Zucchini Parmesan Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

SonomaSMB

I always have home made marinara sauce in the freezer, which makes this prep a breeze. My last batch had a lot of mushrooms in it, which was particularly good in this.

I can't resist adding a layer of ricotta mixed with an egg to the middle layer. Adds more protein and makes this a great main course. And if I have any mozzarella around, a little will usually find its way onto the top!

Maggie

My CSA has not been providing many tomatoes so I used high quality canned diced tomatoes and skipped the food mill, but I otherwise followed this recipe and it was utterly amazing. I could've eaten it all by myself! So if you're looking for a quicker version, try good canned tomatoes!

Ellen

It's so good that it's on my top 10 vegetable side dishes of all time list. Make the sauce from scratch the night before and it won't seem like as much work. It's easy and the fresh tomatoes make a HUGE difference. I roast the zucchini for about 30 minutes until they are on the verge of crispy to avoid the sog factor when baking. I love this dish. I think about this dish. I crave this dish. Make this dish.

gail

I wish that recipe writers would indicate something other than or in addition to weight. In this case, couldn't there be an indication of how many cups of chopped up and/or strained tomatoes there should be? Not everyone has a kitchen scale or room for one.

cpsaul

I hate zucchini but this recipe was revelatory for two reasons:

1. Roasting zucchini improves flavor and texture enormously. Now I think I could serve roasted zucchini instead of gloppy watery zucchini dishes.

2. The dish was ok hot--but divine cold! All the liquid gets absorbed and you have a sort of veggie terrine. Thanks, Martha!

Karen

Recommendations:
A layer of ricotta mixed with an egg to the middle layer. adds more protein and makes this a great main course. And if I have any mozzarella around, a little will usually find its way onto the top!
Can use canned tomatoes.

NanceG

Try slicing, salting, draining the zucchini THEN roasting (to eliminate water ... or my favorite, GRILLING IT prior to assembling. Grilling will give the casserole a wonderfully rich additional layer of flavor and make a convert out of those zuke-haters too.

KJG

Made this with eggplant and zucchini and it was delicious as promised. I was short on time and skipped the peeling, seeding, and chopping of the tomatoes - nice but not necessary for a delicious home-cooked meal. In a convection oven I only needed 17 minutes 'til bubbling and ready to eat.
Thanks Martha!

Sarah

After trying this recipe several times with watery results, I used ideas from these notes and it worked! I salted the zucchini and let it sit for an hour on racks on cookie sheets, rinsed and dried them,then oiled them lightly, added the pepper flakes and salt. After roasting for 30 minutes, they were drier and firmer. Adding a sprinkling of bread crumbs on top of each layer helped too. Finally, I doubled the recipe, using 3 cans of plum tomatoes. The result was 2” high, sliceable and tasty.

gail

I just made this. If you want browned zucchini, don't use the parchment and oil the pan as well as the zucchini.

Penny in Florida

I LOVE this! I'm making it tonight (for the fifth time, I think). I use good jarred sauce and it's absolutely a wonderful dish. True, the zuke doesn't really get crisp.
Tonight it's a main rather than a side, and I sneaked in some freshly steamed spinach and a wee bit of mozzarella (trying to get a little more iron into my husband). Can't wait! I also sent this one to everyone.

Kate Tornay

The tomato sauce turned out nicely, but it was pretty labor intensive for a dish that—while delicious!—ended up more "zucchini in sauce" than "zucchini bake." Red pepper flakes were an awesome touch, though. I'd make it again with premade sauce.

Thomas Greisen

Next time I do this, which will be soon, I will dry the zuc's in a slow oven for about 30 min. then roast until brown. Otherwise the rest stays the same. Great dish.

George

Excellent ATK has a very similar recipe,they suggest using the microwave to drive off the extra water in the Zuch...and I do think that works better than roasting...quick and no fuss... Just remember to put the Zuch on paper towels and a minute or two your ready to assemble

Somia

Absolutely delicious and a bit of change from the eggplant parm. The zucchini never quite browned even after 20 minutes - I broiled for about 5 mins to get a bit of color. But the final dish was fab and it didn't quite matter to have browned zucchini after all!

L B

I roasted the zucchini for 30 minutes until browned and I added ricotta and egg as suggested by another commenter. A hit! It was a little soggy, so I’m pre-salting and draining the zucchini on the next go round (today!).

vanessa v

So I did a follow a few suggestions, I salted the zucchini and summer squash( I used this as well) to remove water then cooked till crispier. I also cooled down my sauce significantly, I used some home grown tomatoes that may have been over watered. I also added the ricotta egg mixture as one layer. What I really wanted to do was eat some cold, like one commenter suggested…. But I couldn’t because we ate it all! Amazingly yummy

Shanna

I used canned tomatoes instead as the mill was very difficult to use and tomatoes now are out of season and lacking flavor. I used ricotta with an egg as suggested by some previous reviewer. The zucchini too much longer than 12 minutes to even start to get brown at 450 so I gave it 6 min more, but I think in order to get this right, you need to flip the pieces 1/2 way through. The dish overall came out VERY watery so I am not sure if I would make this again.

Laurel

Tasty but a little watery even after I salted and drained the zucchini. Also patted them dry before roasting. Added ricotta + egg. Topped with a little extra mozzarella.

Amy B

Loved this dish; it tasted even better the second day. We added the Parmesan cheese rind to the sauce as it cooked (remove before using) and it tasted creamy and amazing. We didn’t seed the tomatoes, but ran the sauce through a blender before assembling. Great way to use up a big zucchini.

Hillary

Despite the list of ingredients being quite short, I still had few of them on hand. Here are the adjustments I made (and I can’t wait to make it again!)- top quality dried basil instead of fresh- used a can of whole San Marzano tomatoes instead of fresh (saved the leftover sauce for a side of fresh pasta)- I only had a bit of parm. reg. so I added it together with gruyère and pecorino romano.Everyone loved it! It took longer than anticipated but it was delicious!

Cherene

Added Kite Hill Ricotta and buffalo mozzarella

Connie

This is a great recipe especially if you have a bumper crop of zucchini. I followed the suggestions of several other cooks and used a (fresh) store-bought sauce, layered the zucchini with the ricotta mix and topped it with mozzarella. Served with warm crusty baguette and yummmmm

Jim

Bake at what temp?

Laurie

This was delicious! I put ricotta mixed with an egg in the middle and added mozzarella on the top. I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I used sauce from a jar but this minimized the time to prepare the dish.

WB

I’m sure it’s delicious but 10,432 steps for zucchini in sauce? Pazzo.

lisa

So, don't think I will ale again. Zucchini was so watery and limp, spent 20 min on 450, nothing, then used the broiler for 2 minutes at a clip and I am on my 5th or 6th cycle... I normally read the comments but in this case it sounded so easy, I didn't. Lesson learned! Lol!!

Chandler

how do you peel tomatoes???

Emily

This was very delicious. I used roma and small tomatoes from my garden and didn't peel them, just threw into the pot chopped. I then blended on low in my vitamix and it was delicious. I also salted my zucchini and set up to dry before I baked. If I made again, I would use more zucchinis like 3-4 midsize to have more layers and not cut quite as thin. But it was very good.

juliet

I snuck a layer of mozzarella in the the second time around and much preferred it.

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Zucchini Parmesan Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook zucchini so it doesn't get mushy? ›

Salting and draining ensures the zucchini doesn't turn into a soggy mess while frying. This method also works for roasted zucchini, grilled zucchini, or baked zucchini if you're looking to remove as much water as possible.

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when frying? ›

Yes, you should always salt your zucchini before frying — especially if you're aiming to achieve a crispy texture. Salting your zucchini helps remove the excess moisture stuck in the zucchini that would otherwise make frying a challenge.

Does zucchini get softer the longer you cook it? ›

You can embrace zucchini's plump nature by cooking it for longer and letting it turn soft and silky.

Why do you soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

Why did my zucchini turn to mush? ›

On the other hand, they may simply be waterlogging if your garden is poorly drained. Another possibility is squash bugs have damaged them and rot has set in as a result. In the meantime, keep removing the infected fruit as soon as you see signs of the problem.

How do you get the water out of zucchini before cooking? ›

Sprinkle the grated zucchini with salt, only to season them, not more. Put them to drain in a colander with a dish underneath. Leave for 1 hour, then, using your hands, squeeze out the excess liquid.

Why is my zucchini turning to mush? ›

Blossom End Rot

It's occurs due to the plants inability to get calcium. This can be caused by a few things: Watering inconsistency (the most likely cause especially if you've had a lot of rain) Soil PH is either too high or too low (do a PH test to check)

What does zucchini do for your stomach? ›

Zucchini can help promote healthy digestion in several ways. Firstly, it is rich in water , containing 94.8 grams (g) of water per 100 g of fruit. Water is essential for helping improve digestion. Water in the diet helps soften stools and makes them easier to pass, reducing the chances of constipation.

What is not compatible with zucchini? ›

Potatoes can also spread diseases such as late blight, which can also affect zucchinis. Cucumbers and pumpkins should not be planted next to zucchinis as they belong to the same family (Cucurbitaceae) and therefore attract similar pests and diseases.

Should I salt zucchini before cooking? ›

Zucchini is 94 percent water, which is why it gets mushy when cooked for too long. The first step in this recipe involves salting the flesh of the zucchini and allowing it to stand for 15 minutes. The salt draws the moisture from the flesh which helps ensure that the vegetable stays firm during roasting.

When should you throw out zucchini? ›

Mushy/soft/stringy flesh texture - Along with these brown/dark spots, the flesh of the zucchini may begin to look and feel mushy, stringy, and soft. If your zucchini looks stringy, not firm and meaty, it's time to be discarded.

How do you cook zucchini and keep it firm? ›

Put whole zucchini on a broiling pan or heavy-duty oven-proof skillet and broil until the skin is blistering and browning in spots, 8-10 minutes. Use tongs to transfer to a cutting board. Cut off the stem ends and discard. Slice zucchini as desired as serve.

How do you firm up zucchini? ›

Arrange the zucchini pieces into a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It will stick to the pan if you don't line it first!) Freeze the zucchini for about 1 hour, until it's firm to the touch, then transfer it to an airtight container to preserve the flavor as you store it.

How do you keep zucchini from getting slimy? ›

Avoid storing zucchini in plastic, which can trap moisture and make the skin slimy. Either leave zucchini loose or place it in a paper bag.

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