This crustless zucchini quiche is based upon a Greek egg recipe called sfougato. Made with zucchinis, tomatoes, and baby spinach, you can serve this protein & veggie-packed dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
In my never-ending quest to use up eggs and summer produce, today I bring you sfougato. This easy egg recipe is basically a crustless zucchini quiche that uses a generous amount of zucchini, summer tomatoes, and 5 eggs. That’s a slam dunk if you have a flock of chickens and a garden overflowing with zucchini.
Sfougato is a Greek dish and while I am not Greek I did have a chance to try authentic sfougato many moons ago when my husband and I vacationed in Greece. So, consider this an Americanized version of a delicious Greek quiche that relies on memory + my quest to find new egg recipes + too many zucchinis in the garden. You can serve it pretty much any time of day and customize the base recipe with your favorite cheeses or garden produce.
What’s the Difference Between a Frittata and a Crustless Quiche?
For me, the main difference is the cooking method. A frittata I would cook mostly on the stove and then finish in the oven vs. a quiche which is just baked in the oven after the veggies are quickly sauteed. Many quiche recipes have a crust and that does change the egg mixture somewhat because you can use cream/milk with the crust there to help the quiche hold its shape. Without the crust, I typically don’t use cream/milk. (It is worth noting that some people consider sfougato a Greek omelet or frittata. I’ve even seen it referred to as a soufflé.)
Tangentially, did you know what zucchinis are also called courgettes? I recently learned this and – garden nerd that I am – found it more interesting than I probably should have. Zucchinis originated in the Americas but were taken back to Italy following the European colonization. “Zucca” means “squash” in Italian and “ini” is the plural diminutive of the word. (In other words, zucchini means “little squashes.”) In France zucchini has yet another name, where it is called “courgette.”
What You’ll Need
The ingredients for this zucchini quiche are short and simple! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for specific amounts.
- Zucchini – You will need 4 of them total. Three will be grated and the last one will be sliced and used to decorate the top of your quiche. Choose medium sized zucchinis.
- Eggs – This recipe uses 5 eggs, so for chicken keepers it will make a modest dent in your stash of eggs on the counter.
- Onion – I used red onion but a yellow vidalia onion would also work.
- Spinach – Baby spinach is best because you don’t have to do any chopping. But you could also use mature spinach or even kale so long as you chopped up the leaves.
- Fresh Parsley – Feel free to use a different herb if you are not a fan of parsley. Some options might include cilantro, oregano, sage or thyme. You will need to adjust the amount of herbs used depending on how strong the flavor is.
- Shredded cheese – I used cheddar but you could use whatever your favorite cheese is. (I do not recommend fresh mozzarella though due to its high liquid content.)
- Olive oil – I do not recommend using a different kind of oil.
- Tomato – You’ll need one medium to large sized fresh tomato. Make sure it is not overripe so that the slices hold their shape.
- Kosher salt
- Ground pepper
How to Make Crustless Zucchini Quiche
There are not many steps to making this quiche, which is exactly how I like my egg recipes. Straightforward!
Prep your tools. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round pan.
Prepare and drain the zucchini. Trim zucchini ends and coarsely grate zucchini. Place the zucchini in a colander set over a large bowl. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over the grated zucchini. With your hands or a spoon, press the zucchini so that excess liquid runs out of the colander and into the bowl. Set aside.
Cook the onion and shredded zucchini. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add the grated zucchini, salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine quiche mixture. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and add the cooked onion/zucchini, baby spinach, parsley and grated cheese. Mix to combine, then add the remaining olive oil. Mix again to combine.
Top with zucchini and tomato slices, then bake. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Top with sliced zucchini and tomato and bake for 35-40 minutes, until it’s lightly golden brown on top.
Cool and serve. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
How to Tell When a Quiche is Done
In addition to the quiche being lightly golden on top, I also like to make a small cut in the center with a sharp knife. If I don’t see any raw egg inside, then the quiche is done.
Keep in mind that if you use a melty cheese like mozzarella you will need to distinguish between the cheese and any uncooked egg mixture. As mentioned above, I don’t recommend using fresh mozzarella because it has too much liquid.
Tips for Success
- Drain the zucchini. Don’t skip this step. It may seem uneccessary but it adds flavor from the salt and also makes sure your zucchini doesn’t add too much liquid to the quiche.
- Mix it up. I have used zucchini, tomatoes and spinach here but you could also use patty pan squash, summer squash, or chopped kale. Similarly, other cheeses that might do nicely include crumbled goat cheese, shredded Monterey jack cheese and shredded mozzarella.
How to Store Extras
Let the quiche cool to room temperature, then cover it with saran wrap or place it in an airtight container and store in the fridge. It will keep for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze this quiche. To do so, wrap the cooled quiche tightly in saran wrap, then in tin foil, or place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge when you are ready to eat it.
PrintSfougato (Crustless Zucchini Quiche)
This crustless zucchini quiche is based upon a Greek egg recipe called sfougato. Made with zucchinis, tomatoes, and baby spinach, you can serve this protein & veggie-packed dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Breakfast, Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American, Greek
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini (3 grated & 1 sliced)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round pan.
- Trim zucchini ends and coarsely grate zucchini. Place the zucchini in a colander set over a large bowl. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over the grated zucchini. With your hands or a spoon, press the zucchini so that excess liquid runs out of the colander and into the bowl. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes). Add the grated zucchini, salt, and pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and add the cooked zucchini, baby spinach, parsley and grated cheese. Mix to combine, then add the remaining olive oil. Mix again to combine well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Top with sliced zucchini and tomato and bake for 35-40 minutes, until it’s light golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Testing for doneness: In addition to the quiche being lightly golden on top, I also like to make a small cut in the center of the quiche with a sharp knife. If I don’t see any raw egg inside, then the quiche is done.
- Storage: This zucchini quiche can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrap in saran wrap or store in an air-tight container (freezer-safe container if freezing).
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