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A slice of Cheesy Zucchini Pizza Casserole on a white plate, featuring layers of zucchini, ground meat, and melted golden cheese.
Linda

Cheesy Zucchini Pizza Casserole

All the gooey, saucy joy of pizza layered with tender zucchini instead of crust - a low-carb weeknight winner that actually satisfies the craving.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 342

Ingredients
  

For the Zucchini Base
  • 2.5 lbs zucchini about 4 medium, grated
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for drawing out moisture
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
For the Pizza Layers
  • 12 oz Italian sausage mild or hot, casings removed
  • 2 cups pizza sauce good quality jarred or homemade
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 3 cups low-moisture mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil torn, for serving

Equipment

  • 9x13-inch baking dish
  • Large skillet
  • Box grater (or food processor with grating attachment)
  • Clean kitchen towels or cheesecloth

Method
 

Prep the Zucchini
  1. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander and let drain for 15 minutes. Squeeze handfuls firmly to extract as much liquid as possible - this is crucial for a casserole that holds together instead of swimming in water.
Cook the Base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add squeezed zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until it stops releasing liquid and just starts to turn golden in spots, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. In the same skillet, cook Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
Assemble and Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stir pizza sauce, oregano, and red pepper flakes into the cooked sausage. Taste and add salt if your sauce needs it.
  2. Spread half the zucchini mixture in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with half the sausage-sauce mixture and 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers. Finish with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and all the Parmesan.
  3. Bake uncovered until cheese is melted and spotty golden brown, and the edges are bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving - this helps it set so you can cut clean squares. Scatter fresh basil over top.

Notes

Squeeze the zucchini aggressively - I mean really wring it out. Watery zucchini ruins this dish. Substitute ground turkey or plant-based sausage if you prefer; just add a pinch of fennel seed to keep that pizza flavor. Assemble the whole thing up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate; add 10 minutes to the bake time.