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serving of cheesy zucchini spaghetti casserole on white plate with fork

Cheesy Zucchini Spaghetti Recipe

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cheesy Zucchini Crust:

  • 4 cups packed, shredded zucchini (about 3-4 small/medium zucchini) - see note
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauce + Cheese:

  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Place the zucchini in a colander set in the sink or on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Toss. Let the zucchini stand for 10-20 minutes.
  • Using your hands, get right in there in the colander and squeeze handfuls of shredded zucchini until the excess moisture is wrung out (basically, until it doesn't drip like crazy when you squeeze handfuls together). You should have about 2 cups (345 grams) of shredded zucchini when you're done.
  • Place the shredded zucchini in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined.
  • Lightly grease a 9X13-inch (or slightly smaller) baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Press the zucchini mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • While the zucchini bakes, heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef, onion, salt and pepper. Cook the ground beef, breaking into small pieces, until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
  • Add the tomato paste, basil, and oregano. Stir and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds or so until sizzling. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
  • Remove the casserole from the oven. Pour the meat sauce over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and return to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling.
  • Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Zucchini: I shred the zucchini for this recipe on the large holes of the box grater (or food processor shredding disc).