A very tasty zucchini casserole that has all the wonderful flavors of pizza without the grains and extra carbs.
This tasty, cheesy casserole gives you a delicious pizza-like experience while remaining keto and gluten-free. It’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy zucchini while it’s in season.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty casserole:
- Olive oil spray
- Fresh zucchini
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Marinara sauce
- Spices: dried oregano and garlic powder
- Cheeses: Shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan
How to make zucchini casserole
It’s an easy recipe! The detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
- Salt the zucchini slices to remove excess liquid.
- Mix with marinara sauce, spices, and cheese.
- Sprinkle with more cheese, and bake until browned and bubbly.
You really do need to salt the zucchini
It’s an easy recipe, but one step that you should not skip is salting and draining the zucchini. This step is not hard to do. It just requires patience, and it’s important. It helps get rid of excess water and keeps the casserole from becoming soggy.
I don’t like zucchini. Will I like this casserole?
Well, obviously I think it’s delicious! But I love zucchini. However, I do have a very picky eater at home who has a hard time with many vegetables, zucchini included. This recipe is one of the only ways to get her to eat zucchini.
Is it healthy?
I believe it is. Zucchini and tomatoes are both very healthy, and this includes cooked tomato products such as pizza sauce (especially low-sugar pizza sauce such as Rao’s).
As for the cheese, happily, current research shows that full-fat dairy is actually not harmful to healthy people, and might even be beneficial.
However, if you need to limit saturated fat and can’t have cheese, then this dish is probably not the best choice for you.
How to serve zucchini casserole?
It makes an excellent side dish to almost any main course you can think of. I often serve it with one of the following main dishes:
- Pan-fried sole
- Pork rind crusted pork chop
- Gluten-free chicken tenders
- Baked chicken meatballs
- Spicy chicken drumsticks
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about 3 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power. They are also surprisingly good when eaten cold!
Other zucchini recipes you might enjoy
These baked zucchini fries are crispy, cheesy and addictive. And zucchini pizza bites are another great way to turn zucchini into a healthy “pizza.”
Zucchini Casserole
INGREDIENTS
- Olive oil spray
- 6 medium zucchini (2 lb.)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella , divided (6 oz)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a square 2-quart baking dish with olive oil spray.
- Slice the unpeeled zucchinis into 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with the salt. Place in a colander and allow to drain at room temperature for 30 minutes. This step helps prevent a watery casserole.
- Transfer the drained zucchini to a large bowl. Add the marinara sauce, black pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, and 1 cup mozzarella. Mix everything together.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and with the Parmesan. Bake uncovered until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 30 minutes.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Like all casseroles, this zucchini casserole tastes best when warm or at room temperature.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., has been following a healthy real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She has taken 
