Baked Zucchini Parmesan
- taspencer
- Jun 29
- 3 min read
Eggplant will be jealous.
I have a long-standing love affair with eggplant parm, but lately this baked zucchini parmesan has inched its way into my heart. Starring crispy golden zucchini layered with marinara, mozzarella, and parm, this spin on the beloved Italian classic has caused me to buy more zucchini in the last few weeks than I have in the last few years.
This recipe is similar to a typical eggplant parmesan casserole, with a few exceptions. Rather than using the traditional three-step breading procedure which is often applied to eggplant, I chose to bread the zucchini lightly using olive oil and a mixture of seasoned panko and parmesan. This creates a crisp flavorful crust that pairs beautifully with the more delicate zucchini. I also chose to bake the zucchini instead of frying it, which works much better with that lighter crust.
I usually recommend shredding your own cheese, but in this case, I highly recommend buying bagged pre-shredded mozzarella. It’s less watery than fresh mozzarella that you would shred yourself—and it gives amazing cheese pulls, which is half the experience of a dish like this. Storebought pre-grated parmesan cheese is also acceptable, though you’ll want to make sure it’s actual cheese, as opposed to the weird cheese food sold in cans. (I will say, though, if you have a block of parmesan and a food processor, it takes 2 minutes to whizz up your own!)
If you want to make this recipe a day in advance, I recommend breading and baking the zucchini and then assembling the entire dish, but waiting to bake it off until just before you want to serve it. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!
Baked Zucchini Parmesan
(Serves 6)
3 zucchinis, sliced into ¼” rounds (about 1 ½ lb.)
1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt
Cooking spray
¾ c. panko breadcrumbs
3/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese (3 oz.) plus 3 tbsp. for sprinkling
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
¾ tsp. onion powder
¾ tsp. dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 c. marinara sauce
1 ½ c. (9 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil, for topping
Equipment: 3 baking sheets, paper towels, foil, 11"x7" baking pan
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Arrange zucchini in a single layer on prepared baking sheet; season with 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and let sit 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees, rack in the middle position. Line two baking sheets with foil; grease with cooking spray. In a large shallow bowl, whisk breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.
Blot zucchini dry with fresh paper towels. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Working one or two at a time, dredge zucchini rounds to panko parmesan mixture, pressing to encourage mixture to adhere. Arrange on prepared baking sheets in a single layer.
Bake zucchini until browned and crisp, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a small (11”x7”) baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce across the bottom. Arrange half of zucchini on top (you should have three rows of 7-8 zucchini slices). Spread ½ cup marinara sauce on top (it will be a thin layer); sprinkle with ½ cup (3 oz) mozzarella cheese and 2 tbsp. parm. Repeat the layers twice more.
Bake until bubbling on top, about 25 minutes minutes. If desired, broil, watching closely, until browned on top. Let sit 5 minutes, then top with more parmesan and fresh basil and serve.
Originally published June 29, 2025.
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