Baked zucchini casserole is so easy to make I’m slightly embarrassed to be posting it as a recipe. But it’s something I love and wanted to share with all of you. My mom used to make a version of this by throwing some sliced zucchini into her corning ware dish and then she poured salsa over it and baked it. At least that is what I remember! Over the years I added cheese and since then I’ve incorporated some corn and black beans as well. If I don’t have time to make my quick homemade salsa then I used the jarred stuff.
The dish is simple and made with only a few ingredients I love it any time of the year, but I thought it would be a fun dish to make for Cinco de Mayo. To serve as a main dish try it over steamed rice. I also like it as a filling for tacos or quesadillas. The latest way I’ve been eating it is as a dip with crispy tortilla chips. Whichever way appeals to you, I hope you give it a try!
Here’s what you need to make zucchini casserole:
Like I said above you only need a few ingredients. First, You need two zucchinis cut into quarters. Next, a can of black beans, a can of corn, and one cup of salsa. Lastly, grate about 1 1/2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese.
Homemade Salsa or Jarred Salsa?
I have included the recipe for my quick homemade salsa. But if you are not up to it feel free to use your favorite jarred kind. Of course, I prefer homemade, but I have used Pace Picante Salsa more times than I can count. So no judgment from me.
My quick salsa is really easy and if you have the ingredients it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to throw together. All you need is one small can of Rotel diced tomatoes, some diced onions, a clove of garlic, the juice of one lime, half of a jalapeño, salt, cumin, and a handful of fresh cilantro. Throw all of that into a blender and that’s it!
How to make this baked zucchini casserole:
This recipe is so easy it’s not really a recipe at all. Exact measurements are not important and you can ultimately make it your own. Add different kinds of squash, more or less corn and beans. Even changing up the cheese would be ok. Do what you want with this! All you have to do is cut the zucchini into quarters and then toss them together with the corn, black beans, salsa, and grated cheese. I like to reserve about half of a cup of cheese just for the top so you get the melted cheese topping. After everything is mixed up and evenly distributed put the zucchini mixture into an oven-safe dish, cover and bake for 15-30 minutes until the zucchini is fork-tender and everything is warmed through.
Other recipes you might enjoy are:
Easy Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas
Watch the video of me making this dish! https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc0sPuNp7SQ/
Baked Zucchini Casserole
Baked Zucchini Casserole has fresh zucchini, black beans, sweet corn, cheddar cheese, and homemade salsa then baked until the cheese is ooey and gooey!
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini, quartered
- 1 small can of corn or 2 fresh ears
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa (homemade or jarred)
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (reserve 1/2 cup to go on the top before baking)
Quick Homemade Salsa
- 1 small can Rotel diced tomatoes with peppers
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 jalapeño, ribs & seeds removed
- Pinch of sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- Handful of fresh cilantro
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Add all ingredients (except the reserved cheese) to an oven-safe dish with a lid. Stir to combine. Make sure everything is coated with the salsa.
3. Top with the reserved 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Cover and bake.
4. Bake for 15-30 minutes until zucchini is fork-tender & the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Instructions for salsa:
Add everything to a blender or food processor and puree until slightly chunky.
Notes
- If you do not have an oven-safe dish with a lid just use aluminum foil to cover it.
- Other cheeses that would be good are Pepper-Jack, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella
