Italian Zucchini Scarpaccia
Super simple and crunchy Italian snack or side dish that will wow your taste buds.
The beauty and flavor of this dish comes from the fresh veggies. The onions carmelize with the zucchini coins when sauteed and you get an addictive little dish.
This dish would be perfect accompaniment to any soup; a comforting, cozy and delicious meal. Also amazing on its own, sliced into smaller pieces as an appetizer at your next get together. And lastly side dish your family will fight over.
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Italian Zucchini Scarpaccia
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large deep skillet, heat your 1 tbs olive oil. Add in the zucchini and onion and saute until browned – about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13" METAL baking dish with parchment paper and spray with olive oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, corn meal, garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Add in the water and 1 tbs olive oil and stir until a batter forms. Throw in your zucchini onions and mix to combine. Transfer to your baking sheet and spread out to a THIN LAYER. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and alittle extra corn meal, spray with a little olive oil and bake for 45-50 minutes (or until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes prior to slicing.
Notes
Sub the grated parmesan for nutritional yeast to make this vegan and dairy free.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
Just made this today and it was excellent and so easy to make. Thank you for a great recipe
Hi Kathy! Glad you liked the dish – and I agree.. too easy not to make!
Can u just use all flour if you do not have any cornmeal?
Hi Cheryl, it kind of changes the consistency of the dish. I haven’t tried it without so I can’t say for certain. Do you have semolina flour? That would be a great sub
Hi, Can I use cornstarch instead of cornmeal?
Not the same here.. no i would not!
Delish I’ve used panko bread crumbs instead of corn meal as its what I had available. it gave it a nice additional texture and crunch 😊
Hi Diane, thank you so much for sharing your feedback with us! Its definitely useful to everyone looking for alternatives.
Thank you for sharing your substitution. I was wondering with what I could use other than cornmeal.
Should I use white or yellow cornmeal?
I used yellow corn meal
This looks so good. Do you think I could use corn muffin mix instead of the corn meal?
Thanks
Hi Kate, I’m not sure since I haven’t tried. If the texture of the muffin mix is gritty and a little larger than flour, then it will work… let me know what happens though!!
Stella..I just got some cornmeal when I went grocery shopping..
I just made it. In the oven.. can not wait to try it.
Thanks again for sharing this!
I am thinking the muffin mix has leaven so it would change it more like bread??
What is sweet onions ?
Its a type of onion. You can use any onion you have tho!
Can I use gluten free flour?
Hi Isa, I haven’t tried it but it should work!
I use rice flour. So perfect
Is it SR flour or plain flour?
Hi Janice, this is made with regular all purpose flour…not self rising
This was very good, but my “crust” was quite soggy. Is it supposed to be soft or crispy? It did crisp up a bit after I reheated a slice on the rack of the microwave.
Oops, I meant toaster oven!
Can this be made ahead and then served at room temp?
I made this today..It turned out lovely. It wasn’t crispy though. 🙁 Maybe should have spread it out more into a larger pan to a thinner consistency. or maybe could have left it oven longer.. Will try that next time. It was delicious though.
Mine isn’r crispy either, don’t know why because I followed the directions exactly. Delicious nonetheless!
I’ve done it twice now and while yummy I don’t manage crispy either. no idea what I should do differently.
Trying this today as a side to roast beef. Can I make it ahead? Thank you, in advance!
I love this. 2nd time I’ve made this today. So delish!! However I’m finding the base is still soft? Im not sure why this is happening? I take it out of oven after 50 mins.. Scared to cook it for longer
in case i burn it but maybe I should?
HI Nadia! Glad you like this recipe! Are you baking it directly on the pan or using parchment? Parchment will probably give it a softer texture. Also, if the recipe calls for olive oil spray, make sure you’re using it. Thank you for trying the dish out!
Can you use almond flour?
Hi Patti, I haven’t tried it with almond flour so I cannot say for certain…
super tasty… my husband went crazy the 1st time I made it
today I am adding some fêta cheese, we’ll see
Hi Nora, glad you liked it! I’m sure it was even better with the feta.
This looks fantastic! Very excited to try it. How long do you think it would keep (and would it be better in the fridge vs. room temp)? Trying to figure out how many meals I can stretch it! 🙂
Hi Maggie, I would store in fridge! You’re gonna love this!
I’m not sure what cornmeal is in Australia. Is it polenta or is it cornflour? In Australia, we use cornflower as a thickener. Is that the function of the cornmeal in this recipe or should I be using Italian polenta? I have a bag of Sostanza polenta in my pantry
Hi Ros, its kind of the same but not exactly. Cornmeal is definitely not corn starch/flour. Its more of a coarse flour. If you click on the ingredient link it will show you a picture of the exact item i used.
Thanks Stella. Your link to the photo was the first thing I looked at. I have not seen that product in Australia. Then I googled “what’s the difference between cornmeal and cornflour” and “ What do we call cornmeal in Australia” but didn’t find a satisfactory answer. A lot of websites said polenta is not the same, however my polenta says on the front of the packet “Polenta: corn meal Italian Style”. The ingredients list is “corn”. unfortunately, I can’t upload a photo.
In the US, dried corn is ground & sold in 3 different textures: polenta is coarse, cornmeal is medium, and cornflour is fine. If you can’t get cornmeal but can get polenta, put it in a food processor and pulse until it’s more finely ground to approximate our cornmeal. (I do this with our white sugar to get more easily dissolvable icing sugar.) Hope this helps!
https://australianorganicproducts.com.au/products/bob-s-red-mill-cornmeal-gluten-free-680g.
Im from New Zealand ,we use a brand called healtheries . I hope this helps. If NZ has it, Aussieis sure to have it. Good luck
Saw your recipe on TikTok and I made this today. I didn’t have any parmesan but wanted that cheese flavor, so I topped half with feta, and the other half with cottage cheese clumps and sprinkled some grated Edam just to have some of the crunches and it turned out great! Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Hello, so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing you adjustments and feedback with us too!
Delicious. Planning to bake that for Xmas. Thank you!
Liked it! Add thyme, for a herbal taste
I made it today, need more seasoning .
Has anyone used almond flour instead of regular flour? I’d love to try this… looks so yummy!
This was delicious and so easy to make. I think I’ll add some roma tomatoes on top next time for some acidity. So happy I found this recipe!! Thank you!
Looks so yummy. Would love suggestions to make this gluten free and get the same crispy, crunchiness!
My friend made it with GF one-for-one flour, and it was great. I couldn’t tell it from the regular flour version.
HI Sandy, glad it was enjoyed!!
You really need to make the layer super thin when you bake the batter. Maybe I didn’t extract enough liquid from the veggies, despite salting and letting them sit a long time before squishing out water and sautéing. After baking, the dish came out gummy in the center, which means the batter was not spread thin enough. Tasted good but definitely a texture problem. Maybe I can put it in the air fryer to crisp it up.
I make this great recipe regularity and substitute chick pea flour to make it gluten free and diabetic friendly. Chick pea flour is used in faranata and socha which are similar.
Works great.
Simple crunchy and full of flavour – I did a serve 2 in the air fryer which worked a treat
Haven’t eaten this yet but it looks grand. All your other recipes I’ve tried were very tasty. Thanks for sharing
Hi. Just made this. Tasty. Crispy on top and bottom but soft and gooey on inside. Not firm like yours when sliced. What did I do wrong? Thank you. Love your recipes.
Made this afternoon and has for dinner, so delicious and so easy!
I made this yesterday and it was very bland tasting with very little flavor. It just felt like it needed another ingredient
I made this with cornbread mix as I didn’t have cornmeal. It came out a tiny bit thicker and a little sweet but so delicious! We topped it with sour cream…, so good!!! Will definitely make again.
Hi,
How can I make this Gluten free?
GLuten free flour should work here – one to one!
Hi Stella. Love your delicious recipes. I wonder if I can use fine polenta instead of corn meal ? Thank you 😊
HI Marianne, thank you so much for trying them out! I dont think that would work here. I wuould sub in Panko breadcrumbs instead
Want to try this. How many servings is this?
Hi Jane, its for 6 servings the way my nutritional info is set up – but you can cut into any size pieces you like.
Excelente opción para comer nutritivo.
Gracias por compartir
Can I use a glass pan ?
HI Nancy, yes you can!
I’ve used glass pans for similar recipes and they don’t come out as crunchie. Metal is best for this type of dish. The metal transfers heat better than glass.
Great food ideas and love your videos! Keep doing what your doing and sharing much needed refresh for the table!
Hi Katina, thanks so much for the words of encouragement! I will most definitely keep going! Have a beautiful day!
Love this. Used whole wheat flour and stone ground whole grain corn meal. Also red onion. EZ and if you reduce portion size to serve 8, it’s around 3pts a serving.
Hi Annmarie, I love your adjustments – thank you for sharing with us!
Is it possible to make it the nite before, fridge and bake it the next morning?
HI Barbara, that should work just fine!
Love this and so easy to make!
Hi Maureen, Thank you for trying it out!! Cheers!
Hmmm~wondering what dimensions are when spread. It was not easy to spread and at 30 minutes it is looking done but I am letting it go for another 10 to be “crispy”. Is it to be like a cracker?
Hi Michele, not so much like a cracker but crispy on the outside. Keep in mind, every oven is different.
I made this tonight for dinner with a big salad . I have been doing vegetarian for a few months and this was wonderful . I did use yellow cornmeal mix because I already had it . I though it was amazing .
Hi Kathy, Glad you tried it and liked it! Thank you for the kind rating too!
Delicious! Even good leftover for lunch!
Hi JoAnne, glad it was enjoyed!
I thought the photo looked so awesome couldn’t wait to dig in, but then, like the other two comments, mine was all mushy inside. I followed the directions to a tee!! I had to throw it out.
HI Ann, I’m so sorry it didnt work out for you! Maybe wasn’t thin enough/spread out enough and needed a bigger pan. Again i’m so sorry!
This is the second time I am making it. The first was yummy, but a bit mushy on the bottom. Today I cut the zucchini, salted them and let the moisture escape, dabbing with paper towels. Zucchini typically has a lot of moisture, so this should help. I’m also considering add some cooked low-fat sausage crumbles next time for added protein and flavor. Soooooo many ideas and options for such a good recipe .
Hi Linda, I’m glad it worked for you in the end and I thank you for sharing your feedback with us!
this is a great recipe. i added jalapeños & black olives. can’t wait to make again.
Hi Tiffany, I love those add ins! Thanks so much for sharing!
Very good!
HI Brennie, glad you liked it and thanks for the rating!!
What flour alternative can you I use?
Hi! I have a bunch of eggplant from my garden. How subbing eggplant for the zucchini do for this recipe?
yes go for it!
Took longer to bake than expected – 60 minutes and it was still mushy. Broiled for a few minutes to improve the crispness. Will try again because the flavor is great. Maybe will drain the veg before adding to batter? Worth tweaking.
Simple, easy food. Everybody loved it in my family. Once a week for sure they ask me to manage this with salad.
Very good result. Really cook the zucchini and onions until they’re dark brown; this gets rid of the water that might prevent browning. Corn meal added excellent flavor and texture.
We were invited to a happy hour with friends and I happily stumbled across this recipe as an appetizer to bring along. To say it was a huge success would be an understatement. Everyone wanted the recipe. The only changes I made was adding a leek (because I had one that needed to be used) and fresh garlic (because I love garlic) to the sauté and a splash of lemon juice. It was absolutely delicious. I’ll be making this again Thursday for our summer mahjong roundup.
I don’t have a metal baking dish that size, only glass.
how will that differ?
We are a dairy free and gluten free family but I was still determine to try this recipe with our accommodations. We also live at a higher elevation (4,000 something). The Scarpaccia turned out very flavorful, but it ended up being too moist and not crispy like I had expected. Next time I will try the nutritional yeast (instead of animal free cheese) and consider how things are made at a higher elevation. Thanks so much for the yummy recipe, we enjoyed it with our chilly!
looking forward to trying this. just wonder if pinhead oatmeal could be used instead of the cornmeal? Thank you
Delicious & crispy!
I made this & it was easy & delicious! I fried the onions separately from the zucchini. Next time I’ll do small batches of the zucchini to have better control over the browning. I made 1.5x the recipe & used a commercial sized pan. After 40mins in True Convection I flipped it & baked it another 15mins to dry out the bottom. I can tell it will need to be toasted from the refrigerator but that’s ok. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Excellent just the way it’s written! This recipe is a keeper! Perfect for appetizer at next gathering. I liked it for dinner with a side salad.Next time I may add some crumbled cooked chorizo. Thank you for a super deluxe recipe.
Corinne
How thick should you slice the zucchini, I would imagine that would affect the crunchy or mushy factor. I’m planning on using a mandolin to get thinner slices, is that too thin? I can’t wait to try it!
This tastes pretty good but it’s definitely not crispy except around the edges. I might mess around with a leavener to see if that helps.
Can you freeze this? I loved it but would want to make ahead and freeze
This was so delicious! Great way to use all the extra zucchini from the garden. Bless your hands Stella! Another hit recipe in our house!
Good flavour, wet crumb.
I used Garden Zucchini, 1 1/2. Do you know the gram weight of the Zucchini that you use? I may have used too much which made too much moisture in the dough, though I cooked the Zucchini/Onions until dry, to cook off additional moisture.
I have a question about cooking the zucchini. Is it supposed to be cooked to the point where it is soft and then browned? It seems that would be the case but that takes longer than 7 mimutes.
Curious about shredding/grating the onion and zucchini instead of slicing. Has anyone tried that?
Could a muffin tray work with less time? Or a foil pan with parchment paper? Thanks!
Second time making it. Didn’t change a thing except salted and drained the zucchini before cooking. Double batch this time…hubby wants to use it for his packed lunch sandwiches. Good AND healthy!!
That’s awesome! Glad you both enjoyed the Dish!!
Made this today and it is very tasty. Pretty simple to make and flavorful. Thanks for posting this!
I tried to make this twice, and there was no crispy crust, even though I followed all the instructions. I was able to slice it, but it remain soft even after cooling for a half hour. What did I do wrong?
i have some fresh summer corn in the fridge, do you think that would be a good add-in?
Hi Donna, yes, fully drained could work!
Delicious!
Hi Barbra, so glad you liked this dish!
Hi there, I really enjoy the recipes you share and made many of them, thank you.
This one, however, fell short. I made it twice , back to back, and didn’t get the outcome I had hoped – did not look the same , smelled good, tasted okay.I read and re-read the recipe!
Sorry, had to share ! Wasn’t loving my life last night 😉💜hope you have a great week.
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn, I’m so sorry you didnt like this recipe and it didnt work for you!
can this be made gluten free? If so, how?
what could I use instead of ordinary flour please? Needs to be gluten free. Thank you.
this was delish! I could have eaten the entire pan!
Hi Vivian, i agree – i could eat this whole thing too!
i thought it might be missing an egg? different!
hope you enjoyed!
Hi. I just made this to your exact recipe. Not crunchy at all. Very soft and floppy. Baked an extra 10 min. Still quite soggy. Maybe the zucchini’s were too big?
Hi Mary, i’m so sorry it didnt work out! But I hope you didnt throw it out… slice into pieces and toast in the mini oven if you can!
Hello Stella, here in Greece we do not have cornmeal, can I use cornflour?
Hello Maria mou! I would do corn flour or breadcrumbs as a substitute here! Enjoy!
Made this today, followed all directions. The finished recipe was dry and needing more salt. If I try this again I will put pizza topping on it. Maybe that would help.
HI Frank and i’m so sorry the recipe didnt work out for you!
179kcals for 100gr? Or for 1piece and how much gr the calories? thanks a lot…I made it wirth carrots and light cheese 17%…Greetings from Greece – Sofia
Hi Sofia! Thanks for the message <3
The recipe and nutritional info is for 6 pieces and states the info for one of the 6 pieces. Hope this helps!
Amazing! i can’t wait to make it again (as it got eaten very fast by everyone in house)
New favourite
Hi Cole, so glad you enjoyed the dish!
After 1 hr/20min it definitely wasn’t crispy…very doughy. Not a hit with my family
Hi Karen, I’m so sorry the recipe didnt work for you!
I love this recipe. I’ve made it many times. The only thing that I do differently, I roast the onions and zucchini in the oven on a sheet pan. I find it’s easier and gives more room for the veggies to roast.
Hi Ida, glad you liked the recipe! And thanks for sharing your feedback with us!