Cheesy Homegrown Courgette Bake

Time to harvest your courgettes! We’ve got a tasty bake you can make with your homegrown veg.

Serves: 4–6
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40–45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3–4 medium courgettes (about 700–800g), sliced into thin rounds
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150ml double cream
• 2 eggs
• 100g grated mature cheddar
• 50g grated Parmesan
• 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs
• A handful of fresh basil or parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g breadcrumbs
• Optional: a few halved cherry tomatoes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) / Gas Mark 5. Grease a medium-sized baking dish.
2. Cook the courgettes: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and gently cook the onion for 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and courgettes and cook for around 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the courgettes have softened and some of the excess moisture has cooked away. Season well.
3. Make the creamy mixture: Whisk together the cream and eggs, then stir in the oregano, most of the cheddar and half of the Parmesan. Add plenty of black pepper.
4. Layer up: Tip the courgette mixture into your baking dish. If using cherry tomatoes, scatter them through. Pour over the creamy cheese mixture and gently stir to combine.
5. Add the topping: Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar, Parmesan and breadcrumbs.
6. Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden, bubbling and slightly crisp on top.
7. Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving, then scatter with fresh herbs.

A Plant Market tip for you: Courgettes contain a lot of water, particularly the big ones that have been hiding under the leaves! If you’re using larger courgettes, scoop out any seedy centre before slicing and give them an extra few minutes in the frying pan. This will stop your bake becoming watery.

Serve with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread for an easy vegetarian dinner. It also makes a lovely make-ahead lunch, and leftovers are great reheated the next day.