Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole 

This Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole is a hearty, low-carb, and gluten-free weeknight favorite featuring layers of seasoned ground beef, fresh zucchini, tangy tomatoes, and gooey mozzarella—ready in under an hour. It’s a lighter alternative to lasagna, yet still comforting and family-friendly, perfect for using up summer zucchini. With minimal prep and easy clean-up, it’s a go-to meal for busy evenings or meal prep. Developed by Colleen from The Food Blog. 

Ingredients

• 2 medium zucchini (about 2 lb), sliced into ½″ rounds
  
  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
  

• 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
  
  

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
  

• 1 lb lean ground beef
  
  

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  
  

• ½ tsp kosher salt
  
  

• ½ tsp ground black pepper
  
  

• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
  
  

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  
  

Directions

1. Prepare zucchini: Place zucchini in a colander; sprinkle with salt and let sit 15 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat dry.
   
   

2. Cook beef mixture: Preheat oven to 350 °F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil, then sauté onion ~2 minutes until softened. Add garlic and ground beef; cook ~5 minutes until browned. Stir in drained tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
   
   

3. Assemble casserole: In an 8×8″ baking dish, layer half of the beef mixture, half of the zucchini slices, and half of the mozzarella. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.
   
   

4. Bake: Bake 20–25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly, and zucchini is tender.
   
   

5. Rest & serve: Allow casserole to rest ~10 minutes before cutting to set. Serve warm.
   
   

Nutrients (per serving, 6 servings)

• Calories: 258 kcal
  
  

• Carbohydrates: 5 g
  
  

• Protein: 26 g
  
  

• Fat: 15 g (Sat 7 g, PUFA 1 g, MUFA 6 g)
  
  

• Cholesterol: 76 mg
  
  

• Sodium: 484 mg
  
  

• Potassium: 502 mg
  
  

• Fiber: 1 g
  
  

• Sugar: 3 g
  
  

• Vitamin A: 396 IU
  
  

• Vitamin C: 13 mg
  
  

• Calcium: 223 mg
  
  

• Iron: 3 mg