Dad’s Zucchini Pizza Casserole: The Year’s Most Delicious Dish!

Creating stuffed zucchini boats sounds exciting but is often more trouble than it’s worth. Plus, trying to persuade a kid that these zucchini boats are a substitute for French bread pizza almost feels unfair. Just imagine the disappointment when they see a half zucchini on their plate while you’re uttering the word “pizza.”

Fortunately, my father and his partner recently introduced my son and me to a zucchini bake casserole. After devouring enthusiastic helpings, they shared the recipe with us. They had been perfecting the dish because, while they enjoyed the concept of zucchini boats, they found them cumbersome to eat, tricky to store, and difficult to reheat.

This new version resolves these issues and is also much simpler to prepare. You can assemble everything in the morning, keep it refrigerated, and pop it in the oven later for dinner. It’s perfect for sliding into the oven after a busy day, giving everyone time to unwind and get ready for dinner.

It delivers all the melty cheese and tangy tomato sauce your family desires, served over soft zucchini. Pair this dish with some crusty bread—like an Italian loaf, a baguette, or garlic bread—to really complete the pizza experience and for mopping up your plate.

Essential Ingredients

• I hail from the mid-Atlantic, and I’m partial to the Don Pepino brand of pizza sauce, which uses tomatoes grown in New Jersey. However, you can use any pizza sauce you prefer.
• If you’re a fan of spicy flavors, Ro-Tel offers hot and extra hot varieties. Alternatively, you could add some hot Italian sausage or even chorizo to turn up the heat.
• Choose your favorite melty cheese for this recipe; my father suggests a four-cheese taco blend.

Tips for Crafting My Zucchini Pizza Bake

• Zucchini is naturally juicy and releases moisture when cooked. To minimize the amount of liquid in your final dish, be sure to drain the Ro-Tel tomatoes and chiles as well as the cooked sausage before adding them to the casserole. 
• If you have some extra time and want to go the extra mile, toss the chopped zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, let it sit in a colander for about 20 minutes to drain, then pat it dry with a paper towel before assembling to remove even more moisture. 
• To enhance the pizza feel, consider topping the casserole with slices of pepperoni before baking, and sprinkle fresh Parmesan over it as soon as it comes out of the oven for added flavor.