Zucchini tart

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know I am a huge (though not always willing) fan of zucchini. We grow it by the ton here during Australian summer and, since it is now a zucchini season in the northern hemisphere, I thought it was perfect timing to post this zucchini tart recipe.
And whether you call it zucchini or courgette, I think you will agree this summer tart is everything – full of veggies, light but filling and finished with a gorgeously golden cheesy crust. It’s perfect for those summer weekend brunches or evenings by the pool, as it can be eaten warm or cold.

Zucchini or courgette?
A quick detour from the recipe first – just because I was intrigued by the difference in terminology here!
It turns out that the term zucchini is Italian in origin and is a diminutive of the word “zucca” meaning “pumpkin” or “squash”. According to Wikipedia, that is the preferred term used in the United States, Australia, English-speaking Canada, Sweden and Germany.
The word courgette, on the other hand, is French in origin and is the diminutive of the word “courge” (meaning “gourd, marrow”). This term is commonly used in France, Belgium, and other Francophone areas, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa.
Another term for this fruit (read more on this below), is “marrow” which is used in Britain and Ireland and “baby marrow” which is used in South Africa.
All terms, however, refer to Cucurbita pepo – a summer squash of Mesoamerican origin which can grow up to nearly 1 metre (40 inches) in length but is usually harvested when still immature at about 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches).
While some might think that zucchini is a vegetable (I guess because it’s not sweet), botanically it is actually a fruit, a type of botanical berry called a “pepo”, which is actually the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower. (Now doesn’t that sound super tasty!)

Making this zucchini tart
Making this zucchini tart is nearly as easy as the making of my bacon and egg pie with a couple of additional steps, both of which relate to the preparation of the zucchini and the rest of the filling. The zucchini needs to be sliced thinly on a mandoline and then cooked in a pan until soft (see the photo above). The remainder of the filling, including spring onion (shallots) and bacon are also cooked for a little while before used in the tart.
I don’t bother peeling the zucchini, as I think the darker green skin gives a nice contrast to the ligher flesh when it peeks out through the golden cheesy crust in the finished tart. However, if you’re worried about bitterness, feel free to peel your zucchini. (I don’t find any bitterness with the skin on though.)
I like to slice the zucchini lengthways because you get these beautiful long wide green ribbons, especially if you’re starting with a big zucchini (that’s how we like to grow them here – see this post). If you think you’ll have too much, don’t worry – the zucchini will cook down quite substantially. That said, if you don’t have a mandoline or you can’t face slicing zucchinis lengthways, then slicing thin rounds will be perfectly fine too.
At the same time as you are preparing the zucchini, heat your oven, blind bake your dough and chop your other veggies (and bacon, if using).
What you see below is a shot of the pre-baked pastry with the first zucchini layer, spring onions and bacon, waiting to be loaded with more zucchini, eggs, coconut cream and cheese. It already looks good, doesn’t it?

Creamy and lighter zucchini tart
One thing I have tried in this recipe is substitute the usual heavy (or double) cream which most recipes use for coconut cream.
Heavy cream consists of 36–40% fat and contains dairy so it’s not suitable for everyone. If you use a vegan cheese variety as well as coconut cream, this tart can be dairy-free. (Complete disclosure though, I’ve not tested the tart with vegan cheese so if you do, let me know how you get on.)
I don’t find that the coconut cream changes the taste of the tart, though I find it to be lighter.
This tart also has only one layer of puff pastry, which can be high in calories and fat. Using only one (rather than two – one for the top) reduces the calories load and makes the tart a little lighter.
Finally, zucchini is super nutritious – I have written more on that in a previous post.
That said, the fillings are versatile. I love zucchini in this but if you don’t eat bacon or don’t like spring onion, feel free to use other veggies. I love adding mushrooms to this tart sometimes, delicious!

Recipe
Zucchini tart
Ingredients
- about 750-800 g zucchini, sliced thinly on a mandoline lengthways or into rounds (up to you)
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted according to instructions
- olive oil
- salt
- 6 spring onions (shallots) (white parts only), sliced thinly
- 2 rashers of bacon, diced
- 3 eggs
- 125 ml coconut cream
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (tasty, mozzarella and parmesan), or vegan cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C and spray a round pie baking dish with coconut oil.
- Defrost your puff pastry according to instructions (I leave mine out on a kitchen bench for about 10 minutes).
- While the pastry sheet is defrosting, slice your zucchini thinly on a mandoline, until you have a lovely pile of wide zucchini ribbons. You don't need to peel the zucchini. Now is a good time to also chop your spring onions (shallots) and bacon.
- Once the pastry sheet is defrosted, place it in the baking dish. Gently smooth out the pastry against the bottom of the baking dish and push the pastry against the sides of the dish. Cut off excess pastry carefully with a knife and poke holes in the pastry with a fork – all over the bottom and the sides, to allow the hot air to escape.
- Place a sheet of baking paper on top of the pastry layer in the dish and put the stoneware pastry weights or rice on top of the baking paper. (You're trying to weigh the pastry down so it bakes flat and doesn't puff up unevenly so spread those weights nice and even all over the surface of the baking sheet/pastry layer – right to the edges too.)
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. (This process is called "blind baking" and it will give you a crispier base pastry layer.)
- In the meantime, in a large frying pan, heat up a glug of olive oil and a couple of pinches of salt and cook the zucchini ribbons for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and cooked down.
- Take the zucchini out of the frying pan and place it into a bowl or on a plate, leaving it aside to cool down. Using the same frying pan, put in the chopped spring onion (shallots) and bacon and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat, until the spring onion has softened and the bacon is a little crispy. Set aside to cool (separately from the zucchini).
- Once the 10 minutes for blind baking is up, you can take the baking dish out of the oven, take off the baking paper with the pastry weights and set aside, leaving them to cool. (Be careful, they will be hot so handle with care!) If I have time, I sometimes pop the tart shell back in the oven, without the weights, for additional 5 to 10 minutes, which nicely dries out the bottom of the tart shell and ensures the bottom of the tart is not wet and soggy when filled.
- Once the pastry is blind baked (with or without the additional 5-10 minutes above), you can start layering your fillings. I usually use half of the cooked zucchini ribbons for the first layer, then the bacon and spring onions for the middle layer and then pop on the remaining half of the zucchini as the top layer.
- In a small bowl, mix the eggs, coconut cream, a pinch of salt and the grated cheese. Pour the mixture gently over the top of the tart, making sure the mixture covers the tart evenly but does not drip down the sides if possible.
- Place the tart carefully back into the oven for about 40 minutes and bake until nice and golden.
- Let the tart cool for 10 minutes or so before slicing (it will be easier to slice the tart if it's not hot) and enjoy with a salad or a veggie side (or by itself).
Notes

Recipe notes
This recipe gives approximately 6 to 8 servings. The tart can be eaten hot or cold and is also lovely for the kids’ lunchboxes.
This recipe was inspired by the recipe for “Zukes and bacon” from Kate Berry’s cookbook “Family, food and feelings”.

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72 Comments
Denise Browning
Oh my goodness! This zucchini tarts looks beyond delicious. I am saving this recipe to make for my family in the Spring.
Katerina
Thanks so much Denise, much appreciated!
Molly Pisula
Love this idea–pinning for when I’m sick of all my zucchini recipes at the end of the summer! 🙂
Katerina
Haha.. yes, I’m the same! Glad I can help!
Christie Hawkes
Okay, this looks fabulous! I’ve pinned, so I can try it later and impress all my friends–if I don’t eat it first! I found your blog through a comment you left on Fit Bottomed Girls. Enjoy your day!
~Christie
Katerina
Hello Christie, thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you like the recipe!
Federica
This tart looks so delicious! I love your style Katerina, thanks for sharing such beautiful ideas 🙂
Katerina
Thank you so much, Federica, I’m so glad you like it!
Hali
I absolutely love adding zucchini to baked goods! What a delicious savory summer recipe.
Katerina
Zucchini is so versatile, isn’t it? Thanks so much, Hali!
Tiziana Olbrich
Oh pure deliciousness!!!! <3
have a great day,
Tiziana
http://www.tizianaolbrich.de
Katerina
Thank you Tiziana!
Shea
Ooh this looks so good! I’ve never been a huge zucchini fan, but I do think when they’re paired with really flavorful ingredients they can be really good–and this looks like the perfect example of that.
Katerina
I totally agree – by itself, zucchini is quite plain. Thanks so much, Shea!
Auggie
Another fruit that I thought was a vegetable.. Anyhow zucchini is very tasty and I don’t find the skins bitter either 🙂
Katerina
They can be sneaky light that, can’t they!? Thanks so much, Auggie, so glad you like this!
Rach
For sure want to make this! Love Zucchini tarts!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
Katerina
Thanks Rach! Hope you love it!
Neil
Your zucchini tart looks absolutely delicious Katerina! In my opinion courgettes (as we call them here in the UK) are underutilised. Glad to see you make full use of them too. I can’t get enough of them myself either!
Katerina
Thanks so much, Neil! I didn’t use to eat much zucchini but they’ve really grown on me lately!
sherry
this looks absolutely heavenly katerina. so scrumptious. i love zucchini! so this tart would be a winner. it’s funny isn’t it how we call one thing and the english call it another? i am bemused by the sound of coconut milk in this tart. it sounds odd but if you say it doesn’t give it a weird taste ….
Katerina
Thanks Sherry! It’s really lovely actually – I hope you enjoy it too.
Rosemary
This is sooo perfect because I am growing zucchini this year! I already see 10 baby zucchinis on my plants so I will need all the zucchini recipes that I can get! I want to try this out and see what kind of flavor that coconut cream adds
Katerina
That’s super exciting! Keep an eye on them, Rosemary, they grow super big overnight (at least mine do)! I’ll keep adding more zucchini recipes. Enjoy homegrown veggies – they’re the best! Thanks very much.
Sophie Wentworth
This looks delicious! I found the courgette/ zucchini section so interesting! I always wonder why some things have different names in some countries so snippets like that are fascinating to me x
Sophie
Katerina
I love finding out that sort of stuff too, Sophie! Thanks so much!
Priya
This tart looks so mouthwatering. another delicious way to have zucchinis.
Katerina
Exactly! Thanks so much, Priya!
Gemma
Oh this tart does look really delicious. I know I sound crazy, but I have never liked zucchini, I don’t even know why, but still your tart looks lovely xo
Makeup Muddle
Katerina
Thanks so much, Gemma! Talk understandable, we all have something we don’t like!
Jenny in Neverland
This looks absolutely DELICIOUS! Thank you for sharing this – definitely one to bookmark!
Katerina
Thanks so much, Jenny, much appreciated!
Anika
This looks delicious! And a great way to use zucchini too, it’s not a vegetable I use often enough.
Anika | chaptersofmay.com
Katerina
Thanks very much, Anika!
Suzanne Marcie Bidou
This tart is such a lovely way to showcase zucchini! I love savory tarts, so I would really enjoy this!
Katerina
Thank you so much, Marcie!
Annie
Yum! I used to not eat zucchinis as a kid but now I eat them all the time! It’s just one of those vegetables I’ve grown to love! This tart sounds super yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Katerina
I totally know what you mean – for me that’s brussels sprouts! Thanks so much, Annie!
Matt Two Tickets To
Love this! Courgette (was really interesting hearing the origins of the words!) is a favourite in lots of our meals, but we’ve never made it into a tart before. I was sold as soon as I saw the bacon!! Looking forward to giving this one a go 🙂 Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Katerina
Thanks so much, Matt – much appreciated! We love the bacon too!
Aimsy
Oh My Goodness! This just sounds amazing. I love courgettes (British here) especially if they are cooked right, and this just sounds like a delicious way to cook them. Some of my favourite ways are shallow fired or as fitters with a bit of mint…super tasty!
Thanks for sharing, it is another recipe I am going to have to give a go!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
Katerina
Ohhhh, your favourite way of cooking zucchini should delicious – I’ll need to give it a go sometimes! Thanks so much Aimsy!
Kathrine Eldridge
This looks incredible! My hubby loves zucchini so I need to make this soon. Thank for sharing this recipe.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Katerina
Thanks very much, Kathrine! Enjoy your vacation!
Shannon
YUM!! This gorgeous Zucchini Tart is perfect for summer here in SoCal! I love absolutely everything about this delicious dish! And that is fascinating about the origins of the difference terms for zucchini, I have always wondered!
Katerina
So have I! Perfect excuse to do a little bit of research! Thank you so much, Shannon, much appreciated.
Laura Bambrick
I’ll be pinning this for later! We love zucchini and I’d love to make this for a light dinner this summer! It looks delicious!
Katerina
Thank you so much, Laura! I hope your family enjoys this!
Christie
That zucchini tart looks so fantastic! I saw it on your IG and just loved the ingredients you used for it. A great way to enjoy the extra fiber in zucchini in a savoury and yummy way! Thanks for sharing!
Katerina
Thanks so much, Christie, much appreciated!
jodie filogomo
Ahhhhh…the ribbons of zucchini. Talk about making it look so much nicer!! I’m going to have to get the mandolin out!!
OXOX
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Katerina
Thanks so much, Jodie – I love those ribbons too, they’re so pretty!
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
This looks delicious! I didn’t know zucchini was called courgette elsewhere! I have some growing in my garden right now, I’ll need to pin this!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Katerina
Ohhhh, great timing then! Thanks so much, Carrie!
Allie Mackin
This sounds amazing!! I am a big fan of zucchini and even had it last night. We say zucchini here in the states as there were more Italian immigrants then French.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Katerina
Thanks so much, Allie! We love zucchini too – I hope you get to try this!
Simone
I’ve learnt something about Zucchini now, so cool. I didn’t really know about the meaning. A tart is perfect for the hot summer days, very lightweight and delicious. Your tart looks so good and very yummy!
xx Simone
Little Glittery Box
Katerina
Thank you so much, Simone! Happy weekend!
Lauren
I have so many zucchini right now! Perfect timing! this looks delightful!
Katerina
I’m so glad, Lauren! Thank you so much!
Healthy World Cuisine
Perfectly cooked and bronzed. Love the fact that you used coconut cream in your recipe as dairy and us are not the best of friends. Great idea for anytime breakfast, brunch or dinner. Shared on all of our favorite boards.
Katerina
Ohhh, thank you so much, much appreciated!!
Kate
Holy YUM! Love that you incorporated coconut cream <3
Katerina
Thanks so much Kate!
David @ Spiced
I had no idea there were so many terms for zucchini! I was familiar with courgette, but marrow. No matter that you call it, I do love it! We often just grill zucchini, but this tart looks insanely delicious. Well done, my friend! Bacon and cheese make everything better, and this recipe is proof of that one. 🙂 We’re just coming into zucchini season here in upstate New York, and you better believe this tart is on the list of things to make – it would make a great lunch!!
Katerina
I completely agree, David, zucchini is delicious any way you have it! Thanks so much and I hope you enjoy this tart!
Alex
This is just beautiful – perfect for entertaining! What lovely flavours 🙂
Katerina
Thanks so much, Alex! Totally agree.
Nalaemton Selvaraj
Looks awesome and delicious 🎉
https://nalaemtonselvaraj.com/
Katerina
Thank you so much!
Amy Aed
This looks absolutely delicious! I had never had a zucchini tart until my flatmate made one a couple weeks ago, and now I’ve seen this I’m craving one. I will definitely check this recipe back out when I decide to make one!
Katerina
Thanks so much, Amy! We love this tart and hope you do too!