Garden Zucchini Pizza Casserole
This is another recipe from the great arsenal that my grandma has saved over the years. This particular recipe notes that it came from Ann, who is my grandma’s cousin. I love that so many of those old recipes take full advantage of the vast bounty that came out of their gardens. And as anyone who has ever grown zucchini knows, towards the end of summer the zucchini takes off. As a result, my grandma has oodles of zucchini recipes, which I have enjoyed sharing with you throughout the summer. This last one is a delicious fusion of a vegetarian pizza and vegetarian lasagna.
You first start off with a “crust” that is made up of shredded zucchini, eggs and cheese. It bakes up like a thin little souffle.
While it’s in the oven you saute some vegetables and stir in tomato sauce.
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Spread that mixture on top of the “crust” and then top with more cheese and give it a final bake.
A delicious cross between a pizza, casserole and lasagna. A great way to get those fresh summer veggies into your next meal. It may not be the prettiest dish to photograph, but it sure is delicious!
One year ago: Lemon Bars
Two years ago: Lemon-Limoncello Cupcakes
Zucchini Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
For the "Crust":
- 4 cups (496 g) shredded zucchini
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (56.5 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup (56 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the Toppings:
- 1 pound (453.59 g) ground beef*
- 1 cup (149 g) chopped green pepper
- ½ (0.5) chopped onion
- 2 small cans mushroom stems & pieces
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) dried oregano
- 15- oz (425.24 ml) can tomato sauce
- ½ cup (56 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- 2. Sprinkle the shredded zucchini with the salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Drain well until dry (I squeeze my zucchini out in a clean kitchen towel).
- 3. Stir together the zucchini, shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses and the eggs. Once combined, spread the mixture onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until set and golden brown in spots.
- 4. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef along with the onions and pepper until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are soft. Stir in the mushrooms, garlic powder and dried oregano. Let simmer together for about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the tomato sauce.
- 5. Spoon the filling onto the prepared zucchini "crust" and top with the shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Return to the oven for an additional 10 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- *Note: Ground beef is optional. It's in the original recipe, but I made this without it because my sister is a vegetarian. If you do make it with the beef, the filling will be thicker and set up a little more, sort of like a high lasagna.
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I used to work in a tea room (I live in UK) and used to make loads of Courgette Bread (our name for Zucchini in England ) It was very popular love your recipe
This looks so good! I have some zucchini I need to use up and am so happy I found your site. Thanks for sharing! I will definitely be back!
As promised Michelle…
Zucchini Squares (mock apple crumb bars)
8 cups zucchini (peeled, seeded, cubed)
2/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon numeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cook zucchini, lemon juice and sugar together, covered until tender. Remove from heat add spices and cool
Crust
3 sticks butter or margerine
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
Mix flour and sugar and cut in butter/margerine. Put half of the mixture into 9 x 13″ greased pan and pat down. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 – 15 minutes until light golden in color. Poour colled succhini mixture over crust, crumble remaining mixture over top, sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 degrees 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it sounds delicious!
Looks great. Sounds perfect for summer
I just made this for dinner and I LOVE it! I knew I would make it as soon as I saw it this morning…I’ve been trying to decide what to do with some zucchini that was on it’s last leg and this was perfect. I used fresh mushrooms and just added them at the same time as the onions and pepper(I used a red pepper). Thanks =)
What a cool recipe! I am so loving zucchini right now and the idea of a pizza/casserole/lasagna sounds pretty darn good to me!!
Would you be able to make this and freeze or is it too messy for that ? Thanks.
Hi Eddie, I definitely think you could freeze this, it’s the perfect type of candidate for such a thing :)
Is there nothing you can’t do?! Very nice!
Michelle,
What’s on the menu for the Steeler’ game?
Ahh, nothing actually! Not even sure I’ll be able to catch the game. I’m out in the Maryland ‘burbs near DC helping to get my bf packed up and moved, we’re hoping to get out tomorrow before the big storm hits, but have no idea when I’ll be back in the ‘Burgh! What are you making?
This sounds like an “unstuffed zucchini” recipe. Love it! I can’t wait to try. Thanks. Would love to have more of those tried & true zucchini recipes. You can never have enough!
Finally a zucchini recipe I have never seen! It looks amazing! I am so going to try it this weekend. YUM!
I think this is dinner tonight thank you!
It may not be the *prettiest* to photograph but it sure turned out one of the most *tempting*
Wow this this absolutely delicious! Really…I really want to make this. I have some zucchini in my fridge right now waiting for this to happen to them haha
I might just faint. That cheese just made me go cross-eyed.
de.lish. in. my. face.
I’ve had this recipe for years (30+)….. I laughed about your comment about not being able to take a good picture. When I first made this recipe as a “new” 20 year old cook(over 30 years ago), I took great pains when serving it to make nice squares so they looked nice on the plate. Then the neighbor stopped over, and I served her a piece… the first thing she did was to take her fork and chop up the whole square, making it look like it just went thru a shredder. I guess the moral of the story is, it doesen’t matter what it looks like…. as long as it tastes good, and this recipe is a winner!!!
I have another recipe that came from the same recipe book (very old), and its for mock apple crumb bars… they use a ton of zucchini, and my zucchini hating brother ate and loved them for years, until we told him they were made with zucchini……let me know if you’d like the recipe, it’s delicious!
Oooh I would love the recipe for mock apple crumb bars! My mom has a ton of zucchini to use up so I’ve been trying all of my grandma’s, but I’m running out! Thank you!
I’m at work, and the recipe is at home, but I’ll forward it as soon as I get home.
It will use up all your zucchini and then some.
How timely! This will be what’s for supper tonight! Thanks. Now if you can just help me out with cucumbers I’ll be all set.
You could always try the bread and butter pickles! https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/08/25/bread-and-butter-pickles/
this is so creative! i love zucchini on pizza…only makes sense that it would make a great base!
This is such a different recipe – love it! I would try it both ways and I bet it would be good – with the ground beef and without for a meatless option. Great weeknight option!
I remember the last zuchinni recipe from your grandmother – this looks like another winner, though I’d have to opt for non-canned mushrooms.
This sounds amazing and is such a unique idea!
This looks great :D and I’m taking it as a coincidence that I just happen to have all of the ingredients on hand…
What a great recipe from your grandma’s collection! Definitely saving this to make.
Looks so good, my family loves zucchini so I bet they would love this. I didn’t see how much tomato sauce to use?
Oops! I will go up and edit that. It’s a 15-oz can.
What an interesting idea and I love how many veggies you can include! I’ll see if I can smuggle it past my boyfriend ;)
This looks great. How much and what kind of tomato sauce do you use?
Hi Hannah, So sorry I forgot the quantity, I will edit that now. It’s a 15-oz can. Brand doesn’t matter; I usually buy Contadina.
Love this idea! Yum!
Your grandmother’s recipe sounds delicious. I love the simplicity of it too…a great way to get your veggies!
Do you think I can use something else besides eggs in the crust?
I’ve never tried it with anything else. Do you have an allergy, or…?
looks great! must make it!!!!