If you love zucchini or even eggplant rollatini, this easy deconstructed simple casserole will be your favorite to make.
The zucchini is just sliced, layered and baked.
Nothing fussy about it and with my step by step photo tutorial, you will have this meal on your tables in an instant.
Sure the other looks fancy and pretty but it tastes the same and everyone will rave about it.
The best part, it takes to have the time and you don't need any fancy tools to make this easy casserole dish.
The hardest part about making this zucchini ricotta casserole is waiting long enough to eat it and not burn the roof of your mouth!
I can't tell you how many times that's happened to me!
I love zucchini recipes and have quite a few that are my favorite especially zucchini almond poppy cake, zucchini bread and chicken parmesan stuffed zucchini, just to name a few!
If you want the recipe, just scroll down to the bottom recipe card and print it off, thanks and please let me know how you like this casserole in the comments.
Dinner or Side Dish?
Well, I can never decide on this one as the main meal or side dish.
Anyone that's Italian knows we can't just make one casserole dish for a whole meal without meat lovers in the house.
So I must confess we usually make this as a side dish with turkey or any other holiday festivities like the 4th of July.
During the week I sometimes add a layer of crushed meatballs or sausage from Sunday sauce and then this becomes a whole main meal.
I have actually fooled friends and family in them thinking this was a lasagna casserole before!
Of course, you can adapt this by adding a layer seasoned beef sauteed and not meatballs or anything else you want to add to this.
This delicious casserole is a perfect substitution for pasta lovers watching carbs.
Ingredients you will need for Baked Zucchini Ricotta Casserole
(for specific quantities, print off the recipe card below)
- zucchini peeled and sliced 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
- garlic cloves, minced crushed tomatoes
- fresh basil leaves, chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper,
- oregano, parsley
- granulated garlic powder
- Filling:
- egg
- whole milk ricotta cheese
- chopped fresh basil leaves or dried
- freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese more for the top
Tools
- 10x10 casserole dish
- can of cooking spray
- sharp slicing knife
- mixing bowl
- mixing spoons
- oven mitts
Tips
- only use fresh zucchini
- blot zucchini dry after washing
- if using fresh plum tomatoes cook down the water first
- you can substitute crushed tomatoes for your favorite homemade or jarred sauce
- season to taste
- bake until the fork goes through the zucchini easily
Suggestions
- for the freshest-tasting sauce, use all fresh herbs
- when adding meat layers, add only cooked meats as a layer instead of cheese or both
- crushed meatballs and cooked sausage drained go great in this dish
- saute hamburger meat, ground turkey or ground pork and season with Italian seasoning and garlic if meat layer is preferred
- you can use the jarred sauce in a pinch
More Recipes We Love
Zucchini Tips
Zucchini Rollatini
Zucchini Tomato Tart
Zucchini Fritters
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Great for Picnics
Besides being a great meal or side dish, this is great to bring for potlucks, any kind of family gathering and perfect at a picnic.
This casserole goes famously with anything that you make and really it's delicious all by itself.
Even the kids love all the melted cheese and never noticed the zucchini in it!
Zucchini
Zucchini, also known as courgette, is a summer squash in the Cucurbitaceae plant family and can grow up to 3 feet or more in length when mature.
They typically are harvested at around 8 inches.
Squash originated in American but this particular squash was first developed in the early 1800s in Italy.
Zucchini is rich in manganese, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins A and C that help keeps your visions healthy with aging.
The fiber and potassium along with carotenoids in zucchini may lower blood pressure and cholesterol and help with risking heart disease.
Perfect Casserole Anytime
If you haven't tried a layered casserole using zucchini before, you are going to love the results.
This easy baked zucchini ricotta casserole is loved by everyone and the most asked for recipe whenever I make it.
Give this one a try and let me know what you think.
Yield: 8
Baked Zucchini Casserole
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 45 Mtotal time: 60 M
This is sliced zucchini baked with layers of melted cheese, grated cheese and ricotta cheese.
ingredients:
- 4 zucchini peeled and sliced 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 -28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
- 1 tablespoon each oregano, parsley
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
- Filling:
- 1 egg
- 1 - 16-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or dried
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 12 ounces shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese more for the top
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Mix all together and set aside.
instructions:
How to cook Baked Zucchini Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Note: the amounts of herbs and spice will vary to taste. Sprinkle evenly with what you like, I just added a guideline of normal amounts, you can add more or less to taste.
- Spray a 10 x 10 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Layering and refer to the note above:
- Put two tablespoons of crushed tomatoes on the bottom of the pan, add slices of zucchini to cover the bottom.
- Sprinkle with oregano basil, parsley, granulated garlic evenly, salt and pepper and any other spices you like.
- Next layer: add the ricotta cheese mixture. crusted tomatoes. grated cheese and some shredded cheese. Cover evenly with crushed tomatoes adding a little more of each spice.
- Add more slices of zucchini, sauce then cheeses and spices on top.
- Bake at 350 for around 45 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbling and the zucchini is soft when pierced with a fork.
Calories
222
222
Fat (grams)
11
11
Sat. Fat (grams)
6
6
Carbs (grams)
12
12
Net carbs
6
6
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Don't forget to try some other favorites of ours!
Cupcake Quiche
Panko Roasted Eggplant
Zucchini Pizza
Zucchini Cupcake Appetizer
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2016. It was edited and re-published in 2019.
