Zucchini Tomato Casserole with Ground Beef
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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.
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.
How to Make Hamburger Zucchini Bake:
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish, layer thinly sliced zucchini, diced onion, corn, and sliced tomatoes.
- Sprinkle with sugar, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
- Top with browned, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese and bread crumbs.
- 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.
Notes About Zucchini Tomato Hamburger Casserole:
- 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.
More Summer Vegetable Recipes:
Zucchini Tomato Casserole with Ground Beef
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 zucchini, sliced thin
- 2 Tablespoons onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup frozen corn
- 1-2 tomatoes, sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 Tablespoon bread crumbs
Instructions
- Brown and drain ground beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray layer sliced zucchini so that they are overlapping and covering the entire bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle with chopped onion and frozen corn. Arrange tomato slices over the casserole.
- Sprinkle with sugar, salt, pepper and dried oregano.
- Add the cooked and drained ground beef over the casserole. Top with shredded cheese and bread crumbs.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20- 25 minutes. The casserole is done with the zucchini is fork tender and the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Be sure to season the ground beef as it is cooking with salt and pepper.
- Substitute shredded cooked chicken for ground beef, if desired.
- Make this garden casserole a side dish by omitting the ground beef totally.
- Depending on the size of your zucchini, you may need 2 if they are on the small side.
- 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!
- Cooking for one or two? Cut the recipe in half and use a smaller baking dish.
- 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.
- Love zucchini? Try it roasted with Parmesan cheese!
Nutrition
