The Best Recipe is zucchini bake recipe ever While the debate over Australia’s national dish will never end (is it roast lamb, green chicken curry, or a barramundi burger?), one thing is certain: zucchini bake is undoubtedly the home cook’s favourite.
Your lamb, barra, and curry might appear on restaurant menus, but our beloved savoury bake rarely does. It’s too humble. Instead, it quietly finds its way into lunchboxes, weeknight dinners, and even finger-food platters. There’s a reason zucchini bake is taste.com.au’s top recipe of all time – it’s easier than a quiche, more flavoursome than an omelette, and it just works.
Why this is our favourite zucchini bake recipe
This particular zucchini bake is, without question, the best we’ve tried (and we’ve sampled many over the years). Originally sent in by Artarmon Public School in Sydney, it’s endorsed by over 1,000 reviewers and has been enjoyed by school kids and taste team critics alike.
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It delivers big flavour and protein with just a few simple ingredients – eggs, zucchini, bacon, cheese, and a handful of pantry staples – proving it’s entirely possible to make a dish that feeds a family from almost nothing.
Key ingredients in zucchini bake:
Eggs: Zucchini bake ticks all the boxes in one go. With 5 eggs included, you get plenty of protein in this dinner-turned-lunchbox treat.
Flour: To prevent the bake from being too flat, we use a cup of self-raising flour to give it some lift and a pleasant, light texture.
Zucchini: The star of the show, about 4 medium-large zucchinis (around 375g), feature prominently. To avoid a watery batter, squeeze out some moisture from the grated zucchini – a little liquid is fine, though. We save time by grating the zucchini using our food processor.
Onion: Typically a brown onion is used, but you can swap in a red onion for extra flavour.
Bacon: Adds salty goodness and colour, playing a key supporting role. Our Recipes Editor, Sonya Gellert, has also tested plant-based bacon (or ‘facon’), and it works well for a vegetarian version.
Cheddar: Grated cheddar cheese makes the bake irresistibly tasty. For a budget-friendly tip, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.
Vegetable oil: This ensures the bake stays moist and doesn’t dry out quickly.
Why we adore this French onion pasta bake recipe
Let’s be honest – it’s a cheesy pasta dish, and who doesn’t love that? But our recipe also uses ready-made ingredients that pack a lot of flavour with minimal effort. Not only do we include a packet of French onion soup mix, but we also use store-bought BBQ chicken and a three-cheese blend. We also love that it can be prepped earlier in the day and cooked just before serving. And despite being a bake, there’s no need to turn on the oven; a quick stint under the grill is all it needs to get golden and bubbly.
What you’ll need for our cheesy French onion pasta bake
Pasta: We go with penne, but other short pasta shapes like fusilli, rigatoni, or casarecce work just as well.
Mushrooms: If your button mushrooms are very small, halve them or leave them whole. You could also use sliced cup mushrooms, but avoid large field mushrooms as they can make the sauce turn an unappealing grey.
Thyme: Thyme pairs beautifully with mushrooms, though rosemary or a pinch of dried tarragon would also work.
Chicken: A supermarket rotisserie chicken is full of savoury spices and makes a brilliant shortcut for dinner. You could also use chopped, pan-fried chicken thigh fillets.
French onion soup mix: If you’re limiting salt, a low-sodium version is available.
Pizza cheese: This convenient blend combines cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan, all pre-grated for ease.
Parsley: We use flat-leaf parsley, but curly parsley works too if you like a slightly retro touch.
Store-bought BBQ chicken saves time and features in many of our favourite dishes, like chicken and leek pie and quick pesto pasta. It’s also delicious in a warm lentil salad and is the shortcut ingredient in cheats tostadas, chicken nachos salad, and smoky BBQ pizza.
Easy fried rice: essential ingredients
White, long-grain rice: Your fried rice will turn out best using chilled, long-grain rice such as jasmine. Properly cooling the rice is crucial, so if you’ve just cooked it in a hurry, spread it thinly on a tray, loosely cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate until cooled.
Soy sauce: We usually use whatever soy sauce is available, but gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) or low-sodium versions work just as well while still delivering great flavour.
Oil: A neutral vegetable oil is ideal for frying, though a touch of sesame oil can add extra aroma and taste.
Bacon: Bacon really boosts the dish’s flavour, but ham works fine as a substitute if you don’t have bacon.
Peas: Frozen peas that have been thawed beforehand give the best results.
Carrot: Adds colour and texture. We prefer finely grated or julienned carrots for this recipe.
Eggs: We cook the eggs as an omelette to stir into the fried rice, but scrambled eggs work just as well if you like a different texture.
Shallots: Don’t skip these—they add colour, flavour, and crunch. If you have picky eaters, you can reduce the amount slightly, but they really round out the dish.
Extras: Have some sesame oil or oyster sauce? Perfect! While we mention vegetable oil here, sesame oil adds extra taste, and a splash of oyster or fish sauce elevates the dish. Fried rice is also a brilliant way to use up leftover vegetables and proteins, and it can easily be adapted to vegetarian or vegan diets.
Because it takes just 10 minutes to prepare and uses only a few ingredients, this crustless quiche has quickly become one of our favourite easy quiche dinners, a go-to for brunch, and a top choice for lunchbox fillers. Even better, you can make it ahead and freeze it for up to 2 months. What’s not to love about a simple quiche with grated cheddar, onion, and diced ham? Delicious. Serve it hot and golden, or cooled as a leftover lunch with salad.
Cheddar cheese adds wonderful flavour to this crustless quiche, which has earned 5-star ratings from over 270 home cooks. Minimal prep, top ratings, and ready in under an hour? That’s what midweek dinner dreams are made of. It’s a fantastic recipe and incredibly flexible. Bake until golden brown, and you have a tasty meal any time of day.
Key ingredients for this versatile quiche:
Ham: Chopped ham elevates the flavour of this simple quiche. You can swap ham for bacon, pancetta, or even plant-based bacon if preferred.
Onion: Small but powerful, onion transforms this humble quiche into a midweek meal that’s full of flavour.
Tasty cheese: The secret star is tasty cheese, adding a sharp, delicious bite that both kids and adults will enjoy at any meal.
Eggs: The essential ingredient that holds everything together, protein-rich eggs combine with milk to create a light, fluffy texture.
Flour: A touch of flour gives the quiche structure, helping it rise and hold its shape. We use self-raising flour for that perfect lift and stability.
Why we adore this braised beef with onions recipe
Our braised beef with onions recipe ticks a lot of boxes: it’s affordable, comforting, and requires minimal prep for maximum flavour. It’s also gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free. Based on the reviews, it seems popular with kids. This might be due to the lack of extra vegetables, but if you like, you could slow-cook the beef and onions with thick carrot slices and stir in some peas at the end.
What ingredients do I need for braised steak and onion:
Beef: I chose topside, a traditional cut for pot roast. I wanted a whole piece to slice thickly like a steak, yet still become tender. You could also use chuck steak pieces, and the flavours will be just as rich.
Onion: I always use brown onions for caramelising. While some prefer red onions, I find brown onions have the perfect sugar content to turn soft and golden.
Cornflour: This not only thickens the sauce but also gives it a glossy finish.
Tomato paste: Added for extra flavour and a warm russet colour. Make sure to cook it for a minute before adding other ingredients to remove the slight metallic taste.
Worcestershire sauce: Packed with the sweet and tangy notes of molasses and tamarind, it’s a tiny ingredient that adds huge umami depth.
Stock: I usually use chicken stock for beef or lamb dishes as it brings superior flavour with a boost of salt and herbs.
Herbs: Thyme and bay leaves add depth, while fresh parsley at the end brightens and lifts the dish.
How to make the best slow-cooked braised beef and onion
When searing the steaks, avoid overcrowding the pan; this drops the temperature, preventing the beef from getting a golden crust and leaving it grey instead. Once the butter foams, add all the onions immediately to prevent the butter from burning. Reduce the heat and allow the onions to soften. They shouldn’t be caramelised like a jam but should lose their crunch.
What does braising mean?
Braising combines both wet and dry heat to cook meat or vegetables. Here, the meat is first seared in oil to lock in flavour, then slowly simmered in liquid. To be technically braised, the meat shouldn’t be fully submerged—though in a slow cooker, condensation adds extra liquid, allowing the meat to cook evenly until tender.
How to store leftover braised beef and onion
This recipe serves six, as slow-cooked meals are perfect for leftovers. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Leftovers are excellent as jaffle fillings, in puff pastry pot pies, or simply between thick buttered slices or a crusty roll.