Name: Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking); 1 onion (medium yellow, chopped); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 pound ground beef; 14 oz can diced tomatoes; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup water; ½ cup Parmesan cheese (shredded); 1 pound zucchini (sliced); 1 cup cheese (Italian blend)

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I have one more recipe for all you gardeners with a zucchini surplus. This time, I combined the zucchini with ground beef to make a casserole.

Because we all need easy dinner recipes for busy weeknights!

And, when you can make something with delicious traditional flavors but make it a little more healthy, it feels like such a win!

No simple carbs, just lots of veggies and burger.

My 2 favorite words: easy and cheesy!

🥘 Ingredients

I had a couple priorities with this casserole. Keep it low carb was one, so that means no rice or pasta. I also wanted to avoid using a can of soup, but still wanted a simple ingredient list. I was delighted when I was able to accomplish all these goals.

The primary ingredients are of course ground beef and zucchini. The “sauce” is a can of diced tomatoes and a half can of tomato paste.

To give the dish a little Italian flavor, I add onion, garlic, Italian seasonings and, of course, cheese. Because there’s no such thing as too much cheese!

Zucchini casserole with ground beef in a white bowl

How to make this ground beef zucchini casserole

Start by browning the onions and ground beef. While that is browning, I like to slice up the zucchini. With a food processor this is about a one-minute job, but it can certainly be done by hand. Just try to get the slices as evenly thin as possible so they all cook at the same speed.

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Once the meat is brown, add the garlic and seasonings. Then add the can of diced tomatoes, the tomato paste, and water. Mix well to make a sauce and to fully incorporate the meat. Simmer this mixture for about 10 minutes.

zucchini added to skillet with beef mixture — Make the meat sauce in skillet

casserole ingredients stirred — Make the meat sauce in skillet

Mix in the zucchini and Parmesan cheese, then transfer to a casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

🍲 How to serve this casserole

Because the zucchini will release water when heated, this does end up being a little “soupy” in texture. It makes a fantastic bowl meal!

I eat it just as is, to keep my carbs in check. But it is also great with a side of rice or noodles (or zoodles!) if you want to round out the meal a little more.

If you want less liquid in the casserole, you could bake uncovered for the whole time to promote evaporation. Use a larger (deeper!) casserole dish for this to minimize the sauce from bubbling too much and making a mess in the oven!

If desired, you could also finish with a few minutes under the broiler to brown the cheese on top. Browned cheese . . . mmm.

pin for zucchini and ground beef casserole

You’ll want to make this easy casserole a regular in your meal rotation!

zucchini ground beef casserole in a small white bowl sitting on a white napkin

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