If you’re searching for an easy and flavorful dish to use up your zucchini, look no further than this garlic herb and feta cheese infused zucchini casserole. Bursting with oregano, thyme, basil, and garlic, this simple vegetable side dish bakes in 30 minutes and doesn’t require any pre-cooking.
One reader, Kathryn, commented: “Aside from zucchini bread, this is THE BEST way I have ever eaten zucchini. Loved every bite. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Abby, commented: “This is the most amazing side dish, and frankly I could make a meal out of it—it’s that good and filling! I may have added a tiny bit more parmesan, but other than tossing in yellow squash as well, I followed to a T. I will be making this every summer. My new fave squash recipe! ★★★★★“
Between all the zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini bread, zucchini muffins, and zucchini cookies, it’s only a matter of time before our zucchini begins begging us for savory herbs and cheese. LOL. Which it gets in today’s recipe (and these savory zucchini biscuits, by the way).
I figured you would appreciate a vegetable-packed side dish in between all the sweet options. My entire family loved this side dish, children included. Let me show you how it comes together.
Tell Me About This Feta Zucchini Casserole
- Texture: Each bite of this casserole is packed with crisp bread crumbs and zucchini that’s baked just until tender, before it reaches a soggy, over-baked texture. A little heavy cream and an egg hold the zucchini together so the dish is like (but not as heavy as) a cheesy casserole.
- Flavor: Herby, salty, and tangy with a little bit of kick from the optional red pepper flakes. If you love fresh and garlicky herb flavors, you’ll love this one! I use basil, thyme, and oregano, but feel free to swap in some parsley and/or rosemary.
- Ease: All you’re doing is mixing most of the ingredients together and spreading them into a casserole dish. There’s no pre-cooking required, but the zucchini benefits from a quick 10 minute blot/drain to rid some moisture.
Lots of texture, lots of flavor, little prepwork!
Grab These Ingredients for Your Zucchini Casserole:
Each ingredient has a specific job, so I don’t recommend leaving any out. However, feel free to substitute with my suggestions. Here’s a brief rundown so you understand the importance of each:
- Feta Cheese: Tangy crumbled feta cheese is my recommended choice for this dish, but shredded white cheddar, smoked gouda, Gruyère, or pepper jack for a little kick would be great alternatives.
- Basil, Oregano, & Thyme: Flavor! I use a mix of fresh and dried herbs. See recipe Note below.
- Salt & Pepper: More flavor. Also, a little salt helps draw out some zucchini moisture in step 1.
- Garlic & Onion: Both add even more flavor.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs help give the dish some substance. Mix some in with the zucchini and other ingredients and then top the dish with more breadcrumbs before baking. You can purchase Panko at the store—they’re wonderfully crunchy and perfect as a topping on casseroles.
- Egg & Heavy Cream: You need some thick liquid in the mixture to help hold the zucchini and cheese together. 1 egg and a little heavy cream turned this into a tasty, hearty casserole. I don’t recommend any substitutes for the egg, but half-and-half works inside of the heavy cream. Milk or anything lower fat wouldn’t be ideal.
- Zucchini: Zucchini varies greatly in size. You need 1.5 lbs, which is about 3-4 medium zucchini. After slicing and quartering, you’ll have about 6 cups or about 680g. No need to peel the zucchini. If you find yourself with an abundance of zucchini, try my zucchini cake, peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread, or any of my favorite zucchini recipes next!
- (Optional) Shredded Parmesan & Red Pepper Flakes: To finish off the dish, add some parmesan (or more feta cheese) on top near the end of bake time. Before serving, feel free to add a sprinkle of herbs and/or red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
Success Tips: Avoid a Watery Casserole
Zucchini is a very wet ingredient which is why it’s so lovely in baked goods… moisture! In main dishes and sides like this feta zucchini bake, however, all of this moisture can give you a very soggy dish. To combat this:
- Cut the zucchini thick: Slice zucchini into 1/2 inch thick slices and quarter them.
- Blot/drain for 10 minutes: Lightly sprinkle the zucchini pieces with salt, place into a towel-lined colander, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. Blot lightly, and then use in the recipe.
You also want to avoid over-baking, so follow the baking directions below. If baked too long, the zucchini becomes overly soft to the point of tasting mushy. You want to retain *some* texture.
Mix most of the ingredients together in 1 bowl and then spread into a greased baking dish:
Want some color? Chop up a red bell pepper and add it right into the bowl with everything else.
Bake, covered, for 25 minutes and then top with parmesan or more feta cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 5 more minutes. Garnish with red pepper flakes and/or more herbs for serving.
Can I Freeze Zucchini Casserole?
Yes, you can freeze this zucchini casserole before or after baking. Assemble the entire dish, but instead of baking, cover it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked and cooled casserole. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes.
Can I Use Yellow Squash Instead?
Yes, absolutely. Simply replace the zucchini with the same amount of yellow squash.
Is This Gluten Free?
Because of the breadcrumbs on top, this vegetable side dish is not gluten free. However, you can purchase gluten free breadcrumbs or make your own with gluten free bread.
If you love this dish you’ll also love these zucchini fritters. And for even more inspiration, see this round up of 15+ summer dinner ideas and 20+ zucchini recipes!
Serve With These Dinner Favorites
Today’s feta zucchini casserole would pair wonderfully with the following:
- Black Bean Burgers
- Jalapeño Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers
- Crab Cakes
- Chicken Meatballs
- Honey Garlic Shrimp
- Caprese Pesto Chicken Burgers
- Baked Lemon Garlic Salmon
Zucchini Casserole Side Dish
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Bursting with oregano, thyme, basil, and garlic, this simple vegetable side dish bakes in 30 minutes and doesn’t require any pre-cooking. To avoid a soggy dish, draining/blotting the zucchini in step 1 is crucial.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. (about 680g) zucchini (about 3–4 medium)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for step 1
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried)
- 3/4 cup (100g) crumbled feta cheese
- 1/3 cup (35g) Panko breadcrumbs, divided
- optional: 2 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese
- optional for serving: red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Slice zucchini into 1/2-inch thick slices and then quarter each slice. You should have a little over 6 cups or 600–700g of quartered/chopped zucchini. Sprinkle lightly with salt (reserve the 1/4 teaspoon of salt for step 3… this is just a light sprinkle). Line a colander with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Place zucchini in lined colander. Let sit for just 10 minutes. Blot dry as best you can.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Grease a 2.5-quart baking dish. (See Note below for recommendations on best pans to use.)
- In a large bowl, whisk the heavy cream and egg together. Stir in the the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, basil, feta cheese, and 3 Tablespoons (21g) breadcrumbs. Stir in the zucchini. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish. Top evenly with remaining breadcrumbs.
- Bake, covered lightly with aluminum foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese or crumbled feta cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 5 more minutes or until zucchini is tender. For a crispier/browner top, switch the oven to broil and broil for the last 30 seconds. (If skipping the cheese topping, you still want to bake the dish for 5 minutes uncovered.)
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with red pepper flakes, if desired. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat as desired.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze the unbaked casserole, assemble it then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked and cooled casserole. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Colander | 2.5-Quart Baking Dish such as a 9-inch Square Baking Dish, 9-inch Springform Pan, 10-inch Springform Pan, 11×17-inch Pan, or the pictured 8×12-inch Baking Dish | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk
- Heavy Cream: You can use half-and-half instead, but I strongly recommend heavy cream. Do not use milk.
- Herbs: Feel free to substitute other herbs such as rosemary or parsley.
- Cheese: Tangy crumbled feta cheese is my recommended choice for this dish, but shredded white cheddar, smoked gouda, Gruyère, or pepper jack for a little kick would be great alternatives.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs help give the dish some substance. You can purchase Panko at most grocery stores—they’re wonderfully crunchy and perfect as a topping on casseroles. You could also make your own breadcrumbs by spreading crumbled bread pieces on a baking sheet and toasting in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5–10 minutes or until browned and crisp.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This was delish! Our garden supplies us with an absurd number of zucchini and summer squash so I’m always on the look out for ways to use them. I’ll put this on in the regular rotation.
Recipe was delicious! My husband suggested that a poached egg on the top would enhance the flavor and add more protein. It made it even better! Love your recipes!
Recipe was delicious! My husband suggested that a poached egg on the top would enhance the flavor and add more protein. It made it even better! Love your recipes!
Followed the recipe exactly and it was soooooo good! This is my new go to site for recipes now! Not one bad one so far. Thanks.
Very good and easy! Will make again.
Was looking for a fresh new zucchini recipe and as always Sally’s got me covered! My son hates zucchini but this he loved! Thank you Sally for another great recipe!
Bland.
Surprising review. Did you use feta cheese? Mine was so flavorful.
Tried this on Monday night with the new zucchini from my garden. SOOOO good and easy-peasy to make. Can’t wait to try some other things.
Really enjoyed this recipe. I used scallions instead of onions and Parmesan cheese instead of feta. I added two tablespoons of Parmesan to the egg mixture and two on the top with the breadcrumbs. Everyone enjoyed it and will make agin.
My friend’s mother used to make this dish for every 4th of July picnic. I really missed it when Dorothy passed away and have been on a search for this recipe. It is not exactly like hers, but is really close. I love it!
Delicious! This recipe is a great way to use up extra garden zucchini! ❤️ that you can freeze it. The addition of red pepper flakes was a perfect touch! I will definitely be making this recipe again!
Horrible dish. I threw it out. No flavor whatsoever
I made this yesterday. It’s so easy and delicious. I added spinach as well. It’s a keeper. Thanks.
Can I make/assemble this the day before?
Hi SuzP, see recipe Notes for our recommended make-ahead instructions.
Great recipe. Next time I’m going to add mushrooms.
Could whole milk yogurt be used instead of heavy cream?
Hi Fran, we haven’t tested it, but some readers have reported having success with using plain yogurt instead of cream. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
I used sour cream
This is a great alternative to using the plethora of zucchini from the garden. I’ve tried it with the feta as the recipe calls for but my kids were not big fans. The next time I made it, I used sharp white cheddar and it was much more their liking. I appreciate the ease and variety. It is a great dish to take to a gathering. I’ve so twice now.
Any way to cut the recipe in half (hard to use half an egg). Or, use a whole egg but cut the remaining ingredients in half? Would it change the recipe that much?
Hi Kathy, you can halve the recipe, yes. I recommend cracking the egg into a small bowl, beating it with a fork, and then just use about half (just eyeball it) of the beaten egg in the recipe. Enjoy!
Has anyone actually tried this with frozen zuch or yellow squash? Thank you
Hi Stephanie, We haven’t tested it, but frozen zucchini should work. However, we would completely thaw and pat as dry as you can before using.
This was delicious! We are sick at home with a virus, so I cooked with what we had on hand and in the pantry. We substituted butter, milk and a bit of cornstarch for the cream, stovetop stuffing mix for the panko, dried Italian herb mix and smoked paprika for the suggested spices. We had only a tablespoon of parmesan and then added shredded cheddar. The casserole baked as directed and it was delightful. I bet it’s even better prepared wholly as written but my sick family loved it alongside a turkey that baked itself in the Nesco oven while we all recuperated. Thanks for saving dinner. The casserole made from one very large zucchini was perfect.
Aside from zucchini bread, this is THE BEST way I have ever eaten zucchini. Loved every bite.
Delicious! But…your timing for baking might be longer than 25 minutes. I used garden zucchini and had to bake it for 40 minutes and then finish it in the microwave for a few minutes. Ending with parmesan and panko under the broiler gave it a nice crust. It could be that my pieces were larger than the desired size, and maybe the 1/2″ really should be a little smaller. In the picture the pieces look less than 1/2″ thick. I used fresh herbs, and the combination with the feta and other ingredients was just right. My husband suggested combining the zucchini with another vegetable such as cauliflower.. Overall, I would make it again!
I have successfully made this with zucchini several times, but tonight I only had (some rapidly fading) Chinese eggplant on hand. It needed a little longer to bake, as I expected, but was also quite delicious! Another winner.
Made this for a family gathering tonight and it was a huge hit! Another excellent recipe that will be a keeper for sure -thank you!
What can I use instead of egg as a substitute?
Hi Maya, we haven’t tested this recipe with any egg substitutes, but let us know if you do.
I made this using the vegan liquid egg substitute called Just Egg. It’s sold by the fresh eggs. I’m allergic to eggs. It came out fine.
I topped this with marinara and ate it as a vegetarian entree. So easy and scrumptious! Thank you!
This was a hit! I have to admit that U didn’t have cream and I substituted spreadable cream cheese.
For yellow squash substitute; can I use frozen and do I need to blot?
Hi Patty, yes, we would completely thaw and pat as dry as you can before using.
Very good flavor
Made this last night to go with a turkey that I had in the freezer…we all agreed that it was delicious and reminded us of a keto stuffing (we replaced the panko with crushed pork rinds). It was very flavorful! Crowd pleaser for sure…kids, adults and seniors all liked it 🙂