Cheesy Zucchini Casserole – Stay home chef

Zucchini gets a lot more exciting when it's turned into Cheesy Zucchini Casserole! If you're looking for a tasty way to use up your zucchini, this recipe delivers. Zucchini is tossed in a rich blend of cheddar and Parmesan, making for a cheesy, comforting side dish that's hard to resist. But it's the buttery Ritz cracker topping that really steals the show, adding the perfect crunch to the top. It's a crowd-pleaser that's easy to make.

For yellow squash, try ours Squash Casserole!

All those yummy onion smells and fun smells wafting through your kitchen will bring hungry bellies to the table. The nutty, salty flavor of Parmesan cheese and the sharp bite of cheddar cheese take your counter squash to veggie nirvana. Mixing sour cream with cheddar and Parmesan cheese creates a subtly tangy sauce, and provides structure to keep the sauce from getting watery—because no one wants a watery sauce. And as the zucchini cooks soft, the buttery cracker topping maintains the texture of this dish and enhances the flavor with a layer of salty, nutty goodness. Use some zucchini from your garden or pick up some from the grocery store, as this easy casserole will be a new favorite on your menu.

Material notes

• Zucchini: 1 pound of chopped zucchini is about 2 zucchini (cucumber size), so you need 6-7 regular sized zucchini. If you're working with larger zucchini, you may want to scoop out the seeds before slicing.
• White Onion: Can be substituted with a turmeric or sweet onion.
• Sour Cream: Full fat sour cream will give your sauce the thickness it needs. Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute if needed – use the same amount (8 ounces)
• Cheese: We recommend sharp cheddar for the best flavor and freshly grated parmesan cheese for the best melt.
• Crackers: Ritz is our favorite cracker topping for that buttery, salty goodness. If you don't have access to Ritz crackers, you can always use 1 cup panko bread crumbs.
• Garlic powder: You can substitute with fresh minced garlic, but reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon to avoid overpowering the dish.

Drain your zucchini

Several of our zucchini recipes don't call for draining excess liquid from the zucchini, but this casserole calls for draining that water. Cook zucchini and onion in skillet until zucchini begins to soften, about 7-10 minutes. Then, using a mesh strainer, strain out any liquid released during cooking.

This step ensures that the sour cream and cheese mixture sticks to the zucchini, giving you that rich, creamy consistency you want. Skipping this step will just result in a watery casserole.

Please direct forward

For a potluck, a large gathering, or a large dinner, you can completely assemble the casserole the night before. Prepare everything until the baking step, cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. On the day of your event, bake it right before you head out. If you need to transport it, cover the baked casserole with foil to keep warm. You can reheat it at your destination in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes and broil for 4-5 minutes to crisp the topping before serving.