This Italian Baked Zucchini is just as cheesy and delicious as lasagna but with added nutrients! You’ll love this healthy zucchini bake on days when you’re craving a comforting meal that’s not quite as heavy as regular pasta dishes. Bonus – your kids won’t mind eating veggies with this delicious zucchini dish since it’s so flavorful.
This cheesy Italian baked zucchini is a great dish for days when you want an easy recipe to toss in the oven. It’s also the perfect recipe for sneaking more veggies into your (and your kids’) diets. With delicious cheese and marinara layers, it’s difficult to tell there’s zucchini packed into this recipe.
Don’t worry if you have leftover zucchini; you can make other recipes to help use it up, like Creamy Zucchini Risotto or Bacon Zucchini Fritters.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cheesy – This delightful Italian baked zucchini recipe has mozzarella as a top layer to help create a cheesy, delicious dish.
- Savory – The cheese, sausage, and marinara sauce all work together to create a tasty flavor.
- Kid-friendly – Even though it has zucchini, kids love this recipe since it tastes similar to lasagna and other pasta dishes.
- Perfect for gloomy days – With its cheesy, golden topping, this comforting dish is the perfect recipe to reach for in wintertime or rainy days.
- Great for guests and family meals – This recipe is easy to double or triple, so you can easily feed quite a few people.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Pasta Sauce: A good quality sauce is essential for this Italian baked zucchini. So much of the flavor comes from the sauce, making it important to spring for a high-quality option. Typically, good pasta sauce has simple ingredients listed, such as tomatoes and flavorful spices.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Italian Baked Zucchini
Quick Overview
- Sprinkle zucchini with salt.
- Brown the sausage.
- Remove the sausage.
- Add the sausage to the baking dish.
- Add the sauce and seasoning to the baking dish.
- Pat zucchini dry.
- Pan-fry zucchini.
- Layer zucchini in a baking dish.
- Combine topping ingredients.
- Layer mozzarella and topping in the dish.
- Bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Remove as much moisture from the zucchini as possible.
Step 1: In a large bowl or on a baking sheet, sprinkle the zucchini on all sides with the salt. Toss so it is completely coated. Let this sit while you prepare the sauce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2: In a large skillet, over medium heat, sauté the sausage until it is brown and cooked through. Be sure to use your spoon to break it up into small bits as it cooks.
Step 3: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a 9 x 13 baking dish, allowing the excess grease to drain into the skillet. Save the grease and the skillet for Step 6.
Step 4: Add the jar of sauce and the Italian seasoning to the baking dish. Stir to combine with the sausage.
Step 5: Using paper towels, pat the zucchini completely dry.
Step 6: Heat the skillet of grease over medium heat. There should be about 2 Tablespoons or so left from the meat. Add a neutral oil if needed. Place about half of the zucchini in the skillet and allow them to fry on each side for a few minutes or until brown.
Broil the last few minutes to create a crispy topping.
Step 7: Remove the zucchini from the skillet, allowing excess oil to drip off each piece. Place directly into the baking dish with the meat sauce. Repeat this process with the remaining zucchini. Nestle them into the sauce.
Step 8: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the panko, butter, and garlic. Set aside.
Step 9: Arrange the mozzarella slices on top of the zucchini evenly across the baking dish. Sprinkle the panko mixture on top of the mozzarella.
Step 10: Bake for 12-15 minutes. Broil for a couple of minutes, watching closely, to brown the top if desired.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
This Italian baked zucchini is a great standalone dish. Either way, I recommend topping it with fresh herbs or additional cheese for a flavor boost. Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite toppings and sides to pair with this baked zucchini parmesan dish.
Toppings:
- Parmesan
- Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, etc.)
- Chili flakes/Red pepper flakes
Sides:
- Garlic Bread in the Air Fryer
- Cheesy Garlic Herb Butter Rolls
- Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls
- Easy Rustic Bread
Expert Tips
- Remove excess moisture by salting and frying the zucchini before baking. This note is a key step in making traditional Italian zucchini recipes. You’ll be left with a watery, unappetizing dish if you do not remove the moisture.
- Avoid overstuffing the baking dish. As the zucchini dish bakes, the sauce and cheese will bubble up. If you pack the ingredients into the dish to the top, you’ll likely have spillage and a messy oven when it’s done baking. If leftover ingredients exist, you can create a second batch with a smaller baking dish or metal bread pan. Note: this smaller batch will likely cook more quickly, so you will need to check it periodically.
- Do not put raw sausage into the baking dish. It’s necessary to brown the sausage before putting it into the baking dish. Otherwise, you’ll have raw/undercooked meat in the Italian baked zucchini.
Additions & Variations
- Ground Turkey/Chicken – If you’d like to swap out the sausage for a leaner protein, you can use ground turkey or chicken instead. It’s important to note that leaner meats can come out drier while cooking, so it will change the dish’s consistency slightly.
- Extra Vegetables – You can make this Italian zucchini pie more nutritious by chopping up vegetables like bell peppers and carrots and adding them to the sauce. It’s best to cook these vegetables first so they’re not crunchy when you bite into the zucchini marinara bake.
- More Cheese – While this recipe has mozzarella in it already, you can boost the flavor even more by adding other cheese like freshly grated parmesan cheese, ricotta, and asiago to the dish.
- Leftovers – This baked zucchini with tomato sauce can be refrigerated for up to three days. Pack the leftovers in an airtight container for the freshest flavor. You can also pack servings in separate containers for easier meal prep during the week.
Recipe FAQs
The key to avoiding mushy Italian baked zucchini is removing as much moisture as possible and frying them in olive oil (or neutral oil) before tossing them in the oven. These methods will help keep your zucchini intact and less mushy than using raw/fresh zucchini.
No, you do not need to peel zucchini for baked zucchini recipes. Many of the nutrients in zucchini are found in the skin. You will need to wash the outside of the zucchini well before slicing it to get rid of dirt and other particles.
The best way to keep zucchini crisp or firmer when cooking is to salt the zucchini slices and pat them dry. Removing the moisture means less water will come out as the zucchini bakes, so it’s more likely the zucchini will be crisp or less mushy (depending on whether you’re simply baking zucchini strips or adding it into a saucy dish).
Unfortunately, zucchini does not freeze well since it has high water content. The best option is to use up extra zucchini by making zucchini fritters.
More Italian Recipes
Shop my Amazon Storefront!
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or comment! I always appreciate your feedback. Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
Italian Baked Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds zucchini (about 3-4 zucchini), quartered & halved crosswise
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or hot
- 24-ounce jar pasta sauce*
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl or on a baking sheet, sprinkle the zucchini on all sides with the salt. Toss so it is completely coated. Let this sit while you prepare the sauce. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.1.5 pounds zucchini (about 3-4 zucchini), quartered & halved crosswise, 1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt*
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, sauté the sausage until it is brown and cooked through. Be sure to use your spoon to break it up into small bits as it cooks.1 pound ground Italian sausage, mild or hot
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a 9 x 13 baking dish, allowing the excess grease to drain into the skillet. Save the grease and the skillet for Step 6.
- Add the jar of sauce and the Italian seasoning to the baking dish. Stir to combine with the sausage.24-ounce jar pasta sauce*, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Using paper towels, pat the zucchini completely dry.
- Heat the skillet of grease over medium heat. There should be about 2 Tablespoons or so left from the meat. Add a neutral oil if needed. Place about half of the zucchini in the skillet and allow them to fry on each side for a few minutes or until brown.
- Remove the zucchini from the skillet, allowing excess oil to drip off each piece. Place directly into the baking dish with the meat sauce. Repeat this process with the remaining zucchini. Nestle them into the sauce.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the panko, butter, and garlic. Set aside.1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, 2 Tablespoons salted butter, melted, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Arrange the mozzarella slices on top of the zucchini evenly across the baking dish. Sprinkle the panko mixture on top of the mozzarella.12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
- Bake for 12-15 minutes. Broil for a couple of minutes, watching closely, to brown the top if desired.
Notes
- Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
- Pasta Sauce: A good quality sauce is essential for this Italian baked zucchini. So much of the flavor comes from the sauce, making it important to spring for a high-quality option. Typically, good pasta sauce has simple ingredients listed, such as tomatoes and flavorful spices.
- Remove excess moisture by salting and frying the zucchini before baking. This note is a key step in making traditional Italian zucchini recipes. You’ll be left with a watery, unappetizing dish if you do not remove the moisture.
- Avoid overstuffing the baking dish. As the zucchini dish bakes, the sauce and cheese will bubble up. If you pack the ingredients into the dish to the top, you’ll likely have spillage and a messy oven when it’s done baking. If leftover ingredients exist, you can create a second batch with a smaller baking dish or metal bread pan. Note: this smaller batch will likely cook more quickly, so you will need to check it periodically.
- Do not put raw sausage into the baking dish. It’s necessary to brown the sausage before putting it into the baking dish. Otherwise, you’ll have raw/undercooked meat in the Italian baked zucchini.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What oven temp?
400! Just updated the recipe. So sorry.
How about some recipes for a doctor’s ordered low sodium diet.
I like bold seasoning!! Sorry.