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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!
Cheesy Zucchini and Corn Pie
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 578 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Sesame Crust
- 2 cups buttery cracker crumbs, such as Ritz
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
Zucchini Filling
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- 2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced into rounds
- 2 ears corn, kernels removed from the cob
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup cubed Brie
- 1/2 cup shredded fontina or cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan or pie plate with butter, place the pan onto a baking sheet. 2. To make the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together the cracker crumbs, sesame seeds, and butter. Press the mix into the prepared pan, packing the crumbs in firmly. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden. 3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, corn, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the zucchini is tender and beginning to caramelize, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheeses, and basil. Stir in the vegetables. Pour the filling into the pie crust, wiggling the pan around to help evenly distribute the ingredients. Transfer to the oven and bake 35-40 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the eggs are set. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve topped with fresh basil and thyme. Enjoy!
Hi Tieghan,
Can’t wait to make this for the weekend! Could the entire pie be made the day ahead, refrigerated and reheated? If not, could the crust be cooked and set aside, filling made and set aside as well (day ahead) then assembled and baked day of?
Hey Karen,
I think it would be best to make the crust and filling and keep separate and then assemble when you are ready to bake. I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xx
I did just that and it turned out perfect! It was a big hit with our guests. Thank you for the advice. I will definitely make again!
Awesome!! Love to hear it!!
This is SO delicious! I used both fontina and cheddar and 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash. Very savory! Had alongside the Summer Abundance Salad, which is also amazing! Love all your recipes Tieghan!
Hey Brenda,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) ?
This recipe is fabulous! The first time I make a new recipe, it always takes a little extra time to put it together. But when it turns out as delicious as the recipe sounds and looks! Wow! My husband flipped over this. This has gone into my “must make again” list! Thank you Tieghen!
Hey Mary,
Happy Sunday! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it:) ?
I know this is an older recipe but I just had to say how much we loved it! Perfect for how much zucchini I have from my garden right now !
Hi Stephanie,
Fantastic! Thanks for your comment and trying the recipe:) I am so glad it was enjoyed! xxT
This sounds SOO amazing! Could you make this as a casserole instead of a pie? So basically just do the filling in a casserole dish, without the pie crust/ instead of pie form?
Hey Colleen,
Sure, I don’t see why not!! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xx
May another vegetable be substituted for squash? It is not that I dislike squash it’s because I tend to have lots of spinach and broccoli laying around and would love to find a good use for them.
Hey Michelle,
Sure, really any veggie you like will work:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This was pretty easy and so good! My husband and sin both loved it in spite of not being zucchini fans. I added some chopped ham for a bit more protein. The cracker crust was a big plus to my picky eaters. ?
Hey Amy,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! xTieghan
Could this be made in a spring form pan?
Hey Melissa,
Sure, I bet that would work just fine!! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made it in a spring form pan! Worked great! All veggies from my garden! Needed more cheese!!
Had a gathering of people including some who think they are zucchini “haters” mostly because they don’t like the mushy texture that tends to result from most preparations. I grated my zucchini instead of slicing but reserved some slices for the top so it looked pretty. The flavors in this are great and it was a nice way to highlight summer veggies. Also, I served it at room temperature. It was a huge hit—-Even my haters went back for seconds:-). Thx for another winning recipe!
Hey Meredyth,
Happy Sunday! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you taking the time to make it! xTieghan
I just found this recipe — it’s perfect since we have an abundance of summer squash in our garden! Do you think it’s possible to freeze it? Either after cooking (to reheat later) or maybe after assembly but before baking?
Hey Becca,
Sure, I would recommend freezing before baking. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can you provide baking instructions if frozen beforehand?
Hi Tina,
I would just keep the baking temp the same and increase your bake time by 15-20 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe:) xTieghan
This was amazing! Thoughts on shredding zucchini vs slicing it? Would you change anything to recipe if you shredded it? Thinking kids would love this if zucchini was smaller.
Hey Sue,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! I think shredding it would be totally fine to do. xTieghan
The flavors are such an amazing combo. The recipe was filling and delicious and holds up really well
Thank you!! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan
I found your time frame was way off. If you add up the chopping,making the crust, crushing the crackers, cooling of the veggies, cooking the pie, waiting the 5-10 min after its cooked adds up to much more than the 65 minutes you specified, more like 85 minutes! 20 minutes is a lot! And I was working quite fast. Also it would have been nice if you had also put amount in cups for the zucchini, I’m not sure how much 2 medium zucchini is in cups but my 2 medium were way too much! And 2 ears of corn weren’t enough. The pie was good but needed another egg, apparently medium eggs should have been large or XL. I do a lot of your recipes and find this basic information is commonly omitted, so I have to do a lot of guessing. I suppose if I was a more experienced cook I wouldn’t need this information, but I am led to believe your recipes are for everyone. Just FYI, thank you
Hi Renee! I am sorry there was so much confusion with this recipe! I will try to be more clear in the future! I hope this still turned out well for you. Thank you for the feedback! xTieghan
Wow – whinge fest
Hi Tieghan, any substitute for brie? Thanks!
Hey Eva,
Any other cheese that you enjoy will work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have extra zucchini and I can’t wait to make this! I hate to bother you with this stupid questions, but do I cut the rind off the brie before cubing it? Or do I just cube up the wedge, rind and all? Thanks for your time and attention to a question I could answer with a little trial and error 🙂
Hi Jenny,
Not stupid at all, I like to leave the rind on. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan