Zucchini Parmesan

Aug 16, 2011 by Julie

While menu planning last week, a friend of mine posted a photo online of an Italian dish she made for dinner- Layered Zucchini Parmesan. It looked incredible! When I asked her about it she graciously sent me the link.

As with most Italian dishes, the recipe called for marinara sauce. My husband James has acid reflux, so things like citrus, spicy foods, and marinara are things he tries to avoid in his diet. Rather than forgo Italian all-together we substitute diced tomatoes in most of our homemade pastas, pizzas, etc…

We find that this is not only more affordable than store-bought marinara, but it feels so much better for James and is healthier for both of us! This Italian dish was a total hit this week at our place. Layered with deliciousness, it is so good you won’t even miss the meat!

Zucchini Parmesan

Prep to table: 45 minutes; Difficulty: Easy; Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2-3 Zucchini, sliced into coins
2 T EVOO
1/3 C Parmesan, grated
1/3 C Italian breadcrumbs
1 can Italian diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 C mozzarella, grated
1/2 C fresh spinach (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

0. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

1. Begin placing the slices of zucchini in a single layer on the cookie sheet. When finished, drizzle olive oil over the slices of zucchini.

2. In a bowl, combine half the Parmesan and the bread crumbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. When all items are incorporated together begin spooning the mixture on top of the zucchini. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long as most of each zucchini is covered, it’ll be just fine.

3. Bake for 25 minutes to a crisp golden brown.

4. Remove after the 25 minutes and reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

5. Combine tomato sauce & diced tomatoes in a bowl. Pour half of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a small casserole dish. This is the fun part: begin layering a portion of the zucchini crisps on top of the sauce. Next, if you are including fresh spinach, place the spinach on top on the zucchini. After the veggies, sprinkle half of the mozzarella and remaining Parmesan over the top. Repeat the layers at least one more time, or until you run out of zucchini crisps. Be sure to end by sprinkling cheese on top.

6. Bake (at 400 degrees) for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Variations

What I love about this recipe is the versatility of it! You can keep it simple with just the zucchini, cheese,and tomato sauce or totally load it up with layers of your favorite fresh veggies. I think it would be delicious to add some mushrooms next time! You can also swap the zucchini for another squash as the seasons change. The possibilities are endless, so, make it your own!

A self-proclaimed foodie, Julie’s love of cooking and her travel experiences have sent her on a quest for creativity in the kitchen! Julie and her husband James live just outside of Dallas, Texas where they share a passion for serving others through their local church. As the Turner’s are newlyweds, Julie chronicles their journey together on their family blog www.theturnyeahs.tumblr.com

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Zucchini Parmesan