Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Recipe- Are you looking for the perfect way to take simple ingredients and make incredible comfort food? Then look no further than our zucchini bake recipe. We're always looking for a way to put that extra zucchini to good use, so this easy side dish does that quite impressively!
This "zucchini lasagna" is a perfect low carb side dish. A delicious cheesy zucchini casserole is a great recipe for any time of year, but it's especially one of our favorite ways to utilize fresh zucchini during the summer months when they are so plentiful. In addition, it makes the perfect side dish for any occasion any time of year!
Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables since it is so versatile. So, if you're looking for zucchini recipes, we've got them! How about peach zucchini bread, (one of our most popular recipes), apple zucchini bread, zucchini brownies, and even savory black bean and zucchini quesadillas. Come back often, since we are always making new recipes!
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What You're Going to Need!
We love how this recipe uses such simple ingredients, found at your grocery store or in your pantry!
- Zucchini - sliced in full rounds, we've found that medium zucchini or even small ones are superior in flavor to large ones that have a lot of excess water.
- Onion - we thin sliced yellow onion for this recipe, as they get nice and golden brown so easily.
- White cheddar - shredded cheese melts more evenly.
- Applewood Smoked Bacon - adds great flavor to this easy zucchini casserole. Make sure to cut the bacon into strips.
- Worcestershire sauce -adds the perfect zip and umami to this cheesy zucchini gratin.
See recipe card for quantities.
Recipe
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 4000℉
- Measure and slice the zucchini, onion, and the bacon.
- Heat the cast iron skillet on high heat. Add the sliced bacon pieces and reduce the heat to medium high.
- Cook the bacon until crispy and golden. Remove the bacon from the pan and place it on a plate with paper towels to drain the fat.
- Carefully swirl the bacon fat around the skillet coating the sides.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add the onions. Cook the onions for a few minutes, then add the Worcestershire sauce and using the tongs stir to coat.
- Cook the onions until golden brown, then remove them from the pan placing them on the plate with the bacon.
- Return the pan to low heat and place ½ of the zucchini rounds evenly in the bottom of the pan. Season them with ½ of the salt and pepper.
- Layer ½ of the cooked bacon on the top of the zucchini. Then layer the cooked onions, followed by the shredded white cheddar. Turn off the heat.
- Continue layering the remaining zucchini season them with salt and pepper. Then top it off with the remaining white cheddar and bacon pieces.
- Place the skillet into the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and melted. Allow to rest for a few minutes and enjoy!
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!One Pan Cooking
Cooking in a large skillet that can then go straight into a hot oven is a great way to cook. Cooking in a single pan not only reduces the amount of washing up, but it's elegant and simple in the way that all of the flavors are just right there. If you don't own a cast iron pan or a skillet with a handle that can withstand a high temperature, easy recipes like this one can be done by transferring to a baking dish Zucchini naturally has so much water, that maintaining a high temperature really is the best way to keep this amazing side dish from coming out too watery. Make sure that your casserole dish has a little time in the oven before layering the zucchini slices and the other ingredients, and this should help with this.
How to Make this Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake
Casserole
- Heat a medium sized cast iron pan or a heavy bottom pan that's oven safe over medium high heat, then add the bacon.
- Turn down to medium-low heat and cook the bacon until evenly crispy and brown.
- Remove the bacon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Reserve the bacon fat in the pan. Return the pan to medium heat and add the sliced onions.
5. Cook the onions for a few minutes over medium heat, then add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to coat.
6. Continue to cook the onions on medium to low heat until they are evenly brown.
7. Remove the onions from the pan and set them aside on a plate.
8. Layer the zucchini rounds into the pan over medium-low heat, then season with salt and black pepper.
9. Add a little bit of the cooked bacon.
10. Add the cooked onions and turn the heat to low.
11. Add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese
, reserving some for the top layer making sure there is lots of cheese throughout the layers.
12. Layer the rest of the zucchini slices
and season with salt and black pepper. Top off the zucchini with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese and cooked bacon. Place into a preheated 400-degree F oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling!
Chef Tip
Whether you are using zucchini or another type of summer squash, make sure the slices are evenly sliced, using a food processor will help with keeping the slices even. This will ensure that the zucchini will cook evenly.
Substitutions & Variations
- Dairy free - use your favorite dairy free cheese substitute.
- Vegetarian - the Worcestershire sauce can be replaced with a plant-based Worcestershire sauce. And the bacon left out of the recipe.
- Cheese - you can use gruyere cheese, parmesan cheese, or mozzarella cheese will work in place of the cheddar cheese.
- Squash - we used zucchini; however, yellow squash or any variety of summer squash will work.
- Bacon - if you can't find apple wood smoked bacon any bacon will work!
Storage & Helpful Hints
Don't add salt to the pan when cooking the onions. The salt will release the water in the onions preventing them from browning properly. This easy cheesy zucchini bake is best served hot from the oven. But leftover zucchini casserole can be cooled down and placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To re-heat, place it into a preheated oven set for 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until heated through the center.
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FAQ
Absolutely! You can add another cheese to the mix. We would recommend adding a hard cheese like Asiago, and a melty mozzarella cheese
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