This zucchini pissaladière has a chewy yeasted crust topped with caramelized onions, summer squash, and fresh thyme. A French-Italian flatbread that's easier than it sounds.
If you love caramelized onion flatbreads, my Caramelized Vidalia Onion Focaccia is the sister recipe to this one.
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This zucchini pissaladière is what I make every summer when the farmers market tables are loaded with zucchini and squash and I want something more interesting than another pasta. It is a flatbread with a chewy, olive-oil-enriched yeasted crust, topped with deeply savory caramelized onions, thin slices of zucchini and yellow squash, and fresh thyme. It looks impressive, it feeds a crowd, and it is easier to make than it sounds.
I first fell in love with pissaladière while traveling in the South of France, and discovered the Italian version on a trip through Liguria. The two traditions are closely related - which is exactly the kind of France-meets-Italy crossover that feels right on Savoring Italy.
Quick Look at This Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes active, plus 1 hour 30 minutes rise time
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Total Time: about 2 hours
- Servings: 8 to 10 (makes one 17×12-inch flatbread)
- Dietary Info: dairy-free, vegan
- Method: yeasted flatbread baked on a sheet pan
- Technique: the dough rises twice - once in the bowl, once on the pan - giving it a light, chewy texture before topping
- Flavor and Texture: savory and aromatic with sweet caramelized onions, tender squash, and a golden crisp-edged crust
What Is Pissaladière?
Pissaladière (pronounced pees-ah-lah-DYAIR) is a savory flatbread from the South of France - made around Nice, Marseille, and Toulon - traditionally topped with caramelized onions, black olives, and anchovies on a thin yeasted crust. It is one of the most beloved street foods of the French Riviera.
What most people do not know is that it also exists in Liguria, Italy, just across the border, where it is called piscialandrea. The Ligurian version is very similar to the French one - but in San Remo, right at the border, it is often made with mozzarella.
Ingredient Notes
Most of what you need is already in your kitchen.
- Bread flour: Gives the crust its chewy structure. All-purpose flour works in a pinch but the texture will be softer and less elastic. The extra protein in bread flour is what makes pissaladière feel like proper flatbread rather than pizza dough.
- Active dry yeast: Proof it first in warm water with the sugar - if it foams within 5 minutes, it is active. If nothing happens, the yeast is dead and the dough will not rise.
- Onions: Two medium onions, thinly sliced. They cook down significantly - what looks like a lot of onion in the pan becomes a concentrated, sweet topping. Do not rush this step. Properly caramelized onions should be deeply golden and sweet after about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Zucchini and yellow squash: Thinly sliced - about ⅛ inch - so they cook through in the oven without releasing too much moisture. Pre-cooking them briefly in the skillet is the key to a crust that stays crisp rather than soggy underneath.
- Fresh thyme: One tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves stirred into the caramelized onions. Dried thyme works but fresh is noticeably better here - it pairs naturally with onions and squash and gives the whole flatbread an herby, Provençal character.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Used in the dough, for cooking the onions and squash, and drizzled over the finished flatbread. Use a good one - olive oil is the backbone of both the dough and the topping, and it shows.
How to Make Zucchini Pissaladière
Step 1 - Make the Dough
- In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup of the warm water with the sugar and yeast. Whisk briefly and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Add the remaining ½ cup warm water, olive oil, and salt.
- Add the bread flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled.
Step 2 - Prepare the Topping
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and 2 teaspoons of coarse salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fresh thyme leaves and transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini and yellow squash slices and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until slightly softened. The goal is to drive off excess moisture so they do not steam and waterlog the crust. Transfer to a separate plate.
Step 3 - Shape and Second Rise
- Line a 17×12-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough to fit the pan, fold the edges up slightly to form a small lip, and transfer to the baking sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork - this prevents large air bubbles from forming under the topping.
- Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
Step 4 - Top and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Spread the caramelized onions evenly over the surface of the dough. Arrange the zucchini and squash slices in overlapping lines on top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the edges are crisp. Transfer to a cutting board, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Pre-cook the squash before it goes on the flatbread. Zucchini and yellow squash have high water content. Without a few minutes in a hot skillet first, they will steam during baking and make the crust soggy. Two to three minutes in the pan is enough - you are just softening them slightly and driving off surface moisture, not cooking them fully.
- Prick the dough thoroughly. Fork-pricking before the second rise and before topping prevents large air bubbles from forming under the toppings during baking. Go all over the surface and press firmly.
- Do not skip the second rise. The 30 minutes on the pan gives the dough a chance to puff slightly before the toppings go on, which results in a lighter, less dense crust. The flatbread should look subtly puffy - not dramatically risen - before it goes into the oven.
- Rotate the pan halfway through. Ovens have hot spots. Rotating at the 12-minute mark ensures the crust browns evenly on both sides. This step is small and makes a real difference.
- Season well at every stage. The onions need salt while cooking. The squash needs salt on the pan. The assembled flatbread needs another hit of salt and pepper before it bakes. Seasoning only at the end will leave the whole thing tasting flat.
Serving Suggestions
Pissaladière is good warm and equally good at room temperature, which makes it ideal for entertaining - it does not need to be served the moment it comes out of the oven. Cut it into squares and serve it as an appetizer, a light lunch, or alongside a simple green salad and a bowl of Italian Lentil Soup for a full meal.
If you want to go more traditional, add a few pitted black olives and thin anchovy fillets on top before baking - this is the classic South of France version. A sprinkle of fresh basil right before serving also works well with the summer squash.
More Recipes to Try
- Caramelized Vidalia Onion Focaccia - The sister recipe to this one. Same sweet caramelized onion energy, in a thicker, pillowy focaccia.
- Caramelized Onions - A deep dive into the caramelized onion technique if you want to get them perfectly golden every time.
- Sautéed Rainbow Chard (Italian Style) - Another farmers market favorite that uses the same quick sauté approach as the squash here.
- Santa Margherita Ligure Travel Guide - If this flatbread has you dreaming about Liguria, start your trip planning here.
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Zucchini Pissaladière with Caramelized Onions and Thyme
Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup 180ml warm water (110°F), divided
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for the bowl
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 9 ounces about 1¾ cups / 255g bread flour, plus more for dusting
Instructions
- Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and coarse salt. Cook 10 minutes until golden and sweet, stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme and cool.
- In the same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Cook zucchini and squash 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened. Transfer to a plate.
- Line a 17×12-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Roll dough to fit, fold edges up slightly to form a lip, and place on the sheet. Prick all over with a fork. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Spread caramelized onions over the dough. Arrange squash slices in overlapping lines on top. Drizzle with more olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake 12 minutes. Rotate the pan and bake another 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is deep golden. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
- Pre-cooking the zucchini and squash is not optional - it removes moisture so the crust stays crisp rather than getting soggy underneath.
- Prick the dough thoroughly with a fork before the second rise and before adding toppings to prevent large air bubbles from forming during baking.
- For a more traditional version, add pitted black olives and anchovy fillets to the topping before baking.
- Store leftovers wrapped at room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking sheet at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes to re-crisp the crust. The microwave will make it soft.
- The flatbread can be made a few hours ahead and served at room temperature - it holds up well and is excellent for parties.
Nutrition
- ¾ cup warm water (110 degrees)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for bowl
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 9 ounces (about 1 ¾ cups) bread flour, plus more for dusting
For the Topping
This zucchini with caramelized onions is tender, savory, and packed with sweet, rich flavor. Such a simple side that makes everyday vegetables feel extra special!
This recipe was easier than it looks. It turned out perfectly and a great way to use my garden zucchini!
This zucchini and summer squash pissaladière was such a lovely recipe to try! The crust turned out crisp and the vegetables were perfectly tender.
I tried this recipe, and the crust came out beautifully crisp. The zucchini and squash made every bite fresh and flavorful!