Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole

Ground beef zucchini casserole is a delicious, hearty, and nutritious dish with ground beef and slices of zucchini, layered with tomatoes and lots of cheese. It's a perfect low carb meal for busy weeknights or meal prep and one that the whole family will love.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 258kcal

Author Colleen Milne

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, sliced about 2 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Slice the zucchini into ½" rounds. Put the rounds in a sieve or colander over the sink or a bowl and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat.
Allow the salted zucchini to sit for 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
Rinse well under cold water to remove the excess salt. Pat dry with paper towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
Add garlic and ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, and cook, stirring often, until the meat is browned with no trace of pink, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350°
In an 8x8 baking dish, spread half of the ground beef mixture. Cover with half of the zucchini slices, then half of the mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the above steps with the remainder of the meat mixture, zucchini slices, and cheese.
Bake in the prepared oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Salt the zucchini. This may seem like an extra step, but zucchini contain a lot of water, which they release during cooking. This can result in a soggy, soupy casserole. Salting the zucchini slices before cooking will extract a lot of that water. The baked zucchini will retain their texture.

Baking pan. I use an eight inch by eight inch baking pan for this recipe, and often for lasagna and other casseroles. I like the smaller surface size which allows for deeper layers. You can use a nine inch by thirteen inch pan; however you will have to make the casserole in only one layer. You may also need to reduce the baking time.

Make ahead. You can make the meat sauce, slice the zucchini, and grate the cheese ahead of time, but it's best to assemble the casserole right before baking.

Let it rest. As with most casseroles, and lasagna, let this casserole rest before serving. It will be much easier to slice and serve.

Storage. This ground beef and zucchini casserole can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Freezing. I don't recommend freezing this casserole.

Nutrition