A couple decades of juggling family work, school, and sports schedules taught me the importance of simple healthy meals. This casserole fits that bill.
An easy meal that doesn't need a ton of ingredients is the best starting point. The flavors are cheesy and delicious without being "weird", so your picky eaters won't turn up their noses.
And unlike most casseroles, this one has no pasta or rice. This means you can serve it with some garlic bread to satisfy the carb burning soccer stars at the table and enjoy it yourself with a salad for a delicious low carb meal. Win, win and WIN!
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This fresh and savory combination is featured in my complete lineup of easy weeknight casseroles, perfect for busy evenings.
Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic (substitute with garlic powder if needed)
- Zucchini
- Ground beef (I use lean ground beef, preferable grass-fed)
- Diced tomatoes (canned)
- Tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- Shredded cheese (Italian blend)
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt + black pepper
I had a couple priorities with this casserole. Keep it high protein and 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!
How to make Zucchini Casserole
- Start by browning the onions and ground beef in a skillet using medium to medium-high heat. While that is browning, I like to slice up the zucchini. With a good 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.
- 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.
- Mix in the zucchini and Parmesan cheese, then transfer to a casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the 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.
What to Serve with Hamburger Zucchini 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!
- Alternatively, if you use a large oven safe skillet for the browning and mixing steps, you can just leave the mixture in the skillet, cover in cheese, and bake the casserole right in the skillet. Fewer dishes- always a win. 😃
- If desired, you could also finish with a few minutes under the broiler to brown the cheese on top. Browned cheese . . . mmm.
- Speaking of cheese, a dollop of ricotta cheese is another fantastic topping for this casserole!
You'll want to make this easy cheesy beef casserole a regular in your meal rotation!
Need more low carb ideas? Check out this collection of keto Blackstone recipes for even more low carb inspiration!
Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole FAQs
Absolutely! Ground turkey or chicken can be used as a leaner alternative to ground beef. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly, especially when browning, as these meats tend to cook faster.
You can easily prepare the casserole and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. This makes it a convenient option for meal prepping, especially for busy weeknights.
Zucchini contains a LOT of water! To remove it, first cut or shred the zucchini (according to the recipe you're making). Then salt it a little and place it in a colander. The salt will help draw the water out so place the colander in a sink or over a bowl to collect the water as it drains. For a final step, place the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel, wrap it, then twist and squeeze to remove the water. You'll be amazed how much water will come out!
If you'd like to see this in action, I made a brief video to demonstrate this with shredded zucchini: How to Prep Zucchini for Baking or Cooking.
The most common way to bake a casserole is to start out covered and tehn uncover to bake for the final 10-15 minutes, which helps to evaporate excess liquid and sometimes to lightly toast the topping. There are exceptions, so always check with the recipe directions for the casserole you decide to make.
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📖 Recipe
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Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole
Video
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
Instructions
- Heat oil in skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes until softened but not brown.1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion
- Add ground beef. Break up the meat and cook, stirring regularly, until fully brown, about 4-5 minutes. (Drain any excess fat at this point, if applicable)1 pound ground beef
- Add Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and minced garlic. Stir and cook for one minute.1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 3 garlic cloves
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Mix well to make a sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes.14 oz can diced tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, ½ cup water
- Add Parmesan cheese and zucchini and stir until well coated in sauce. Remove from heat.½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 pound zucchini
- Transfer mixture to a 2- to 3- quart casserole dish. Top with shredded Italian cheese.1 cup cheese
- Cover and bake in a 375F oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven and allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
If you enjoyed this zucchini and ground beef casserole, you might also like these:
- Chicken with sun-dried tomato pesto sauce
- Zucchini and corn fritters
- Zucchini and yellow squash in the microwave
- Mississippi Chicken
- Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken
- Butternut Squash Spaghetti Bake
- Keto Taco Casserole
- Air Fryer Broccoli
and check out the web story I made for this fun and delicious casserole!
Stef
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it turned out great! Lourved it as did my picky eating sister!
Sula
Awesome Stef, thank you for the kind review!
Sue
Can I use sharp cheddar cheese instead of other cheese?
Sula
yes, it will change the flavor profile somewhat but if that is what you prefer, go for it!
Anonymous
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Sula
Thanks!
Tori
First of all, there's NO WAY prep is 5 minutes! It took me that long just to peel and chop my onion.
other than that, it was delicious. A nice comfort food.
The next time I make it, I will cook the zucchini along with the onions as another commented. Then the oven time can be cut down. Thanks for sharing this. We enjoyed it!
Sula
LOL I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Elaine
My family loved this! Adding it to our dinner rotation.
Sula
Fantastic! Thank you for the kind review!
Sagatoto
I loved it.
Sula
Thank you!
Stephanie Walton
I did this I actually only had a half a pound of ground beef but it was fantastic! my sister couldn't stop talking about how good it was and healthy we put it over rice so yummy!
Sula
Yes! I'm actually making this for dinner tonight, and will probably make a little brown rice to go with it! Thank you for the kind words!
Marlene
Great flavor!!! My husband is the chef in our house but when I made this, he was very impressed! We both had seconds!
Great recipe, will defintely make this again.
Sula
Wonderful! Thanks for the kind review!
Celeste
Pretty darn and super simple. I diced up the zucchini and threw it in with the onions and burger and cooked it all together. Absolutely no need to cook it separately. Mix with seasonings and cheese, pour into greased casserole dish and you are good to go. Couldn't be any easier. This one goes into rotation.
Sula
Lovely shortcut, thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Roe Harris
This was awesome!! I changed it up a bit - instead of Italian seasoning I used rotelle. It was amazing!! I’m already thinking about when I make it again! Maybe making a double batch so I can meal prep some lunches.
Thanks so much!
Sula
Yes this would be a good meal prep dish, the leftovers reheat wonderfully! Enjoy!
martha coursey
just what i was looking for to use up my zucchini. however, i do have a question. in the ingredients you listed tomato paste but in the directions you said tomato sauce. which is correct?
thanks
Sula
Oh goodness, thank you for noticing that. It should be tomato paste - making the correction now!
martha coursey
Thanks. Know what i will be having for supper tonight!!
Sula
Enjoy!