This is one of those easy to put together appetizers/sides that will become a go-to in your repertoire…

It’s naturally vegan, except for the cheese topping which can easily be replaced with a scattering of nutritional yeast. It’s a wonderful side for a dinner of soup or stew, a warm late afternoon snack after a winter walk, or to be shared with a glass of wine while the fire crackles. While those all sound like cozy times, it is after all a zucchini recipe and is a fabulous addition to a summer dinner on the patio!

Vegan / GF Options follow.  

Garlic Aioli to serve, recipes follow. 

Recipe (Print Version)

Ingredients:

Vegetables:

• 600-800 gr zucchini: trim ends and slice into ¼” half rounds.
• 1 large yellow onion: cut in half lengthwise and crosswise into ¼” slices  
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Salt & pepper to taste
• A drizzle of olive oil

Batter:

• 1 c flour
• 1/3 c cornmeal
• ½ t paprika
• ½ t oregano
• ½ t salt
• ½ t dried chilies
• 1 c water
• 1 T olive oil

Topping:

• A good-sized handful of Grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or Romano.

Vegan / GF Options follow.  

Garlic Aioli to serve, recipes follow. 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 °

Roast Vegetables:

• Line a large baking sheet with parchment and drizzle with a bit of oil.

• Mix the zucchini, onion and garlic together on the baking sheet.
• Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil, tossing lightly with your fingers to distribute. 
• Roast until the vegetables are slightly caramelized, approximately 40 minutes. This can be done directly before assembly, or the day before and held in the fridge until an hour before baking, bringing it to room temperature.

• Reduce oven temp to 350° (or preheat if vegetables already prepared).

Batter:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and seasonings.
• Add in the 1 c water and 1 T oil. 
• Mix until smooth. 

Assemble:

• Add in vegetables and mix until uniform.
• Spread evenly over the whole pan.  It won’t be thick.  
• Sprinkle with cheese. 
• Bake for 45 min.  
• Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes.  
• Cut into 8 – 12 pieces and serve.    

Serve with garlic aioli for dipping. 

Options:

Red Pepper: Using the lower weight of zucchini, add in 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips to the mix of zucchini and onion. 

GF: Use Cup for Cup GF Flour to replace wheat flour for GF. This recipe works beautifully with GF flour. 

Vegan: Replace cheese with a healthy scattering of nutritional yeast.

Garlic Aioli Recipe:

To my basic mayonnaise recipe, add in 2 T grated or pressed garlic, 1 T minced parsley, increase lemon juice to 2 T and use extra virgin olive oil (in place of canola). 

Vegan: Add 2 T grated or pressed garlic and 1 T minced parsley to my vegan mayo recipe.  Replace the canola oil in the recipe with extra virgin olive oil and increase the lemon juice to 2 T.   

How To:

Line a large baking sheet with parchment and drizzle with a bit of oil.

Mix the zucchini, onion and garlic together on the baking sheet.

Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil, tossing lightly with your fingers to distribute. 

Roast until the vegetables are slightly caramelized, approximately 40 minutes.

This can be done directly before assembly, or the day before and held in the fridge until an hour before baking, bringing it to room temperature.

Reduce oven temp to 350° (or preheat if vegetables already prepared).

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and seasonings.

Add in the 1 c water and 1 T oil. 

Mix until smooth. 

Add in vegetables and mix until uniform.

Spread evenly over the whole pan.  It won’t be thick.  

Sprinkle with cheese. 

Bake for 45 min.  

Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes.  

Cut into 8 – 12 pieces and serve.    

Serve with garlic aioli for dipping. 

Options:

Red Pepper: Using the lower weight of zucchini, add in 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips to the mix of zucchini and onion. 

GF: Use Cup for Cup GF Flour to replace wheat flour for GF. This recipe works beautifully with GF flour. 

Vegan: Replace cheese with a healthy scattering of nutritional yeast.

Garlic Aioli Recipe:

To my basic mayonnaise recipe, add in 2 T grated or pressed garlic, 1 T minced parsley, increase lemon juice to 2 T and use extra virgin olive oil (in place of canola). 

Vegan: Add 2 T grated or pressed garlic and 1 T minced parsley to my vegan mayo recipe.  Replace the canola oil in the recipe with extra virgin olive oil and increase the lemon juice to 2 T.