Here I am with a new super easy, quick, and delicious recipe! A baked zucchini casserole with ham and mozzarella that is ready in less than 20 minutes, and it’s without béchamel sauce!
How many times have you read in my introductions that I love to pamper my family with tasty recipes? The zucchini casserole is one of them, loved by everyone!! Needless to say, every time I make it, it’s gone in a flash!!
The beauty of this recipe is that the zucchinis don’t need to be pre-cooked. All the ingredients are placed in the pan raw, and once the layers are formed, it goes in the oven.
The cheesy zucchini casserole, also called tart or zucchini parmigiana, is truly delicious! Great as a main course or as an appetizer. We can enjoy it both hot and cold, cut into slices or squares. It will be a real hit to serve during a friends’ aperitif!
Don’t like zucchinis? Don’t eat ham or prefer a vegetarian version? At the end of the article, you’ll find possible ingredient substitutions and a little gift for you ❤️
Let’s see together how to prepare the white zucchini parmigiana with ham and mozzarella.
Other zucchini-based recipes you might be interested in!
Zucchini Plumcake with Cheese and Olives
Zucchini Omelette Roll with Ham
Zucchini and Potato Vegetarian Meatballs with Smoked Provolone
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 24.6 oz Zucchini (4 fairly large zucchinis)
- 10.6 oz Ham
- 10.6 oz Mozzarella (or sliced cheese)
- 2.1 oz Breadcrumbs (gluten-free for those who are intolerant)
- 2.5 oz Parmigiano Reggiano
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper (only if you like)
Tools
- Peeler
- Baking dish
- Bowl
- Sieve
Preparation
Important note: if you use mozzarella, since it releases liquids during cooking, it is better to shred it (or cut it into small cubes) and let it drain in a sieve for a few hours. To speed up the process, you can do it the night before.
Alternatively, you can use pizza mozzarella, which is usually drier, or slices of cheese of your choice (smoked provolone, Galbanino, Fontina, Emmental, etc.).
To prepare your delicious casserole, start by washing the zucchinis thoroughly under water. Take a peeler (or a mandoline) and cut them thinly vertically without removing the skin.
The slices must be very thin, practically transparent. Line a baking dish (mine was 30×20 cm, but a round one of 24/26/28/30 cm is also fine) with a sheet of parchment paper. Grease the bottom with a drizzle of olive oil, then sprinkle with a generous handful of breadcrumbs.
Create the first NOT THIN layer of zucchinis, season with a drizzle of olive oil, a very light sprinkle of salt, grated Parmigiano, and a couple of handfuls of breadcrumbs.
Layer the slices of ham and place some mozzarella on top, previously shredded by hand and drained.
Again, repeat in the order: one layer of zucchinis seasoned with a drizzle of oil, very little salt, grated Parmigiano, and breadcrumbs. A layer of ham and a layer of mozzarella (or sliced cheese).
And so on, continue until you finish with the last layer, seasoned with olive oil, Parmigiano, and two generous tablespoons of breadcrumbs to form the crust.
Your zucchini parmigiana is ready to go in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes on static mode at 356-392°F. The last 5-10 minutes you can switch to ventilated mode to brown the surface more.
If you notice that the mozzarella has released some liquids, don’t worry, the ventilated mode will help dry out the casserole, which you will then let rest for at least 5 minutes once removed from the oven.
Finally, it’s ready to be enjoyed! You’ll make a great impression with a simple yet flavorful dish! Bon appétit and see you at the next recipe!
Please remember, use very little salt to season the zucchinis during the formation of the layers because it facilitates the release of vegetable liquids during cooking.
Since grated Parmigiano is tasty anyway, you can also lightly salt one layer yes and one no and then put just a little more on the surface.
Another recommendation, don’t forget to put a generous handful of breadcrumbs on each layer of zucchinis; it will help absorb the liquids released during cooking better.
Notes
What can I use instead of zucchinis?
Instead of zucchinis, you can use eggplants, but to ensure faster cooking, in this case, you can slice the eggplants with a knife without making them too thin and grill them quickly in a pan, just a couple of minutes per side.
What can I use instead of ham?
If you want, you can replace it with other cold cuts; you can choose what you like best, for example, mortadella, speck (in this case being very flavorful, reduce the salt even more). Or salami, turkey breast, or chicken breast.
For a vegetarian version?
You can omit the ham and use, for example, mushrooms (fresh or frozen, cooked in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and parsley, or for a quicker version, canned sautéed mushrooms). If you don’t like mushrooms, you can create a layer of potatoes (also cut very thinly with a mandoline).
