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My Gran makes a really mean zucchini slice, so this one’s inspired by her. Gran’s original recipe is based on flour, milk and eggs. My version – a vegan zucchini slice – is based on chickpea flour (a.k.a besan flour) and coconut cream…
And it’s just as satisfying as the original!
It also uses tapioca flour (or starch) as a binding agent and baking powder as a raising agent. Tapioca starch or flour (depending which country you’re from, but it’s the same thing) is definitely a staple ingredient for a plant-based kitchen. It has amazing binding properties that can make for a great egg replacement when combined with raising agents.
A little turmeric gives it a nice yellow colour + nutritional boost (add some black pepper to increase your ability to absorb the curcumin in the turmeric!).
Kala Namak is an ingredient you may not have heard of – also known as Black Himalayan Salt. It’s totally optional, but the strong sulphurous flavour will give it more of an “egg-like” taste and just add more of a depth of flavour in general.
This dense and savoury slice is served chilled, making it an awesome summer snack for entertaining. You can cut it up into smaller cubes for a cute finger food dish for a party.
You can certainly eat it fresh out of the oven when it’s warm, but it tends to set nicer when it’s cooled. You can also reheat it if you prefer to eat it warm. It actually pan fries really well and turns a nice golden colour – this works if you want to serve it in bite-sized cubes.
It’s also a super easy recipe to whip up and have on hand as a kid-friendly, protein-rich snack that’s perfect for school (or work!) lunchboxes. Nothing like a healthy snack with some hidden veggies for the kiddos!
Another thing I recently discovered is that it goes well cut into smaller pieces and air fried! It only needs 5 minutes or so to get a little brown and warm on the inside. This is a great way to reheat it for the kiddies too.
It’s really dense and protein-rich so don’t be surprised if it’s way more filling than it looks. I also love a slice or two with some salad for an easy lunch or even a light dinner.
Don’t be afraid to double the recipe – just use a larger baking pan so it’s not too thick. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I seriously doubt it will last that long!
I reckon this vegan zucchini slice might just become one of your faves. It’s one of those recipes you can easily memorise and whip up weekly to have a healthy grab-and-go savoury snack.
Enjoy it! x
A healthy, high-protein, savoury snack
- 3 cups grated zucchini (excess moisture squeezed out)
- 1 cup chickpea (besan) flour
- 1 cup canned coconut cream or milk
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour (or starch)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1-2 tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley and thyme)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- pinch kala namak (optional) *see note
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Preheat the oven to 175ºC (350ºF) fan-forced and line a 20x20cm baking pan with a large square of baking paper to cover all sides of the dish.
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Whisk all the dry ingredients (chickpea flour, baking powder, salt, pepper & spices) together in a large bowl until well combined.
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Add the coconut cream (or milk) and whisk again till a smooth batter forms.
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Add the grated zucchini (with excess moisture squeezed out) and fresh herbs and mix well with a wooden spoon.
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Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until just lightly golden and cracked on top.
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Allow to cool and then slice and serve as you wish! Stores in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
*Available from Asian grocers or online, Kala Namak (a.k.a Black Himalayan Salt) has a distinct dark reddish/brown colour and a strong sulphurous flavour. A small pinch can give dishes more of an "eggy" taste.
17 Comments
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Absolutely delicious, we are most of it straight out of the tin.
That often happens in my house too Belinda 😂
The flavour of this is excellent, really delicious. However I baked it for almost double the stated time and it was still a bit gooey. I followed the recipe exactly otherwise.
It is not meant to rise like a cake, it’s a little more dense than an egg-based zucchini slice would be. It shouldn’t have been gooey though! Your oven temperature may not have been correct. Hope it turns out better next time!
I made this today and added grated carrot as well and it was lovely
Thanks for the recipe idea 😊
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it Vanessa 🙂 xx
Absolutely delicious recipe! I made this for a family gathering and everyone fell in love with it! I will be making this again for sure and keeping this gem of a recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks so much Tanya! 🤗💜
So yum!!! Wondering if you think the slice would freeze okay?
Hey thanks! Hmm, I’m not too sure about freezing it, I’ve not tried it myself. Although I think it would probably work!
Fantastic recipe- thank you!
I used 1 c soy milk + 2 tbsp olive oil instead of the coconut cream and it worked great!
This will be an excellent savoury snack to take to work 🙂
What a smart substitution! 😉 So glad you loved it Bella 🤗🌱
Delicious recipe my partner, one year old and three year old loved it! I added one grated carrot, half a capsicum and some corn and I used dried herbs instead. Thanks for the recipe will definitely make it again!
Awesome, thanks for sharing your feedback! 🙂 My 3 year old loves it too, and we actually just discovered it works really well cut into fries, lightly brushed with a good oil and air-fried for a few mins! Zucchini slice fries 🙌🌱
I tried this today to take with me to a family’s place tomorrow as my daughter is Vegan and I have IBS, it smelt so delicious when it came out of the oven. I added some grated carrot and 2 tablespoons of the green part of some spring onions. I had to try a little square and oh my gosh it is sooo good. Thank you so much this recipe is a keeper
So happy you love it! 🙂
Made it this morning. Had some for lunch. Had to make a double batch this afternoon! So good.
I too added carrot. I used 2 cups zucchini to 1 cup carrot. I was expecting it to be a little crumbly, but it is lovely and firm. Delicious.
Thanks.