Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Another delicious, healthy, family favorite! Summer has some of the best foods, and one of my favorites is zucchini! There are so many yummy things you can do with it, and it is so good for you!

We actually planted a garden in our backyard this year. I was so surprised when after 2 weeks we already started seeing things growing. What can I say though, we live in an amazing place of California where everything… even the weeds… grow strong! We hadn’t checked our garden for a while, and my son walked in from the yard carrying 6 huge zucchini!! I knew I had to make something yummy, and so I tried this recipe. It did not disappoint, and my kiddos ate it up! We all enjoyed it.

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded zucchini

2 eggs

½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 ⅓ cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, divided

1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided

1 ½ lbs ground turkey or beef

½ cup chopped onions

1 tsp minced garlic

1 ¾ cups Rao's marinara sauce

1 ½ cups chopped bell peppers

1 ounce pickled jalapenos ~optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place shredded zucchini on a clean kitchen towel. Let it sit for 30 min and then squeeze out moisture. Combine zucchini, eggs, parmesan cheese, ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Press mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch or 3 quart baking dish. Bake for about 25 min.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium heat until meat is done. Drain liquid. Stir in marinara sauce. Pour the mixture over baked zucchini crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with chopped peppers and jalapenos if desired. Bake an additional 20 minute or until heated through.

Makes 6 Servings