Zucchini Casserole With Ground Beef is a healthy low carb zucchini and beef recipe that's similar to zucchini lasagna. This layered zucchini ground beef casserole is made with zucchini zoodles, marinara sauce, ground beef, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil, and spices. This zucchini casserole with meat will surely be added to your weekly dinner rotation.
Beef Zucchini Casserole is popular all year long, but it's especially popular during the Summer and Fall months when zucchini is at it's peak. Need even more zucchini in your life? Try my Zucchini Boats With Ground Turkey and try my Asparagus Puff Pastry which is super popular. Want more dinner inspiration? Is Orange Chicken Healthy makes a wonderful, easy dinner option. Beef burrito bowls also make a great dinner idea when you want something yummy and comforting.
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- 💚 Ingredients for Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef
- 💚 How to Make Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole Recipes
- Zucchini Casserole with Hamburger
- 💚 This Meaty Zucchini Dish Will Please Everyone
- Questions For Meaty Zucchini Casserole
- 💚 Grab More Dinner Recipes Here
- 💚 Pin This Recipe For Later
- 📖 Recipe
- Questions For Meaty Zucchini Casserole
- 💬 Comments
💚 Ingredients for Zucchini Casserole with Ground Beef
What you'll need for ground beef zucchini casserole
- zucchini zoodles sliced thinly lengthwise
- Olive Oil
- Ground Beef
- Black Pepper
- Himalayan Sea-Salt divided. (Part of this is to draw the excess moisture from the zucchini (see instructions below.)
- Garlic
- Italian Seasoning
- Red Onion
- Black Olives
- Ricotta Cheese
- Egg
- Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
- Marinara Sauce spaghetti sauce
- Tomatoes
- Basil
- Parmesan cheese
- Casserole dish
See recipe card below for quantities
💚 How to Make Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole Recipes
Instructions for zucchini and ground beef casserole
This recipe is super easy to make and makes great leftovers!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2: Grease an 8-inch baking dish with the 1-tablespoon olive oil. You can do this by using an oil brush or a paper towel.
Step 3: Slice the ends off the zucchini. Then slice down the middle lengthwise into thin slices.
Roll out some paper towels on the counter and lay the zucchini onto the paper towels. Sprinkle the zucchini with sea salt to draw out the excess moisture.
Let the zucchini rest for 15 minutes and prep the meat sauce for zucchini casserole.
Zucchini Casserole with Hamburger
Step 4: In a saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped garlic, ground turkey, 1 cup fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt, and black pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the meat is browned. Add the fresh diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce to the meat and simmer on low for 5 more minutes.
Step 5: While the sauce is simmering, prep the ricotta cheese. Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and some more black pepper in a bowl and mix well until combined.
Step 6: Make a layer of zucchini slices in the prepared baking dish. Spread a layer of the meat sauce on top of the zucchini. Next, spread a layer of ricotta cheese. Sprinkle some black olives on top of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of zucchini slices, and repeat the above steps. Cover the top layer with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1-cup Parmesan cheese and more olive slices. Now you've got prepared zucchini casserole!
Step 7: Bake zucchini casserole at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the top is nice and golden. Let cool for 5 minutes and garnish with more fresh basil.
💚 This Meaty Zucchini Dish Will Please Everyone
This meaty zucchini casserole casserole ground beef made with love is perfect just as it is, but here are some swaps. This delicious Zucchini hamburger casserole is made with care.
Swaps For zucchini casserole with ground beef and spaghetti sauce
- Instead of ricotta cheese, you could use cream cheese
- Add some sour cream for a zesty flavor!
- Swap in cheddar cheese instead of Mozzarella cheese, or even better, use both!
- Cook your spaghetti sauce in a cast iron skillet for even more meat flavor
Questions For Meaty Zucchini Casserole
This low carb casserole easy zucchini casserole takes minimal time and is popular year-round. Bonus, it makes great leftovers and freezes well!
Can zucchini and squash be used interchangeably in recipes?
- Yes! Zucchini and squash are very similar so they can be used interchangeably in recipes.
Does zucchini casserole freeze well?
- Yes, it freezes very well and also stores well in a glass, airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
How long should I pan cook ground beef in spaghetti sauce?
- Cook the ground beef first for at-least 10 minutes and then add it the spaghetti sauce and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, but longer is better because it adds even more flavor. The famous Italian saying is, the longer it simmers, the better it tastes!
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💚 Pin This Recipe For Later
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Casserole With Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini sliced thinly lengthwise
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 quarter cup Himalayan Sea-Salt divided. (Part of this is to draw the excess moisture from the zucchini (see instructions below.)
- ¼ cup fresh chopped garlic
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- 8 ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup fresh tomatoes diced
- 1 bunch fresh basil chopped
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
- Grease an 8-inch baking dish with the 1-tablespoon olive oil. You can do this by using an oil brush or a paper towel.
- Slice the ends off the zucchini, then slice the zucchini down the middle lengthwise into thin slices. Roll out some paper towels on the counter and lay the zucchini onto the paper towels. Sprinkle the zucchini with sea-salt to draw out the excess moisture. Let the zucchini rest for 15-minutes and prep the meat sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the chopped garlic, ground turkey, 1-cup fresh basil, 1-teaspoon of Himalayan sea salt, and black pepper and simmer for 10-minutes or until the meat is browned.
- Add the fresh diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce to the meat and simmer on low for 5-more minutes.
- While the sauce is simmering, prep the ricotta cheese. Combine the ricotta cheese, egg, and some more black pepper in a bowl and mix well until combined.
- Make a layer of zucchini slices in the prepared baking dish. Spread a layer of the meat sauce on top of the zucchini. Next, spread a layer of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle some black olives on top of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle a layer of mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of zucchini slices, and repeat the above steps. Cover the top layer with the remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle the top with 1-cup Parmesan cheese and more olive slices.
- Bake at 375-degrees for 30-40-minutes or until the top is nice and golden.
- Let cool for 5-minutes and garnish with more fresh basil.
Notes
Swaps For zucchini casserole with ground beef and spaghetti sauce
- Instead of ricotta cheese, you could use cream cheese
- Add some sour cream for a zesty flavor!
- Swap in cheddar cheese instead of Mozzarella cheese, or even better, use both!
- Cook your spaghetti sauce in a cast iron skillet for even more meat flavor
Questions For Meaty Zucchini Casserole
This low carb casserole easy zucchini casserole takes minimal time and is popular year-round. Bonus, it makes great leftovers and freezes well! Can zucchini and squash be used interchangeably in recipes?- Yes! Zucchini and squash are very similar so they can be used interchangeably in recipes.
- Yes, it freezes very well and also stores well in a glass, airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Cook the ground beef first for at-least 10 minutes and then add it the spaghetti sauce and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, but longer is better because it adds even more flavor. The famous Italian saying is, the longer it simmers, the better it tastes!
Stephanie
Delicious recipe for Zucchini casserole with ground beef. Adding this to my recipe box!
Genevieve
Thanks Stephanie! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Juyali
This casserole was so hearty and full of flavor, my family loved it and the leftovers were even better the next day!
Andrea
I really liked how light this casserole is, but still kept me full. It was just what I needed for a weeknight dinner.
Ieva
Delicious, filling and really quick to put together. Loved it for dinner, and can't wait to make more of it when I have my own zucchini growing in the garden in the summer time.
Sonja
I love recipes that feel like a cheat day, but have lots of protein and are low carb! This is Zucchini casserole was incredible for my weekly meal prep. Came together quickly and vanished even quicker.
Cris
I made this zucchini casserole with ground beef and it turned out hearty and comforting—great for a weeknight dinner. Simple, filling, and a good way to use up extra zucchini.