into the batter. Take handfuls and squeeze hard over the sink until the streams of water stop. If you skip this step, excess water prevents the batter from setting properly in the center, even after 40 minutes of baking.

Can I prepare the zucchini slice in advance?

Yes, and it’s actually recommended. Prepared the day before, the slice has time to set properly in the refrigerator, which makes cutting easier and concentrates the flavors. It can be eaten cold directly, or reheated for 8 minutes at 160°C to get the crisp top back.

Can I freeze zucchini slice?

Yes, individual portions freeze very well for up to 2 months in an airtight bag. Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat in the oven at 160°C — not in the microwave, which softens the texture and makes the edges rubbery.

What can I use instead of self-raising flour?

Use 120g of plain flour + 2 teaspoons of baking powder; it’s exactly the same. Self-raising flour is common in Australia and the UK but less easy to find in some places — this substitution works perfectly.

Can I make zucchini slice without meat?

Yes. Replace the turkey bacon with 150g of crumbled Greek feta — no need to sauté it. Feta brings the salt and savory flavor, with a different but equally interesting texture. You can also add sun-dried tomatoes to compensate.

Why does my slice fall apart when I cut it?

Two frequent reasons: the zucchini wasn’t squeezed enough, or the slice was cut while still hot. Always let it rest for at least 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven — a hot slice crumbles, while a cooled one cuts cleanly.