Baked zucchini, tomato, and mozzarella casserole is a wonderful and simple dish that you can enjoy year round. This easy-to-make recipe combines fresh vegetables and creamy cheese for a satisfying meal that’s perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a special vegetarian side dish.
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This casserole brings together the fresh flavors of zucchini and tomatoes with the richness of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. With minimal prep and cook time, it’s an ideal dish for those busy nights when you still want something nutritious and tasty on the table. The recipe is designed to be easy, flavorful, and a favorite for home cooks everywhere.
It tastes the best when zucchini is in season, but you can make it anytime you have access to this beautiful vegetable. Healthy and simple to make, this recipe is also a wonderful option for vegetarians and not only.
You got zucchini from the Farmer Market and don't know what to do with it? This recipe is for you. I love zucchini, and this is such a summer item that it needs to be cooked while still in season.
Ingredients
- Zucchini: They have to be washed and sliced. Do not peel them. The skin gives them structure and texture, and it has a lot of fiber, which is good for you.
- Garlic cloves: Crush them or chop them finely
- Garlic powder: Optional for extra flavor
- Fresh mozzarella: slices of it
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste- you are the boss on that.
- Butter: I prefer unsalted.
- Fresh chopped parsley
How To Make
Step 1. Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking.
Step 2. Prep the Vegetables: Wash the zucchini and tomatoes thoroughly. Slice the zucchini into rounds and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mix gently to coat. Repeat this step with the sliced tomatoes.
Step 3. Prepare the Baking Dish: Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish. Start layering the zucchini slices in the dish, alternating with slices of mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Arrange them so that the slices overlap in a neat row pattern.
Step 4. Initial Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
Step 5. Add More Flavor: Remove the dish from the oven and add the crushed garlic and shredded cheddar cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Step 6. Serve: Once done, remove the casserole from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve it hot. It's quite simple if you ask me, and oh, so delicious!
Expert Tip
To ensure even cooking, try to slice the zucchini and tomatoes uniformly. This step will help them cook at the same rate and give your casserole a beautiful look.
What To Serve With Baked Zucchini Tomato and Mozzarella Casserole
I served this casserole with roasted chicken, but it goes perfectly with grilled meats or just simply by itself, maybe with a delicious salad that you enjoy, a side of garlic bread, or a light pasta dish.
Try to pair it with my No breaded fried chicken or Chicken Breast Schnitzel.
How To Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, use the microwave in 30-second intervals or warm it up on the stove with a little water or broth to prevent it from drying out. I do not recommend freezing this casserole, as it can affect the texture of the vegetables.
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- Tomato and Zucchini Summer Soup
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📖 Recipe
Baked Zucchini Tomato and Mozzarella Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini sliced
- 3-4 medium tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 slices of fresh mozzarella
- 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Wash the zucchini and tomatoes. Slice the zucchini into rounds and place them in a bowl.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper and a little bit of garlic powder over them and mix gently to coat the vegetables. Set aside.
- Repeat the step with the sliced tomatoes.
- Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish and arrange the zucchini slices in the dish, alternating with slices of mozzarella cheese and tomato, so that the slices overlap each other in a neat row pattern.
- Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
- Remove and add the crushed garlic and the shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Serve hot with fresh chopped parsley on top.
Nutrition
Article was published in July 2017 and revisited in June 2024 with new text and new images.
Hope Kerrigan says
This looks like a wonderful dish that my family would love! Your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons butter but then the butter is not mentioned in the directions. When do you use the butter? Many thanks!!
The Bossy Kitchen says
The butter is used for the pan. In the instructions you have this: “ Butter an 8x8-inch glass baking dish and arrange the slices of zucchini in the dish, alternating with slices of mozzarella cheese and tomato, so that the slices overlap each other in a neat row pattern.“. I hope you try it. It is a humble, but very good dish.
Parvati Devi says
I made it tonight. It was delicious. I did change it a bit, in what i put on the zucchini slices, added nutritional yeast flakes and herbsl salt to the coating, I had some fresh mozzarella cheese which was tasty, but made the casserole more liquid than I would have liked. So the sliced mozzarella would probably work better. But it was lovely! And so simple to make. Thank you.