Some people are picky eaters, which makes mealtime challenging at times. Dinner-Winner Zucchini Pizza Bake is a wonderful casserole that will satisfy even the most discriminating palate. Built on a trusty layer of tasty zucchini and generously topped with saucy ground beef and melted cheeses, how could you go wrong? Defuse the not-so-sure-about-zucchini myth with this Dinner-Winner Zucchini Pizza Bake and your family won’t be the wiser. Picky Pete and Fussy Fran will love what you have done for them. Find out what the fuss is about, try this winner tonight!
Ingredients
- 4 cups zucchini, unpeeled and shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 (15-ounce) can Italian tomato sauce
- 1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a colander over a large bowl or the sink, add the shredded zucchini and the salt, toss to combine, then let stand, about 10 minutes.
Step 4 –Use the back of a large spoon to thoroughly squeeze as much of the moisture as possible from the seasoned shredded zucchini.
Step 5 –In a large bowl, add the zucchini, the eggs, the parmesan cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 of the cheddar cheese and stir to combine.
Step 6 –Transfer the zucchini mixture to the prepared baking dish and press it into the bottom of the dish.
Step 7 –Bake the zucchini mixture, about 20 minutes.
Step 8 –While the zucchini mixture is baking, in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and the onion and cook, while crumbling the meat, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease.
Step 9 –Add the tomato sauce to the ground beef mixture and stir to combine.
Step 10 –Evenly add the ground beef sauce to the top of the baked zucchini mixture.
Step 11 –Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the remaining cheddar cheese on top of the ground beef mixture.
Step 12 –Add the bell pepper to the top of the casserole and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.
Step 13 –Transfer the bake to a wire rack to rest.
Step 14 –Use a sharp knife to cut the bake into serving-size pieces, and serve.
