Summer is just the best. There are vacations on the calendar, the kids are out of school, and the sun is shining brightly! Also, your garden is flourishing with a juicy, refreshing harvest! And you must use up every last bit of those veggies. This Summer Fresh Casserole can do that for you! It loads you up with that freshness (hence the name) and mixes it with creamy, cheesy flavors and a buttery, crumbly crust. Yum! Nothing tastes better than Summer Fresh Casserole!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted, plus more, to taste, for greasing the pan
- 2 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated, divided
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided
- 1 1/2 cups panko or breadcrumbs
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Use the extra melted butter to coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Step 3 –Place the zucchini, the bell pepper, and the onion on a large sheet tray.
Step 4 –Drizzle the veggies with the oil, sprinkle with the salt and the pepper, and then toss to combine.
Step 5 –Cook the veggies until the zucchinis have slightly softened and released liquid, about 30 minutes.
Step 6 –Drain the veggies in a colander.
Step 7 –Let the veggies rest until cool enough to touch.
Step 8 –Gently press on the veggies with paper towels to extract any remaining moisture.
Step 9 –In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream and the eggs together.
Step 10 –Mix the cheddar cheese, the garlic, 1/4 cup of the parmesan, and all but 2 tablespoons of the parsley into the heavy cream mixture.
Step 11 –Gently mix the veggies into the cheese mixture.
Step 12 –Pour the casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 13 –Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Step 14 –In a small bowl, combine the panko and the remaining 1/4 cup of the melted butter.
Step 15 –Mix the remaining parmesan and the remaining parsley into the panko mixture.
Step 16 –Sprinkle the panko mixture over the casserole and bake until the top is lightly golden-brown, the edges are bubbly, and the center is set, about 35-40 minutes.
Step 17 –Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes.
Step 18 –Serve.
