This zucchini casserole is an easy side dish that pairs perfectly with any keto meal. Naturally grain-free and low in carbohydrates, it features fresh zucchini, cheddar, and parmesan, with a crispy topping. It’s a hit with the whole family and a great way to use up that bounty of summer squash.
This zucchini bake recipe was born of absolute necessity: the necessity of having too much zucchini and not enough ideas what to do with it! I have so many delicious keto zucchini recipes and yet I find myself needing more every year.
If you grow your own zucchini, you know exactly what I am talking about. Every year, I have at least one monster plant that produces and produces and produces. I make everything I can thing of: Zucchini Lasagna, Keto Zucchini Bread, and even Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
And I still have too much. I pick so many of the delicious green summer squash, I end up passing them out to strangers on the street.
I am not kidding.
Why you must try this recipe
Zucchini Casserole is an absolutely brilliant way to put all that summer squash to good use. It’s rich and cheesy, with a deliciously crispy topping. Even my kids devoured it!
This keto side dish uses easily accessible ingredients that almost everyone has at home. It’s simple to make and has only 10 minutes of prep time. And you can turn it into a full meal by adding cooked chicken or sausage!
I honestly can’t believe how good this is. When this zucchini casserole was baking, my mouth was watering from the delicious smells emanating from my kitchen. It was hard to wait until the rest of the family was home to dig in.
To be honest, I didn’t wait. I snuck a few bites as I was getting photos. It is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
TESTIMONIAL “Had to run to come thank you, my husband does not eat veggies , quiche or anything that is green in color ???? but he ate almost quarter if the bowl before supper was ready as I removed it from the oven to cool down.” — Estelle
Ingredients you need
- Zucchini: Two medium zucchini is about 400 grams or 14 ounces. You can also use yellow squash for this casserole, or a mix of both.
- Butter: Dollops of butter add flavor and make this keto side dish extra luscious.
- Eggs: Large eggs help bind all the ingredients together and gives the casserole some cohesiveness.
- Heavy cream: Add cream into the eggs for richness.
- Onion: Only use a little onion because they add to the carb count. One quarter cup is just enough to add flavor. You can also use some green onion instead.
- Cheddar: Use your favorite cheddar cheese for this zucchini casserole. It can be mild, medium or sharp. You could also try smoked gouda, pepper jack or mozzarella.
- Parmesan: Finely grated Parmesan helps give the crust flavor and a bit of added crunch.
- Pork rinds: This is my secret ingredient for a keto-friendly crispy topping. But you can also use crumbled parmesan crisps.
Step by Step Directions
1. Chop and blanch the zucchini: Cut the zucchini lengthwise into quarters, and then into 1/2 inch chunks. Boil for a few minutes in lightly salted water to release excess moisture so your casserole isn’t soupy. This also helps pre-cook the zucchini a bit so the casserole is tender. Drain it well.
2. Layer the zucchini: Spread it out in a greased baking pan and dot with pieces of butter.
3. Add the egg mixture: Whisk together the eggs, cream, onion, and half of the cheese, then pour this mixture evenly over the zucchini.
4. Sprinkle on the topping: Top with more cheese and crushed pork rinds or parmesan crisps for a delicious cheesy crust. Bake until bubbly and golden.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Turn this delicious zucchini bake into a full meal by adding cooked chicken, sausage, or ground beef. Simply add it along with the zucchini before pouring the egg mixture overtop. One reader even added fajita spice for a Mexican flair!
I have not tried freeing zucchini casserole, but several readers have mentioned that they have done so successfully. Make sure you let it cool completely and the wrap it up tightly so it doesn’t get any freezer burn.
If you are cooking for a larger crowd, you can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch dish. It may take slightly longer to bake so keep your eye on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crushed pork rinds are a great way to add that crispy bread topping we miss on the keto diet. You can also use crushed parmesan crisps or low carb crackers.
It sounds counterintuitive, but by blanching vegetables in boiling water first, you force them to release more moisture. Be sure to drain the zucchini well before adding it to your casserole dish. This method keeps your zucchini casserole from getting soupy and watery.
It’s great for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be easily rewarmed in the oven or the microwave.
More delicious keto casseroles
- Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a fan favorite! It features a rich, creamy alfredo sauce poured over the meat and veggies and baked to perfection.
- Use your slow cooker to make Keto Meatball Casserole. It’s easy, delicious, and you have fewer dishes to wash.
- Got leftover holiday ham? Then this Ham and Cauliflower Casserole is calling your name!
- This Keto Breakfast Casserole has eggs, sausage, cheese, and shredded zucchini. It’s a wonderful make-ahead brunch recipe.
Zucchini Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 medium (392 g) zucchini, quartered and chopped, (about 4 cups)
- 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) pepper
- 6 ounces (170.1 g) shredded cheddar, divided, (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup (28 g) finely crushed pork rinds, (or parmesan crisps)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the zucchini and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round or 8-inch square ceramic baking dish. Spread the zucchini in the pan and dot with pieces of butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Stir in the onions, salt, and pepper, and half of the cheddar cheese. Pour over the zucchini.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar, the parmesan, and the pork rinds. Bake 35 minutes, until bubbly and the edges are nicely browned. Sprinkle with chopped basil, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
This was fantastic! Similar to a crustless quiche but oh! so good! Simple to make, and my non-keto husband loved it too. Thank you Carolyn for another recipe to put into regular rotation!
I’d like to try making this with some freeze dried zucchini I have on hand…. I’m wondering if there would be enough liquid to just put the dry zucchini at the bottom and that would ‘reconstitute’ the zucchini? Or should I add water to the zucchini and reconstitute it first? I do plan to add some ground meat (probably beef) to the casserole to make a complete meal. Thanks for any help on this.
I just made this last night, and what a hit! I only had one zucchini so I added some Brussels sprouts and some chicken to fill it out for a main dish meal. I also used smoked gouda blend cheese. My husband, who ‘hates’ zucchini, ate it no problem! I’ll keep this one for sure!
This was so easy, and positively delicious! My husband
( who shuns veggies) even enjoyed it! My problem will be finding large zucchini here in Arizona!😳
This would also be good with crumbled cooked sausage in it…
Thank you, Carolyn, for another fantastic recipe! I love how easy this came together. My family and I loved it! It will definitely be part of our regular rotation in meal planning.
One word…YUMMY!
This is a fantastic recipe – we’ve used it at Thanksgiving, Easter, in the summer…
It is one of those recipes that we don’t think to make enough and EVERY TIME we do, our entire family raves about how good it is – and that includes my teenage boys. Oh, and it reheats perfectly – I may or may not have even had it reheated for breakfast before!
This keto zucchini casserole is delicious! Just made it a 2nd time and sprinkled in a little red pepper flake to add a little zing. Both ways are great! hubby took it out of the oven for me last evening and when I went in, almost 1/4 was already gone! he loves it! This will be a frequent side for sure. Thanks for an awesome. recipe!
This was tasty and would make a good breakfast casserole with or without sausage in it. Only gave it 4 stars as I think it is missing something flavor-wise – maybe some greek seasoning? Zucchini is really a blank palate so the rest is just an omelette (which I adore). Thank you for all your tasty recipes, Carolyn!
This was a winner. I made it without the topping because I didn’t have anything but it’s still delicious.
We are low carb but not keto, so I omitted the butter, used milk instead of heavy cream, and halved the cheddar cheese. It turned out great! Thank you for an easy recipe that my family enjoyed.
Hi there, I was wondering if I could add a pound of chicken Italian sausage to this recipe? I was going to double it and precook it..
Thanks,
Betty
Absolutely! Cook it nicely first.
I made this today and I can’t stop eating it. It is a good thing my husband won’t eat squash. I know I will make this often, Thank you so much!