When my garden is producing lots of zucchini every day, I enjoy coming up with new ways to serve it. This dish turned out great! There are two layers; a cheesy, zucchini base and a meaty, saucy top layer. This is a hearty meal, everyone in the family will love, and it’s a low carb, high protein dinner! I hope you enjoy it!
Here’s what you need:
Zucchini Base:
1 large, or 2 small zucchini, grated. (About 2 cups of grated zucchini)
2 eggs
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 t salt
Meat Sauce Layer:
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 t olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms ( I used baby bellas)
1 t minced garlic
salt to taste
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce ( I used marinara)
Topping:
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400. Grate the zucchini and place it in a strainer or colander. Lightly salt it and allow it to sit 10 minutes or so. Meanwhile, make the meat sauce by sautéing the garlic, onion, pepper and mushrooms in the olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté a few minutes until veggies are getting soft. Add the ground beef. Crumble and cook along with the veggies. Drain off any fat. Stir in pasta sauce. Simmer on low.
Now let’s finish the zucchini base. Take a cup or small bowl and smash the grated zucchini down into the strainer to squeeze out excess water. In a bowl, mix the zucchini along with the remaining zucchini base ingredients. Spread this mixture into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook uncovered at 400 for 25 minutes. Top with meat sauce mixture and sprinkle on cheese toppings. Cook uncovered another 15 minutes. Enjoy!