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Cheesy Zucchini and Corn Pie. This is the savory pie of summer. Zucchini, sweet summer corn, fresh garden herbs, and three cheeses all baked together in a buttery sesame cracker crust. Simple summertime dinner perfection. Plus kind of fun for meatless Monday!
We are smack in the middle of summer and the produce is finally starting to pile into our local farmers market and road side farm stand. As you can probably guess, I am very excited about the abundance of stone fruits, berries, sweet corn, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, etc. etc.
It’s still a little early around here for tomatoes, so this week’s focus is majorly on zucchini and corn, two summer staples that if I’m being honest, I never know what to do with!
Yes, yes, it’s true, I too can have a hard time knowing what to do with summer produce, especially zucchini and corn. All I ever think to do with corn is grill it up with plenty of butter. And for zucchini? My go-to is roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. Simple, simple, and sometimes kind of boring, right?
Thankfully after some brainstorming (read a lot of head scratching, looking through photos, and texting friends and family for inspiration) I have a list full of new ideas that I am exited to share with you all over the next couple of months.
SO, don’t even think about getting sick of the summer produce. OK? Great. Cool.
PS. tell me what your favorite summer produce is. I really want to hear from you guys about what types of recipes you’d like to be seeing! I love creating content that you actually want to see and read about, so let me know!
PSS. and this is so random, but something that has been on my mind. Do you guys enjoy when I talk about what’s going on in my life within a recipe post? Or is it better to just talk about the recipe and save the life stuff for Sunday’s Favorite’s Post?
Last summer I was the queen of throwing corn into dishes, where corn really doesn’t usually belong. For example, I paired it with lobster, threw it on a pizza, and even on toast, kind of different, kind of delicious.
This pie however, might just be the most different of them all. Or maybe not, it really just depends how you look at. In thinking about it, there are lots of savory pies out in the world, and really this is similar to a quiche, but a little less eggy and potentially heavier on the cheese. Either way you look at it, know that this savory pie is really, really good.
Also? Let’s be real, who doesn’t love having pie for dinner?!
It’s fun. It’s good. You need it!
Here are some details.
The crust is pretty simple, and actually uses the same base as last Friday’s custard tart, Ritz crackers. You don’t have to use Ritz, you can really use your favorite savory, buttery cracker, but I just happened to have Ritz on hand. Just be sure to use a cracker that isn’t too overpowering in flavor, something simple.
I smashed the crackers into fine crumbs, added toasted sesame seeds, melted butter, and then pre-baked it into a tart pan to ensure the crust would get a nice, deep, and golden color before adding the filling. I love this crust, it’s buttery, easy to make, and really flavorful thanks to the sesame seeds.
While the crust is pre-baking, work on the filling. It’s a simple mix of caramelized onions, fresh herbs, zucchini and corn. I like to cook the vegetables first, before adding them to the tart. This helps to help draw out any excess moisture and nicely caramelize them before covering the dish in cheese. This step is key because zucchini has a lot of excess water and it needs to be cooked out before baking. If you were to leave it raw, you’d have a watery pie, and trust me, no one wants a watery pie.
As I mentioned, this is very similar to a quiche, but just less eggy, I used a few eggs and mixed them with three of my favorite cheeses, Brie, fontina, and parmesan. Toss the egg/cheese mix with the vegetables, bake, and you’ll have a savory summer pie that is SO GOOD.
I will admit that this is a bit more time intensive than most of the recipes I’ve been sharing lately, but the degree of deliciousness this pie provides is totally worth it.
Plus, I don’t know about you guys, but some nights I really just love spending a little time in the kitchen, even when I am super busy. Cooking, especially when I am not cooking for any other reason than to just eat it (meaning I am not testing or photographing the recipe), is such a major stress reliever for me. I find it so relaxing.
Anyone else feel the same way? I know my mom feels this way too, but about baking!
The bonus about this recipe is that it really triples as a brunch, lunch, and dinner recipe. And, the leftovers are great the next day, warm or cold.
Try serving this with a simple arugula salad on top. I’m talking fresh arugula, fresh basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. The peppered arugula will compliment the sweet flavors from the corn. Very into it.
Trust me, once you make this it’s going to become your new go-to for the summer. It’s so good.
If you make this cheesy zucchini and corn pie, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this farmers market pie, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This was delicious! Corn isn’t in season so we used a can of roasted corn and it turned out fine. Can’t wait to make it again!
The crust turned out to be pretty crumbly and didn’t stay together. I followed the directions, but any tips on how to hold the crust together better? Thanks!
Hi Nicole,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad you enjoyed! For the crust I would recommend adding more butter next time to hold it together. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I cant wait to try this recipe and I’m making it now. Quick question, will a knife come out clean when inserted in the center after 35-40 mins?
Thanks!
Hi Lynn! Yes, a knife should come out fairly clean. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
So delicious! This meal has become part of our regular dinner rotation. The arugula salad on top is a game changer!
Thank you Nakita! xTieghan
I made this yesterday and my family loved it! It was so delicious and easy to make. I definitely recommend this yummy dish….and it is so much better than and eggy quiche. Thanks again Tieghan!!
Thank you Joanna! xTieghan
Can I make this ahead?
HI! Yes, this can be made and baked 1 day ahead of time. Rewarm in the oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I just made this and it was absolutely divine! Even my husband who doesn’t really like eggy, quiche type dishes took a bite and said can I have a big piece? The herbs really liven up the decadence of this dish and the veggies are so juicy and satisfying. And well, what can go wrong with brie, cheddar and parmesan? YUMMY and a keeper!
I love that! I am so glad you both enjoyed this Jennifer! Thank you!
I made this on Saturday and it was delicious! Everything worked perfectly. I’ll definitely be adding this to my summer repertoire!
I am so glad you loved this Elizabeth! Thank you so much!
Can you freeze this or make this ahead?
Yes you can freeze after baking and then warm in the oven before eating! You can also make a day ahead, keep in the fridge, and then bake off before you are ready to eat. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! x Tieghan
Just discovered you this week and this is the first recipe I tried. Loved it! My family of 7 ate 2 pie plates of it, including my pickiest eater.
Wow so amazing! Thank you Marie!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! The whole family loved it. But they love every recipe I make of yours!
Hi,
I was wondering if you put tin foil in your pie pan before baking to lift the pie out when done or if it is just on the edges of the crust to keep the crust from getting too burned. I was thinking of making this recipe but wanted to do it correctly and saw no mention of the foil.
Thank You
Trish
Hi,
I have a question.Did you put tin foil in your pie pan and then bake so you could just lift the pie out? Or to keep the crust from getting too browned? I don’t see any mention and was thinking of making this recipe but wanted to do it correctly.
Thank You
Trish.
Hi Trish! I did use tin foil, but only becasue I lost the bottom to my tart pan. I used the foil in place of the pans bottom. There is no need to line the tart pan assuming you have the bottom that fits inside the pan! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! x Tieghan
Corn just arrived at the farmers market so the timing of this recipe was perfect. I used summer squash instead of zucchini and added some pancetta. Great to have a summer pie that doesn’t use a pastry crust that will misbehave in the heat. The results were lovely. Plus it reheats in the toaster oven reslly.
I am so happy to hear that Rachel! Thank you!!
I finally got around to making this recipe – definitely took longer than I anticipated, but it was SO good. Here’s hoping the leftovers are just as good because I’m planning on having it for lunch the next couple days. Thanks for another awesome recipe – you never disappoint!
Thank you so much Kelli!
Make it today! Turned out great!
Thank you so much Hazel!