Zucchini Tomato Casserole
This easy, cheesy Zucchini Tomato Casserole is a summer delight! It’s bursting with fresh produce, and topped with cheese and crispy breadcrumbs.
This side dish tastes like pure summer! Zucchini Tomato Casserole is a simple mix of zucchini (or yellow squash), tomatoes, basil, and onion, topped with shredded cheddar and crispy breadcrumbs.
Cheese and herbs have a way of jazzing up plain zucchini and turning it into something great (this Old Fashioned Zucchini Casserole is another testament to that).
This casserole recipe is from a newspaper clipping from my mom’s recipe collection. She likely clipped it in the 80’s or 90’s. It has stood the test of time—the fresh flavors really shine through in this summer staple!
Ingredients
Check the recipe card below for the full list of quantities and directions!
How to make Zucchini Tomato Casserole
Start by sautéing the onion in butter until soft. Then, add the garlic, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is soft but not mushy. Stir in the basil.
Pour half the zucchini into an 8×8-inch casserole dish, followed by half the tomatoes, and half the cheese. Then, top with the remaining zucchini, tomatoes, cheese, and breadcrumbs.
Bake the casserole at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the tomatoes are soft.
Serve right away!
Making your own breadcrumbs
Store-bought breadcrumbs work great in this recipe. But I love the flavor and texture of homemade breadcrumbs. It’s a great use for the heels of bread that might not get eaten otherwise (at least at my house…).
I blitzed two heels of white sandwich bread in my food processor until they were in fine crumbs. Then, I toasted them in a skillet with one tablespoon of butter until light brown.
Easy peasy! The hardest part is cleaning the food processor. 🙂
Storage and serving suggestions
Zucchini Tomato Casserole is best enjoyed right after it is made. The breadcrumbs will start to get soggy as the casserole sits.
To reheat, place the casserole in a 350°F oven until warmed through. The microwave will also work, but the breadcrumbs won’t be crisp.
More old fashioned vegetable casseroles
Velveeta broccoli casserole is another classic, along with this broccoli casserole with french fried onions.
And who doesn’t love a corn casserole? Creamed corn casserole, cheesy corn casserole, and scalloped corn with bacon are three other time-tested treasures.
And lastly, you don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving to make green bean casserole. It’s delicious with in-season green beans in place of the canned beans!
📖 Recipe
Zucchini Tomato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 lbs zucchini, sliced into half moons
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 10 oz grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch dish with cooking spray.
- In your largest skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the zucchini, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini are tender, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in the basil.
- Pour half the zucchini into the casserole dish. Pour half the tomatoes on top, and half the cheese.
- Pour the remaining zucchini into the dish. Top with the remaining tomatoes and the remaining cheese.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle the mixture over the cheese.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown.
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