Cheesy Zucchini Casserole - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

This zucchini casserole is amazing! Layers of zucchini, marinara sauce, and mozzarella combine to create a pizza-like experience.

Even the leftovers are excellent, so I often double this recipe and make two casseroles.

I enjoy zucchini in many recipes, including grilled zucchini, zucchini lasagna, zucchini noodles, and zucchini chips.

This zucchini casserole is especially good. It's incredibly flavorful and easy to make. It's one of my favorite ways to enjoy this vegetable. Happily, my entire family agrees, including the youngest one. This casserole is a great way to get picky eaters to eat zucchini.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this zucchini casserole. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

• Olive oil spray: This is my favorite oil. It's so flavorful!
• Fresh zucchini: Try to pick firm zucchini with smooth, dark green skin.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Marinara sauce: It's best to use a sugar-free sauce such as Rao's Marinara Sauce.
• Spices: I use dried oregano and garlic powder.
• Cheeses: I use shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan in this recipe.

Variations

• You can use different cheeses, including provolone and mild gouda. I especially like provolone in this recipe.
• Make it spicy by adding a generous pinch of cayenne pepper or ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
• Sometimes, I replace the marinara sauce with the same amount (1 cup) of sour cream. The rest of the recipe remains the same. It creates a different flavor profile - milder and creamier.

Zucchini Casserole Instructions

The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of the steps:

Slice the unpeeled zucchini into ½-inch thick slices. Sprinkle the slices with salt. Place them in a colander and allow them to drain at room temperature for 30 minutes. This step helps prevent a watery casserole.

Mix the drained zucchini slices with marinara sauce, spices, and shredded cheese.

Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish and sprinkle the top with more cheese.

Bake the casserole until browned and bubbly, for about 30 minutes, in a 400°F oven.

Expert Tips

• Salting and draining the zucchini is an important step, which I also take when making zucchini chips and roasted zucchini. It helps eliminate excess water and keeps the casserole from becoming watery or soggy. Zucchini has a high water content - nearly 95%. We don't want that water seeping into the casserole.
• I don't rinse the zucchini after salting and draining it, so there's no need to add salt when seasoning the casserole.

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. They are also surprisingly good when eaten cold! I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.

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