Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Zucchini cheese muffin slab Recipe
It is a savoury zucchini cheese muffin in slab kind which is a helpful big-batch zucchini slice recipe to serve a lot of folks with out fussing with muffin tins (I do know you hate cleansing them too!). Economical. Hidden veg. 5 day shelf life. CHEESE. I problem you to consider a cause to not make these instantly! 🙂
Honestly although, after 3 batches of muffins I misplaced the desire to wash yet one more muffin tin (paper liners simply appear misplaced with savoury muffins?) and flipped over to what I christened a zucchini slab-muffin. A lot simpler to make one large slab then reduce it into items than utilizing muffin tin after muffin tin!!
Although the preliminary variations have been simply tremendous, over the previous few weeks I’ve been tweaking the recipe to make it even higher (thanks group RTM to your brutally trustworthy suggestions!) to make the crumb softer and fluffier, and prolong the shelf life to five complete days. I’m so pleased with the top outcome, and I hope you find it irresistible too!
Zucchini is the important thing ingredient on this muffin slab. It’s not nearly sneaking in further veggies or the beautiful little inexperienced bits inside. It’s additionally retains this muffin-slab contemporary for as much as 5 days, because of the moisture within the zucchini!
Zucchini
I take advantage of 3 zucchinis on this recipe. Two are grated and stirred into the batter, after sweating out extra water utilizing slightly salt. Zucchinis are over 90% water! The third is used to brighten the highest.
I haven’t tried different greens on this recipe as a result of my intestine tells me the crumb can be slightly drier than perfect. Even after squeezing out the surplus water within the zucchini, there may be nonetheless loads of water in it which will get leeched out into the batter because it bakes. Actually, you’ll discover that the batter is a bit thicker than typical muffin batters – that’s to permit for residual zucchini moisture!
Dry elements
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Plain flour (all-purpose flour) – Not self elevating flour which already has baking powder in-built. Typically talking, muffins and muffins don’t rise as properly and the crumb isn’t as smooth. Higher so as to add your personal rising agent, like baking powder.
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Baking powder and baking soda (bi-carb) – This recipe particularly makes use of each as a result of it makes the softest crumb with an excellent rise (quite than an enormous dome). I do know it’s irritating to have to make use of each, nevertheless it actually does give the perfect outcome. I attempted all types of mixtures! Nonetheless, should you’ve solely acquired baking powder, you possibly can substitute the baking soda with an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, although the crumb can be a contact much less tender (it’ll rise nearly as effectively although).
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Plain white vinegar – Acidity that provides the baking soda a kick begin on the rising! You’ll be able to’t style it in any respect, it’s simply to activate the baking soda. Both vinegar or one thing else with acidity in it (like yogurt or bitter cream) is pretty commonplace in most of my baking recipes that use baking soda. I take advantage of common white vinegar however any clear(ish) vinegar will work simply as effectively. Don’t use balsamic vinegar!!! 🙂
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Cheese – Use your favorite melting cheese like cheddar, tasty, colby (that is my on a regular basis cheese), Monterey jack (this was, however tough to search out in Australia today), gruyere (in case your pockets stretches to this) and so on. PS Pre-shredded is okay for this recipe!
Mozzarella isn’t really useful as a result of it doesn’t have a lot flavour. If I have been to make use of mozzarella, I’d in all probability use 150g / 5 oz mozzarella plus 75g / 2 1/2 oz parmesan.
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Milk – Full fats cow milk is greatest, although low fats works too.
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Giant eggs, at room temperature – 55-60g/2oz eggs from a carton labelled “giant eggs”. Make sure that they’re at room temperature not fridge chilly. Extra on eggs for baking right here (together with a fast solution to de-chill them).
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Oil and butter – Oil retains muffins and muffins moist whereas butter provides flavour. Muffins that dry out the subsequent day actually hassle me, so I used to be adamant that I wished to make use of a bit. Nonetheless, I missed the flavour of butter when simply utilizing oil. So I landed on a mixture of each! Use any impartial flavoured oil.
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Garlic – I really like the trace of garlic flavour on this muffin-slab! Use contemporary garlic cloves (not dried), crushed utilizing a garlic crusher or finely grated utilizing a microplane. If utilizing a knife, finely mince it then use the facet of the knife to smear it right into a paste.
I do know it’s tempting to skip the zucchini sweating. I attempted. And regretted it. The batter simply acquired too soggy and didn’t cook dinner by way of!
When you actually brief on time, you possibly can cut back it to 10 minutes sweating time however use a tea towel to wring out the surplus water (you’ll get extra out than utilizing palms).
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Sweat 20 minutes – Sprinkle the grated zucchini with salt and toss. Put aside for 20 minutes to attract water out.
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Squeeze out extra water utilizing your palms. Simply seize handfuls and squeeze. There’s no must take away each single final drop (to try this, I’d ask you to make use of a tea towel) as a result of the batter is intentionally designed slightly thicker than typical as we are going to depend on residual water within the zucchini so as to add moisture because it bakes. However please make a little bit of effort throughout this squeezing step!
How a lot you want – We’d like 2 very tightly packed cups of squeezed out zucchini. Just a little extra of much less is okay, the recipe is fairly versatile. However you probably have, say, 3 cups, that may crush the batter slightly an excessive amount of.
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Ornamental topping – Slice the third zucchini thinly nonetheless you’d like (I do lengthwise then halve, cash can also be good). Then toss with slightly oil and pepper (not salt, it makes it sweat, we are going to salt later).
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Whisk dry – For the batter, it’s delightfully easy as most muffins as. Whisk the dry elements in a big bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt).
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Whisk moist – Then whisk all of the moist elements in a separate bowl. Essential to have all elements at room temperature else it received’t mix easily. For instance, a jug of chilly milk added into melted butter will make the butter solidify!
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Mix – Then pour the moist elements into the dry elements. Combine till the flour is principally included, however not totally. Cease mixing when you possibly can nonetheless see some bits of flour.
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Add-ins – Then add the cheese and zucchini and blend them by way of. Cease mixing as soon as the zucchini and cheese is dispersed. Over-mixing will make the crumb much less smooth than it ought to be!
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Unfold right into a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13″ paper lined pan (I grease with butter).
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High with the zucchini slices.
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Bake for 40 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clear. Let it cool for a bit, then it’s able to eat!
That is a type of meals that has a spot from morning to nighttime, whether or not it’s a breakfast on the run, a filler to your lunch field, after faculty snack or taking into the workplace to share with co-workers. I additionally notably like that it’s “seize and go” with out the necessity to fuss with plates for serving. Only a serviette, should you’re feeling civilised!
It’s going to keep contemporary for as much as 5 days in an hermetic container within the fridge, although if it’s not too heat the place you’re then you possibly can even simply go away it within the pantry. The crumb stays moist because of the moisture within the zucchini in addition to the oil within the recipe. And even on the tail finish of its shelf life, a fast little toast within the oven is all it’ll take to rejuvenate.
Like to know what you suppose should you do that! Specifically, I’d like to know what folks use it for. Feeding hungry youngsters? Morning tea within the workplace? Ebook membership?? Inform me, I wish to know! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis (300g / 10 oz, ~17cm/7″ long) (Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 2 cups (tightly packed) shredded cheese at room temperature , like cheddar, tasty, colby, I use pre-shredded (Note 2)
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch black pepper
- 2 pinches sea salt flakes (optional, for sprinkling at end)
- 2 3/4 cups flour , plain/all purpose
- 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate of soda (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves , crushed using a garlic crusher or finely grated using a microplane
- 1 cup milk , preferably full fat, at room temp (I microwave 20 sec)
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter , melted, cooled
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
- 2 large eggs (55g/2 oz each), at room temperature
- 1 tsp white vinegar (Note 4)
Instructions
- Sweat zucchini – Grate 2 of the zucchinis using a box grater. Toss with the salt then set aside for 20 minutes. Grab handfuls and squeeze out excess liquid (no need to be super forceful here but make a bit of effort!). You should have 2 very tightly packed cups. Set aside.
- Decorative zucchini – Finely slice the 3rd zucchini however you want, to decorate the surface. I cut the zucchini in half then into long strips. Thin coins is also nice. Toss with the oil and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" metal pan with butter. Line with paper with overhang (so you can lift it out later).
- Batter – Whisk the Dry ingredients in a large bowl using a handheld whisk. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the Wet ingredients in a separate bowl until combined. Pour the Wet into the Dry ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until the flour is mostly incorporated but there's still flour visible.
- Add-ins – Add zucchini and cheese then mix through. Some flour lumps is fine. Minimise mixing else the crumb will be tough. The batter will be thick – the zucchini will sweat more in the oven.
- Bake – Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Top with the zucchini slices. Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool – Sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the excess paper to slide the slab onto a cooling rack then remove the paper. Cool for at least another 10 minutes.
- Cut into pieces (3 x 5 pieces, or 4 x 5). Nobody ever says no to a smear of butter either, especially if served warm!
Notes
1. Other veg – I haven’t tried this with carrot and other vegetables because my gut tells me it will be a little too dry. Because even though we sweat the excess water out of the zucchini (don’t skip this step), even more comes out as it bakes. Zucchinis are 90%+ water!!!
2. Cheese – I know it sounds weird to ask for room temperature cheese! But this batter is quite thick and if the cheese is fridge cold, it will really bring down the temp of the batter so it won’t rise as well. PS I use pre-shredded. No need to grate your own for this recipe.
Mozzarella – Doesn’t have enough flavour for this recipe, so if you use this, add 1/2 cup shredded parmesan.
3. Baking soda – This really is best using both baking powder and baking soda (I tried all sorts of combinations to try to use just one instead of both). But it really is better using both – baking soda makes the crumb a little softer. However, still VERY good using only baking powder, use an extra 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and no baking soda.
4. Vinegar – Gives the baking soda a kick start to make the muffin rise. Similar effect that yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream has in cakes etc. You can’t taste the vinegar. Plain white vinegar is best but any neutral clear vinegar will work.
5. Storage – stays fresh for 3 to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container, but serve at room temp or better yet, warm. Can be stored 2 days in the pantry as long as it’s not too hot in your house. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition per serving assuming 15 servings.
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