These zucchini roll-ups with ham are an excellent choice for breakfast or a tasty appetizer. They’re easy to prepare, low in carbohydrates, and look great when sliced. They can also be made ahead of time, which makes them particularly convenient. They’re perfect for picnics or packed lunches, as they’re easy to portion, transport, and serve cold.
The base of this recipe is a thick zucchini pancake, somewhat similar to an Italian frittata, which we bake in the oven. We don’t need flour or other carbohydrate-rich ingredients, just grated zucchini, eggs, and a little Parmesan cheese. Once baked, we get a soft, flexible sheet that can easily be filled and rolled. I use a simple combination of cream cheese, ham, and arugula, but you can adapt the filling to your taste or simply use whatever you have in the fridge.
The preparation is quite straightforward and doesn’t require much cooking experience. We start by grating the zucchini and squeezing out as much water as possible. This is an important step because zucchini contains a lot of water, and if we don’t remove it, the mixture will be too soft. We then combine it with eggs, grated cheese, and a little salt and pepper before spreading the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
For this recipe, I use a regular oven tray. It’s important to spread the mixture into an even layer, neither too thick nor too thin, approximately 5 mm thick. After about 20 minutes in the oven, we get a lightly golden zucchini sheet that’s firm enough to roll but still soft and flexible.
One of the best things about this recipe is how much you can experiment with the filling. I use cream cheese, ham, and arugula, a combination that I think works particularly well: the cheese adds creaminess, the ham brings extra flavor and protein, while the arugula adds a slightly bitter note and a fresh texture. You can just as easily use other types of cold cuts, different cheeses, or leafy greens, depending on your preferences.
Once we’ve added the filling, we carefully roll up the zucchini sheet and wrap it tightly in parchment paper, like a candy wrapper. Then comes the part where we need a little patience: the roll needs to spend about an hour in the refrigerator so it can hold its shape and be sliced neatly. I often prepare it the evening before, and the next day all I have to do is take it out of the fridge, slice it, and serve.
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Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini (approximately 740 g)
- 1 large carrot
- 5 eggs
- 25 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 150 g cream cheese
- ½ package fresh arugula (rocket)
- 6 slices cooked ham (prosciutto cotto), approximately 150 g in total
For the zucchini roll
For the filling
Instructions
Start by preparing the zucchini: peel them, trim the ends, and grate them using the coarse side of a box grater.
Sprinkle with a little salt, place in a strainer, and press gently to remove as much water as possible. Leave to drain for approximately 30 minutes, then squeeze thoroughly to remove the remaining liquid.
Freshly grated zucchini placed in a fine-mesh strainer to drain excess moisture before preparing the base for baked zucchini rolls with ham and cheese.
Peel the carrot and grate it finely.
Fresh carrot finely grated and ready to be mixed into the zucchini roll base. Grated carrots add natural sweetness, vibrant color, and flavor to these savory baked zucchini rolls with ham and cheese.
Grate 25 g of Parmesan cheese, or use ready-grated Parmesan.
A generous pile of freshly grated Parmesan cheese on a wooden cutting board, beside a stainless steel grater and a few strands of grated carrot.
Place the well-drained zucchini, grated carrot, Parmesan, and eggs in a large bowl.
Glass mixing bowl containing grated zucchini, shredded carrot, Parmesan cheese, and raw eggs, ready to be combined into a savory zucchini roll base.
Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly combined.
Glass mixing bowl filled with a combined mixture of grated zucchini, shredded carrot, Parmesan cheese, and eggs, with a metal spoon resting inside.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper, then pour in the mixture and spread it evenly to form a square sheet approximately 5 mm thick.
Uncooked zucchini, carrot, Parmesan, and egg mixture spread into an even rectangular layer on a parchment-lined black baking tray.
Bake in a preheated fan-assisted oven at 170°C (340°F) for approximately 20 minutes, until the zucchini sheet is lightly golden. Remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool. Place another sheet of parchment paper over the zucchini sheet and carefully flip it over. This way, the side that was facing upward during baking will become the outside of the finished roll.
Spread the cream cheese evenly over the zucchini sheet. Scatter the arugula on top and arrange the ham slices over it, leaving a 3–4 cm border along the edge where the roll will finish.
Roll tightly, using the parchment paper to help you create a compact roll. Wrap it securely in parchment paper, then refrigerate for approximately one hour to allow it to firm up and hold its shape. Finally, remove the parchment paper and cut the roll into slices approximately 1.5–2 cm thick.
Whole golden-brown baked zucchini roll filled with ham, cream cheese, and arugula, resting horizontally on a sheet of parchment paper before slicing.
Notes
The roll can also be prepared using only zucchini, without the carrot. You will cut some extra carbs this way.
If you find the flavor of Parmesan too strong, you can replace it with a tablespoon of oat flour, which will help bind the mixture together. Instead of arugula, you can use baby spinach leaves, removing the stems if you prefer.