Last Updated on 17/02/2025 by Adina
Make the most delicious layered ground beef and zucchini casserole! Grilled zucchini slices, flavorful ground beef and tomato sauce, and extra cheese on top make this dish flavorful and easy to prepare.
There have been lots of zucchini lately, and this ground beef and zucchini casserole is a great way to use them. The abundance of zucchini I get from various neighbors every summer makes this recipe possible.
I've been cooking it for years, but only during the summer. If you are a zucchini fan, check out more of these summer recipes: Zucchini Tomato Rice, Pan-Fried Zucchini, or Zucchini Stew.
Jump to recipe
Recipe ingredients
Fresh zucchini: You will need about 2 medium zucchini. Large zucchini are not optimal, as they contain too many seeds, which makes them watery and unsuitable for slicing and grilling. If you have large zucchini from the garden, remove their seeds, chop them, and use them to make these delicious Zucchini Pickles.
Ground beef. Alternatively, you can use mixed beef and pork or ground turkey. Make Beef Potatoes and Zucchini Skillet or Beef Meatballs with Zucchini, too.
Herbs: I always make this zucchini beef casserole in summer using fresh herbs from my garden. If you prefer, you can use dried herbs—about ½ teaspoons each of dried oregano and thyme.
Cream cheese: You can use either full-fat or lower-fat cream cheese; I’ve tried both and never noticed a difference. You can also use sour cream instead, but in this case, leave out the milk, as sour cream is softer than cream cheese.
Cheese: I typically use Gouda, which I grate myself, as pre-grated cheese lacks flavor and doesn't melt well. Sharp Cheddar cheese is a great alternative. You can also use a mixture of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Make the Chicken Cabbage Casserole next.
A can of tomatoes (chopped). You can replace it with the same amount of marinara sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make zucchini ground beef casserole?
Prepare zucchini:
Step #1: Wash and dry them with a paper towel, then remove the top and tail. Slice lengthwise. Brush both sides with olive oil.
Step #2: Grill in the grill pan for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, season, and repeat with the remaining slices.
Meat sauce:
Step #3: Cook the diced onions, add minced garlic, and then the meat. Cook ground beef, stirring to break the lumps, until nicely browned.
Step #4: Add tomato paste, paprika powder, salt, and black pepper. Add tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the taste.
Prepare white sauce: Place the cream cheese and the milk into a bowl. Whisk well until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in about ½ of the shredded cheese.
Assemble the casserole:
Step #5: Cover the bottom of the lightly oiled baking dish with vegetable slices.
Step #6: Continue with ⅓ of the meat sauce, then ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture. Add another layer of zucchini, meat sauce, and white sauce. Repeat once more.
Step #7: Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top.
Step #8: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.
Good to know!
The cheesy beef and zucchini casserole recipe can be easily doubled. In this case, use a 12x8-inch casserole dish (30x20 cm). The quantities enumerated below are enough to serve 2-3 people; if you double the quantities, you will have enough for 6 people.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover zucchini hamburger casserole in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole
Equipment
- Casserole dish about 7.5x9 inches/ 19x23 cm, Note 1
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini about 1.5 lbs/ 650 g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 9 oz ground meat Note 2
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 can chopped tomatoes 14 oz/ 400 g
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or ½ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme or ½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- ½ cup cream cheese full-fat or lower fat
- ½ cup milk
- a few gratings of nutmeg
- 1 cup cheese grated, Gouda, Cheddar
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare zucchini:
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into rather thin slices, about 0.2 inches/ ½ cm thick. Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a small bowl. Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil on both sides.2 medium zucchini + 1 tablespoon from 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Grill zucchini: Heat a grill pan and arrange some of the zucchini slices in the pan, in one layer. Grill on one side for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat or until the undersides have nice grill marks. Flip using tongs and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes or until the zucchini slices are slightly softer and nicely charred.
- Season zucchini: Transfer the cooked slices to a large plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper.fine sea salt and ground black pepper
- Repeat with the remaining zucchini batches; I had 3 batches. Save the remaining olive oil for brushing the casserole dish.
Meat sauce:
- Saute: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Chop the onion finely and cook for about 2 minutes or until slightly softer. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for 1 more minute while stirring.1 tablespoon oil + 1 medium onion + 1 large garlic clove
- Add the ground beef and cook, stirring from time to time and breaking the lumps, until nicely browned, about 4-5 minutes.9 oz ground meat
- Simmer beef sauce: Add salt, pepper, paprika powder, and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Pour the canned tomatoes into the pan, add the oregano and thyme, and let the sauce cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. Adjust the taste again and add the chopped parsley.fine sea salt and ground black pepper + ½ tablespoon tomato paste + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder + 1 can chopped tomatoes + ½ teaspoon dried oregano + ½ teaspoon dried thyme + 2 tablespoons parsley
White sauce:
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C and grate the cheese.
- Cheese sauce: Whisk the milk and the cream cheese until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and some nutmeg to taste. Add ½ of the grated cheese to this mixture and stir well.½ cup cream cheese+ ½ cup milk + a few gratings of nutmeg + fine sea salt and ground black pepper + ½ from 1 cup cheese
Assemble the zucchini lasagna:
- Add zucchini slices: Brush the dish lightly with the olive oil you have left from brushing the zucchini slices. Cover the bottom of the pan with zucchini slices.
- Layer the casserole: Continue with ⅓ of the tomato meat sauce, then ⅓ of the cream cheese mixture. Add another layer of zucchini slices, then meat sauce and white sauce again. Repeat once more: a total of 3 zucchini, 3 meat, and 3 white sauce layers.
- Bake zucchini beef casserole: Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top of the zucchini lasagna and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.remaining cheese
Notes
- If you double the quantities, use a larger casserole dish of about 12x8 inches/ 30x20 cm.
- Type of meat: The zucchini casserole can also be made with ground mixed beef and pork or with ground turkey.
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
I would like to help myself to a couple servings of this lasagna! I like my carbs too but would not miss it at all here! Zucchini is such great veggie as you can do so much with it.
Adina says
Great to hear it! Let me know if you liked it.
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
What an incredible idea of zucchini lasagna! Looks so delicious! Will give it a try soon!
Adina says
Thank you, Thao. It is indeed substantial, you will not miss the pasta at all. 🙂
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
Yum! This looks and sounds incredible!! I love that this lasagna is low carb yet substantial with the addition of ground turkey.
Sam @ SugarSpunRun says
What an absolutely genius idea! I really think I would love this! 🙂
Adina says
Thank you, Sam.