Zucchini Ground Beef Casserole
Zucchini ground beef casserole that’s packed with flavor, veggies, and protein! This casserole contains the delicious combination of ground beef, fresh zucchini, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and quinoa! It’s easy to make and the perfect comforting weeknight dinner.
Prep: 20Cook: 40Total: 1 hour
Servings: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 2 medium zucchinis (1.5-2 lbs), chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole pan.
- Cook: If not using leftovers, cook 1 cup dried quinoa on the stovetop according to the package instructions.
- Brown: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onions, and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a wooden spatula as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and place it in the casserole dish.
- Simmer: In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the zucchini and the remaining ½ teaspoon sea salt. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft. Add the tomato sauce and drained diced tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Layer: Add the cooked quinoa, zucchini mixture, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic, basil, black pepper, and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese to the casserole dish. Gently fold everything together until combined. Spread the mixture evenly in the casserole dish.
- Top: Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese on top of the casserole.
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes. Switch the oven to high broil and cook for 2-5 minutes to brown the cheese on top. Let it sit for five minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cut the zucchini in halves or quarters depending on the size. My zucchinis typically get a little too big in my garden, so I slice the zucchini into 1-inch slices, then cut each slice into quarters.
- You can use a 9×13 casserole or lasagna dish for this recipe. It also works in two 8 x 8 baking dishes if you want to freeze one for later!
- I love making this with leftover cooked quinoa! I typically make quinoa as a side for dinner the day or two before, then use the leftovers to make this casserole.