Description
A comforting and flavorful Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole that’s perfect for a cozy family dinner. Layers of seasoned ground beef, tender zucchini, and a cheesy topping, baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Ground Beef:
- 1 lb ground beef (lean preferred)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Casserole:
- 2 medium zucchini, diced or sliced
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (for spice)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Brown ground beef in a skillet, drain excess fat, then add onion, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Zucchini: Sauté zucchini in olive oil until tender.
- Assemble the Casserole: Layer zucchini, beef mixture, and cheese in a baking dish.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until golden.
- Cool and Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- You can customize this casserole by adding other vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms.
- For a lighter version, use ground turkey instead of beef.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 660mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: Ground Beef, Zucchini, Casserole, Cheesy, Easy, Family Dinner
