Scarpaccia is a delicious mashup of three carby favorites… just imagine a tart, focaccia, and cornbread all baked into one irresistible dish! While it doesn’t really have a bread-like texture, that tends to be the easiest way to explain it. It’s more moist, loaded with veggies, and has a slightly crisp top that adds the perfect finishing touch.

Originally from Tuscany, this veggie-packed “hy-bread” is perfect any time of day. Pair it with scrambled eggs for breakfast, enjoy it alongside a salad for lunch, or serve it as a delicious side with dinner. Honestly, it’s so good, you’ll want to snack on it all day long (and I won’t judge, LOL).

The inside stays super moist, while the top gets a little crisp, with sweet, flavorful veggies in every bite. This version is also gluten-free and super easy to make. Check out the notes section below for extra flavor twists, such as adding mushrooms and cheese.

This recipe’s a hit!

Fantastic! Fast and easy, and my grandkids loved it. They run through the garden filling their baskets with zucchini and cherry tomatoes, chiming “ We want scarpaccia! We want scarpaccia!” I think they love saying “scarpaccia” as much as gobbling it up!

Nonna
(4.79 stars) 14 ratings
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Step 1: In a large bowl, mix almond flour, cornmeal, egg, olive oil, water, salt and pepper. Stir in sautéed zucchini, onions, and cherry tomatoes.
Step 2: Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the crust is set and the scarpaccia is cooked.

Try this Frittata with Asparagus and Artichokes!

(4.79 stars) 14 ratings

Scarpaccia (Savory Zucchini Cake)

Scarpaccia is a mouthwatering blend of three carby faves… just imagine a tart, focaccia, and cornbread all rolled up in one delicious dish!
Yield: 12 slices
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 small-medium zucchini, green or yellow, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1 ½ cups almond flour, firmly packed
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon fine table salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 cup water
  • Freshly ground black pepper, optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a 9×13 inch dish with parchment paper (this will prevent sticking and make it easy to remove finished loaf).
  • Liberally coat a large skillet with oil spray and warm over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and onions, and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until most of the water has come out of the zucchini. Next, Season with a sprinkling of kosher salt and ground black pepper, and continue to cook for three more minutes, or until veggies are nicely soft and sauteed. Drain extra liquid from the pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cornmeal, egg, olive oil, water, salt, and optional ground black pepper.
  • Add sautéed zucchini and onions to the flour mixture, stirring until well combined. When adding the sautéed vegetables, limit any excess water that may still be settled in the pan. Mix in the cherry tomatoes.
  • Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until the crust is set and the scarpaccia is cooked through. Let cool for at least 10 minutes to set before slicing and enjoying.

Notes

Pack the almond flour
  • Make sure to firmly pack the almond flour when measuring it into your cups. If it’s loosely packed, the scarpaccia may turn out soggy.
Mushroom option
  • Want to switch it up? Replace 1 cup of the zucchini with 1 cup of chopped mushrooms. Just sauté the mushrooms until they’re fully cooked, browned, and all the moisture is absorbed before mixing them into the batter.
Consider adding cheese
  • While cheese isn’t traditional for scarpaccia, adding some can boost the flavor! Try mixing grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano into the batter and/or sprinkling some on top for extra flavor.
Baking dish alternative 
  • If you don’t have a 9×13-inch baking pan, no worries! You can use a parchment-lined baking sheet instead—a standard half sheet pan (18 x 13 inches) works great. Just note: the mixture will spread into a thinner layer (about ¼ inch thick), so check it around the 40-minute mark. You’ll end up with crispy edges and a slightly cakier center. Yum!
Storage
  • Scarpaccia can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s delicious cold straight from the fridge, or you can warm it in the microwave or toaster oven.
Substituting all-purpose flour
  • This recipe can be made with all-purpose flour instead of almond flour. To substitute, use 1 cup all-purpose flour in place of the 1½ cups almond flour and add one additional egg (for a total of 2 eggs) to help maintain moisture and structure. Keep all other ingredients the same—including the ½ cup of cornmeal. When using all-purpose flour, the baking time may be slightly shorter. Begin checking for doneness at 45 minutes. The dish is ready when the top is lightly browned. In testing, the version with all-purpose flour was fully baked at 50 minutes.
Gluten-free version
  • Note that almond flour and cornmeal are inherently gluten-free. Just use certified gluten-free cornmeal and you’re all set.
Author: Joy Bauer, MS, RDN, CDN

Nutrition Information per serving

Serving Size: 1 sliceCalories: 140Carbohydrates: 11gProtein: 5gTotal Fat: 9g— Unsaturated Fat: 8g— Saturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 248mgFiber: 3gTotal Sugar: 2g— Natural Sugar: 2g— Added Sugar: 0gCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.
I’m hoping you loved this recipe! If you made it and want to share feedback, I’d be so grateful to hear from you. Please leave a review below or tag @joybauer on Instagram!