Easy Zucchini Parmesan

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Easy Zucchini Parmesan is a delicious, meat-free, oven-baked dish made with simple pantry ingredients.

This comforting vegetarian dish alternates layers of crispy fried zucchini slices with savory tomato sauce and melted cheese for the perfect savory, gooey, and filling meal.

Only 5 ingredients, and you can use leftover Fried Breaded Zucchini for this budget-friendly recipe!

Inspired by the classic Italian favorite.

Easy zucchini parmesan is a simple prep vegetarian dish.

Just layer fried breaded zucchini with savory tomato sauce and cheese and bake until the cheese melts and is perfectly gooey.

Makes a terrific budget-friendly lunch or dinner at home or a delicious shareable option for a potluck with friends!

Some useful cooking terms

What does “savory” mean?

“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.

What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?

If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor-related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance-related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.

What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?

When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking, though).

The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.

Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.

Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.

A little about zucchini

Zucchini is a type of summer squash.

The name “zucchini” is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, in some other countries, such as Britain, Holland, and Malaysia, the term for this squash is “courgette,” taken from the French.

Like other types of squash, zucchini can be used in a variety of dishes. It can be fried, baked, broiled, breaded, etc. It can be sliced the long way to prepare a dish or as disks.

Zucchinis contain vitamins and nutrients and are low in calories.

There are over a dozen types of zucchini. I personally use the dark green zucchini (All Green Bush Zucchini) or the fatter, light green (Magda) zucchini. The dark green zucchini tend to be slightly more bitter compared to the light green ones.

What is needed to make easy zucchini parmesan?

I hardly ever meal plan, so I like to keep a cupboard full of seasonings, spices, veggies, and canned goods in my kitchen to use whenever the mood strikes.

But these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe!

zucchini
eggs
breadcrumbs
shredded mozzarella and/or Parmesan
marinara or pasta sauce
(oil for frying)

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Yield: 6 servings

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

5.0 Stars (6 Reviews)

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Layers of delicious fried breaded zucchini, sauce, and cheese, made without meat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 - 2 1/2 pounds of zucchini (I use light green)
• 6-8 eggs (start with 6, add more if needed)*
• 2-3 cups breadcrumbs (start with 2, add more if needed)*
• 1 pound (or more, as desired) of a mixture of shredded mozzarella and Parmesan, as desired (I only use mozzarella)
• 24-ounce jar of marinara or pasta sauce
• oil for frying

Instructions

Frying the eggplant

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat (approximately 1/4" - 1/3" high).
2. Cut off the ends of the zucchini and peel (or leave the skin on, if desired—I leave the skin).
3. Slice zucchini into slices of approximately 1/2" wide, lengthwise
4. Pour eggs and breadcrumbs into separate bowls large enough to accommodate dipping the zucchini slices.
5. Dip each slice into egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg again, making sure the slices are well coated.
6. Place in a pan with oil that has been heated on medium.
7. Fry one side until golden brown, then flip and fry the other side until golden brown (you should be able to easily stick a fork through when they are ready).
8. Remove fried zucchini and place on a plate covered with paper towels to drain.
   

Preparing the Eggplant Parmesan

1. Place a layer of fried zucchini on the bottom of a 9"x13" casserole dish or other suitable-sized baking pan.
2. Pour marinara or pasta sauce evenly over the layer of zucchini (determine how many layers of zucchini you will have and pour that fraction of sauce onto each—ex., if you have 4 layers, then 1/4 of the sauce will be poured on each).
3. Add the cheese over the sauce (again, divide according to the number of layers you have).
4. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients.
5. Place in an oven that has been preheated to 350° and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese has melted completely.

Notes

*Many people only use one coat of egg and do not redip after the breadcrumbs, but I make them this way.

Additional note: The amount of eggs and breadcrumbs you will need depends on how well you coat. That is why I write a range of amounts for both. Chances are you will be left with some extra, but having a nice amount allows for easier coating and starting with a smaller amount, and having more at the ready to add if needed helps prevent waste.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 695Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 261mgSodium: 1677mgCarbohydrates: 96gFiber: 10gSugar: 18gProtein: 31g

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