How To Make A Zucchini Tomato Casserole With Ground Beef

Zucchini Tomato Casserole with Ground Beef is a simple summer garden vegetable bake that is light and fresh without a heavy sauce to weigh you down. Our version features zucchini, onion, corn and tomatoes, but yours can be individualized to your own personal taste.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole with Ground Beef Recipe

I love this summer veggie bake. My mom’s friend, Nita, gave the recipe to her and Mom shared it with me several years ago. We both lost the recipe until recently. I rediscovered it in an old cookbook of mine where I store my favorite recipes.

Mom loves how light and fresh the ingredients are which makes it perfect for a hot summer night when she doesn’t want anything heavy for dinner. My favorite part about it is how versatile it is. By adding hamburger (or shredded chicken), it’s a main course, or omit the protein and serve as a side dish along my favorite grilled pork steak.

This version of zucchini tomato casserole with hamburger contains zucchini, onion, corn and tomatoes; however, Nita often makes hers with diced pepper and sliced mushrooms. The options are limitless for this garden casserole.

Zucchini Ground Beef Casserole

I also love how it doesn’t take long in the oven, only around 20 minutes or so. Once the zucchini is fork tender and the cheese is melted, the zucchini bake is done. Be sure to slice the zucchini thin so that it cooks up quickly. I like my cheese a little brown around the edges so I might cook it a bit longer or turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes before taking it out of the oven.

Mom also noted that you can do multiple layers of vegetables if you’d like instead of just one like we did. And, feel free to cut the recipe in half if you’re only cooking for one or two.

Ingredient List

• Ground Beef, cooked and crumbled
• Sliced zucchini
• Diced onion
• Corn Kernals
• Tomato slices
• Sugar
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Dried oregano
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Bread crumbs

How to Make Hamburger Zucchini Bake

Step By Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In the prepared dish, layer thinly sliced zucchini, diced onion, corn, and sliced tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle mixture with sugar, salt, black pepper and dried oregano.
4. Top with browned, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese and bread crumbs.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until veggies are fork tender.

For the full recipe for Garden Vegetable Casserole, scroll to the bottom of this post. 

Recipe FAQs

• Be sure to season the ground beef as it is cooking with salt and pepper. Want to make dinner easier? Try making your ground beef in bulk ahead of time in your slow cooker. Check out Beyer Beware’s post.
• Substitute shredded cooked chicken for ground beef, if desired.
• Make this garden casserole a side dish by omitting the ground beef totally.
• Sugar can be completely omitted, if desired.
• Add any of your favorite vegetables to this garden vegetable casserole. Diced peppers and sliced mushrooms are great options.
• Any type of shredded cheese would work. Be creative!
• If you don’t like your cheese to be crispy around the edges, turn down the temperature to 350 degrees F, and cover with foil before baking.
• Cooking for one or two? Cut the recipe in half and use a smaller baking dish.

Recipe Variations

• Use ground turkey or ground pork sausage as a substitute for hamburger, or omit meat completely for a vegetarian option.
• Yellow squash can be substituted for zucchini.
• I love oregano in this recipe; however, thyme, basil or parsley are acceptable substitutes. For the most flavor, garnish with fresh herbs such as fresh basil before serving.
• For added heat, add red pepper flakes or a splash of Tabasco.
• Add minced fresh garlic for added flavor.
• Any type of cheese will work. Try cheddar cheese.
• Use crushed crackers, panko or cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs.

More Summer Vegetable Recipes:

Old Fashioned Stewed Tomatoes

Roasted Summer Veggies

Mom’s Cucumbers and Onions