Harvest Italian Zucchini Casserole

This tasty zucchini casserole is perfect for any night of the week. It’s made with fresh, delicious ingredients and it only takes minutes to prepare before popping into the oven. Just a few steps and you’ll have a home-cooked meal that your whole family will love.

Serve this casserole at your next potluck or family gathering and you’ll be sure to impress your guests. They won’t believe how easy it was to make such an amazing dish.

image looking down on oval white baking dish filled with casserole topped with croutons

What Do I Serve This Casserole With?

There are so many things that will go great with a casserole. Since this is a vegetable casserole, you can pair it with almost any protein. I love cooking this casserole with different styles of chicken. Whether it is baked chicken breast or thighs or fried chicken. Pork chops or pork loin is another option. Of course, you can always go with steak or ground beef.

One of my favorite meals is to make this zucchini casserole and serve it alongside our Italian chicken casserole. Tons of cheesy goodness in both dishes plus chicken and vegetables make the ultimate flavor-packed meal.

This casserole pairs well with a variety of side dishes. Try serving it with a tossed salad, roasted vegetables, or some crusty bread. Another option, you could also serve it over some cooked pasta or rice.

white oval baking dish of casserole topped with croutons and black spoon in casserole

Ingredients

1 medium red onion
2 medium zucchini
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 red bell pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups Italian seasoned croutons

white bowls of vegetables and spices on gray table

Kitchen Tools You May Needed

Tip: When chopping multiple vegetables at once, you may want to invest in a vegetable chopper to speed up the process while still getting even and precise knife cuts.

gray table with white dish of Italian harvest zucchini casserole

How to Make a Zucchini Casserole

Start by chopping all of your vegetables before you begin cooking. I prefer to use mise en place to prepare my meals because it makes it easier to just add to the skillet or pan as I go rather than stopping to cut or slice something. Once all of your ingredients are prepped, then preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and spray your baking dish with non-stick spray.

In a large skillet (non-stick is best), heat the olive oil over medium heat. To the skillet, add the chopped onions and bell pepper. Cook these, stirring regularly, for 4 to 5 minutes until they are beginning to soften.

red peppers and onions in black skillet on hot plate

Add in the sliced or chopped mushrooms at this point. Stir them in and cook for another 5 minutes, making sure you stir them regularly. The mushrooms should be browned, softened, and reduced in size.

Now, add in the chopped zucchini or summer squash and cook the mixture for another 5-minutes. Stir regularly to prevent burning and make sure everything is evenly cooked.

zucchini on top of peppers and mushrooms in black skillet on hot plate

Next, add in the halved cherry tomatoes along with ½ of the salt and ½ of the black pepper. Stir in the dried oregano and then remove the mixture from the stovetop. You can go ahead and put half of the vegetable mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.

Now, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, basil, and the remaining salt and black pepper.

Spread this cheese mixture over ½ of the vegetables in the baking dish.

Top with the other half of the cooked vegetables.

round oval white baking dish of cooked vegetables

Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of this, then top with the croutons or bread crumbs.

Cover with foil or a lid, and then bake for 20 minutes until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

round white plate of zucchini casserole on gray table

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Squash Instead of Zucchini?

One thing I love is that zucchini is easily interchangeable with summer squash. The flavors are very similar and so are the textures. You can use other squash as well, although this can be a different texture as well as cooking times. So when you swap for another squash, make sure to adjust for the change in cooking time and watch it carefully.

Is Zucchini Casserole Vegan?

This zucchini casserole is not vegan. While it doesn't have meat in it, it does have cheese. The cheese is not vegan. If you want to make this a vegan casserole, you can change the cheese for a vegan, nondairy substitute. Another choice is to skip the cheese completely.

If you want to serve this as a vegetarian choice, remember that Parmesan cheese is not vegetarian. Substitute with Manchego cheese for a similar flavor that fits a vegetarian diet.

What Bread Should I Use On Top of This Casserole?

The bread topping is one of my favorite parts of this zucchini casserole. I would recommend using large Italian seasoned croutons to top it because I love that they are already seasoned and it adds so much flavor. However, you can also use crispy bread cubes. I prefer to use Italian or sourdough for the best texture and flavor. To make the bread crispy, I like to drizzle it with olive oil and bake it in the oven for a few minutes.

white casserole dish of Italian zucchini casserole

More Easy Vegetable Casseroles

If you want to fill out your menu with more tasty vegetable side dishes that are also casseroles, look no further. I have some great ideas below that are sure to become new family favorites. Easy to prepare, delicious, and of course, packed with flavor. Make sure that you bookmark these recipes, print out the recipes you want to try or pin them to a board on Pinterest so they are handy when you are ready to prepare them.

Yield: 8