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When summer arrives those gifted green thumb gardeners have a problem with producing excessive amounts of zucchini and summer squash.
Once these beauties take off, they keep going and going. If you happen to live in a more rural area or at least in an area where people have gardens, you might have the same “problem” I have every summer. I am merely a vegetable-growing novice myself, and yet I too deal with tons of zucchini to deal with every summer.
When I have this bounty there is always a solution immediately pumping through my mind: Ferment them or make a pie! Yes, today what I am sharing with you is a pie dish, called an Amish pie.
For those who are seeking additional zucchini recipes, I recommend trying these as well:
A few months ago, my friend hosted a girl's lunch at her house, and she served this beautiful pie along with a quinoa salad.
It was a light, summertime zucchini pie dish. I enjoyed a couple pieces of that cheese goodness, before I asked for the recipe.
She gave it to me and stated that it's a family recipe from her husband's aunt who, I believe, still lives in the Amish community.
Healthy zucchini pie, casserole, or quiche, not sure how to call it!
It is for sure crustless, so you will not have to bother with making a crust. Super easy to make, quick, tender and delicious crustless zucchini pie. No need crust at all, it is so delicious just as it is.
What do I need to make it?
For this super easy recipe, first you will need a glass or ceramic 9x13 baking dish or a 12-inch pie dish. Remember, when using ceramic, the baking time will be a few minutes longer. This rule applies to all recipes.
Zucchini or summer squash, or combination of both.
Onion, regular onion, Vidalia sweet onion works well.
Mozzarella, the kind you can shred. For easier shredding, put cheese in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Gouda will work beautifully here as well.
Butter, my recommendation is for you to use quality. Grass fed is my number one choice. If you are able to find grass fed and cultured butter, consider yourself lucky.
Sour cream, the original recipe called for it, but if you know me, crème fraiche is what I have in my fridge. I have not purchased sour cream for years.
Herbs, some fresh or some dried. Use whichever you have on hand. Any kind of herbs you wish; I used fresh parsley, thyme and oregano.
Egg, one or two depending on the size.
Feel free to add any kind of cooked sausage or bacon.
What do I like about zucchini pie?
Cheesy goodness without any fillers like flour or grains, just fat, protein and a lot of fiber. A delicious and healthy pie to serve for brunch, lunch or a light dinner. Perfect for a summer meal any time of the day. Great to eat either warm or at room temperature. Perfect for taking on a picnic. It can suit many diets, since it's gluten free and keto friendly!
About zucchini
Just like any vegetable on this earth, God made it for you, and it's good for you, so eat it please! For heaven’s sake, I know that, and you know that!! We all know it!!
No one can ever say, “I can get and stay healthy and strong by eating smores, frozen pizzas, canned soups along with drinking 2 bottles of cola a day…. either regular or diet”.
Well, you might think that you can get thin-healthy by drinking diet soda, but you would be wrong. Sorry, I am not here today to preach to you about eating all your vegetables, or your fruit, or to eat anti-inflammatory oils, bone broth, or fermented foods, or coconut oil, real butter or soaked and sprouted nuts, grains and seeds.
But at least for this blog, maybe I can tell you at least one thing: EAT MORE ZUCCHINI!!!Maybe, just maybe, you might try something new and LOVE it!
A Few zucchini facts:
Did you know zucchini is a highly alkaline food and is one of the easiest vegetables to digest? Zucchini is a great source of vitamin A, C, & B-complex as well as minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, and manganese. It is high in fiber and very low in calories, which makes it a great weight loss food.
Zucchini can be eaten raw, steamed, roasted, grilled or sautéed. Raw zucchini can be spiralized into salads and used as spaghetti thus being a healthy substitute in pasta dishes.
According to DR. ANDREA PURCELL, zucchini can help with liver cleansing, digestive, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory, prostate health, and heart disease.
How to serve zucchini pie?
You can serve the dish immediately or at room temperature with any green salad and a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt or crème fraiche on the side.
For a fun food experiment try these salads:
You can take the zucchini to a picnic or pack it into your lunch box. Slice a few tomatoes and cucumbers and you will have another wonderful and light meal.
If you have leftovers, they can be reheated in the oven at about 250F for about 10 minutes or until hot.
Can I freeze zucchini pie?
Good news: Yes, you can freeze it! I like to freeze any savory pies or quiches by slicing them into single portions and then wrap each slice with foil.
Place into freezer zip lock bags for easy access. Label each bag with the name of the dish and the date it was frozen. You are good to go for one month in the freezer, or for a week in the fridge.
Let's do it...
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 portions
Author: Inna of innichkachef.com
Ingredients
6 cups shredded zucchini or summer squash
1 onion, shredded
4 Tablespoons butter, unsalted
4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 Tablespoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1 Tablespoon fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dry thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
Variation: add 1 lb. browned breakfast or Italian sausage
Directions
1. In a cast iron pan add butter and let it melt, and add some of the shredded zucchini, and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes stirring every once in a while.
Next, add some of the shredded onion. Cook together for another minute or so. Sauté in batches and repeat until all of the zucchini and onion are cooked.
2. Preheat the oven to 375F.
3. Transfer cooked veggies into a bowl and let them cool.
4. Add the spices to the bowl of veggies and give a good mix. Now add the eggs, cheese and sour cream/crème fraiche. Mix all together.
5. Pour into a buttered baking pie dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges of the pie are nice and brown.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
I hope you'll make this recipe soon. If you do, please tag me #innichka_chef on Instagram, Facebook, Patreon or Pinterest.