Zucchini Casserole with Hamburger

This Zucchini Hamburger Casserole combines a creamy tomato and ground beef filling, fresh zucchini, and plenty of melty cheese for a hearty, crowd pleasing dinner.

Save this easy casserole recipe for the summer months when zucchini is cheap and abundant!

Home Style Zucchini Casserole with Hamburger

So many of my favorite childhood recipes, from Tater Tot Casserole to Sloppy Joe Sliders, began with sauteeing a pound of ground beef with chopped yellow onion.

Even today, the smell of sizzling hamburger and onion makes me think of mom's cooking. It feels like home cooking--the kind of simple, stripped down meal that doesn't require any special ingredients or techniques but will undoubtedly be hearty and satisfying.

This Zucchini Casserole with Hamburger is the type of dish my mom loved to make, especially in the summer months when her garden was overflowing with zucchini.

The tomato-y base of this casserole is reminiscent of both Company Casserole and Cottage Cheese Lasagna. I can always count on cottage cheese to bring some creamy richness without making a dish too filling.

To the filling we add some fresh slices of zucchini, seasoning, and, of course, a blanket of melty cheese to make a zucchini hamburger casserole that can easily feed a hungry family.

This casserole can be in your oven in under 20 minutes. I love using the baking time to clean up some dishes and pour myself a drink!

Key Ingredients

Ground beef- We almost always have 80/20 ground beef in our freezer, but you can use a leaner hamburger, up to 90/10, for this recipe.

Yellow onion- You already know about my feelings for hamburger and onion. This is the foundation of so many great recipes.

Pasta sauce- Pick a high quality marinara or pasta sauce that you enjoy eating. We like Prego for a budget option, but Mid's pasta sauce is our favorite.

Cottage cheese- We used full fat, small curd cottage cheese. The cottage cheese adds creaminess and protein. I promise it doesn't make the sauce taste like cottage cheese!

Zucchini- When we say medium zucchini, we mean the 10-12 inch zucchinis you typically find at the grocery store. I'm sure some of you gardeners have zucchini the size of the baseball bat. One of those would be more than enough.

Mozzarella + Parmesan- The dynamic duo of Italian cheeses provides the perfect melty texture along with a sharper, aged flavor.

How to Make Zucchini Hamburger Casserole

Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Saute ground beef and onions. In a large non-stick skillet or cast iron pan, add enough vegetable oil to coat. Heat over medium high heat, then add the ground beef and onions, breaking up the beef and spreading it evenly over the pan. Cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the beef is browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip, then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully browned and onions are soft, another 5-6 minutes. Drain any excess oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 3: Add sauce. Stir in the pasta sauce and cottage cheese and heat through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.

Step 4: Add cheese and zucchini. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top of the meat mixture. Top with zucchini slices, sprinkling the tops with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Finish with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Bake. Transfer to the oven and bake 25-30 minutes, or until casserole is bubbling and cheese is starting to brown.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Zucchini casserole keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or covered with foil and baked at 350 for degrees for about 20 minutes.

The casserole can be fully assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Uncover the casserole and bake as usual.

What goes with Hamburger Zucchini Casserole?

We usually serve this casserole with a side of garlic bread for dipping and scooping up any extra meat sauce.

It also pairs well with crock pot applesauce, easy garden salad, corn on the cob, fruit salad, and garlic green beans.

Do I need to cook zucchini before adding it to the casserole?

The short answer is no! We tested this recipe with sauteed zucchini and with raw zucchini, and, while both worked, we preferred the raw zucchini.

Raw zucchini softens just fine in the oven without getting mushy, plus it saves prep time! That said, make sure your zucchini slices are on the medium thin side (about ⅛-1/4 inch thick) so they have time to soften completely.

More Hamburger Casserole Recipes to Try

• Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
• John Wayne Casserole
• Taco Pasta Casserole
• Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole
• Tortellini Bake

📖 Recipe