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This cheesy Zucchini Casserole turns garden-fresh zucchini into a creamy, golden-topped dish that the whole family will love. With its rich, savory base and crispy cracker topping, it’s the perfect way to use up extra zucchini during the summertime!
Get ready…this is the BEST Zucchini Casserole Recipe!
Got too much zucchini? This cheesy casserole is your answer. It takes that garden overflow and turns it into something everyone at the table will actually want seconds of. The combination of tender zucchini, sharp cheddar, and creamy sauce creates cozy, comforting casserole without being complicated.
This zucchini bake recipe brings together simple ingredients for big flavor. The buttery Ritz cracker topping adds the perfect crunch against the creamy filling, and it all comes together in about 40 minutes. It’s the kind of reliable side dish that works for both weeknight dinners and holiday tables, and somehow tastes even better as leftovers the next day!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: Cheesy and savory with the natural earthy flavor of zucchini in each bite.
- Texture: Tender zucchini in a creamy sauce topped with crisp, buttery crackers.
- Ease: Quick stovetop prep plus hands-off baking time—ready in under an hour!
- Pros: Uses seasonal zucchini, pleases even the pickiest eaters, and works well for meal prep.
- Considerations: Proper sautéing prevents excess moisture to prevent a soggy casserole—don’t rush this step.
Zucchini Bake ingredients
- Zucchini: Choose firm, medium-sized zucchini for the best texture and minimal seeds. No need to peel them—the skin adds color and nutrients.
- Butter: To sauté the zucchini and onion!
- Diced Onion: For an added depth of flavor.
- Spices: You will need garlic powder, salt & pepper to season up the zucchini mixture.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Use a can for ease, or try make my homemade condensed mushroom soup if you don’t have a can on hand.
- Sour Cream: To add a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: I recommend shredding your own cheese from a block for maximum melt!
- Egg: To bind everything together.
- Topping: For the crunchy topping, you will need sharp cheddar cheese, crushed ritz crackers (or panko breadcrumbs), and butter.
How To Make Zucchini Casserole Recipe
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Cook the Zucchini
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini and diced onion (if using fresh), and sauté for 6–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, lightly browned, and excess water has evaporated. (A little char adds great flavor!)
Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (if using instead of onion) as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid.
Step 2 | Mix the Filling
In a large bowl, lightly beat egg, and add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and and 2 cups cheese and stir together.
Then gently fold in the drained and cooked zucchini. Stir gently to mix everything evenly.
Step 3 | Make Topping & Assemble
Spread the zucchini mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix crushed crackers (or panko) with melted butter until evenly coated.
Evenly spread top the casserole with ½ to 1 cup additional cheddar cheese. Then, sprinkle the cracker topping over the casserole.
Step 4 | Bake & Enjoy
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.
Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving to help it set up.
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Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the sauté. Properly cooking the zucchini to remove excess moisture is crucial for preventing a watery casserole. Plus, a little char adds lots of flavor!
- After shredding your cheese, reserve some for the topping to create that irresistible golden crust.
- Not sure if it is ready? The zucchini casserole should be bubbling around the edges and golden on top when ready.
- Rest before serving. Those 5-10 minutes of resting time allow the casserole to set up properly for easier serving.
Baked Zucchini Casserole Variations
- Healthier Version: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, low-fat cheese, and whole wheat crackers or panko for the topping.
- Vegetable Mix-Ins: Add yellow squash, diced bell peppers, or fresh corn kernels for more color and flavor variety. If you only have yellow squash on hand, try my cheesy yellow squash casserole recipe instead!
- Protein Add-Ins: Fold in cooked chicken, turkey, or ham to add protein and make it a hearty meal.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free cream of mushroom soup and replace crackers with gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers.
Best Zucchini Casserole Recipe FAQs
No, the peel adds nice color, texture, and nutrients. Just wash the zucchini thoroughly before slicing.
The best way to keep the zucchini from getting soggy is to sauté it before using it in the casserole! This will release extra moisture that can make the zucchini soggy after baking.
This usually happens when the zucchini isn’t sautéed long enough. Make sure to cook until tender and any excess moisture has evaporated or been drained before adding to the casserole mixture.
You can soak zucchini in salt before cooking (especially when frying or baking) to draw out excess moisture. This helps prevent sogginess, improves texture, and allows it to cook more evenly. Just slice, salt, and let it sit for about 15–30 minutes—then pat dry. I normally skip this step and make sure to cook the zucchini until the moisture has been cooked out. So you don’t necessarily need to add this step in this recipe, but you can if you prefer to prevent excess moisture in the casserole!
Zucchini Bake Recipe Storage
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The casserole will release some liquid as it sits, but this doesn’t affect the flavor. If you like, you can dab any excess water at the bottom of the dish with a paper towel before reheating. For best results when reheating, use the oven at 325°F until heated through to restore some of the topping’s crispness.
Freeze: Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to serve with this Recipe for Zucchini Casserole
Zucchini bake is super versatile! It can be served in the summertime when zucchini is plentiful, or in the winter as a cozy side dish. It goes well with classic mains like roast turkey, air fryer chicken legs, or baked ham.
For a special Sunday dinner, serve it with grilled sweet and spicy mustard pork chops and slow cooker mashed potatoes. In the summertime, it goes great with your barbecue favorites like ground chicken burgers, Instant Pot baby back ribs, and air fryer corn ribs.
Other Recipes to Try
- French Onion Ground Beef & Rice Casserole
- Broccoli Casserole Recipe
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Dorito Casserole with Ground Beef
- Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
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Best Recipe for Zucchini Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds zucchini, rinsed and sliced to ¼ to ½ inch thick (ends cut off) If slices are large you can halve them.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup diced onion, or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or one clove of garlic
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 to 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten
Topping
- ½ to 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 sleeve ritz crackers crushed, or ¾ to 1 cup panko crumbs
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- Cook zucchini: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini and diced onion (if using fresh), and sauté for 6–9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, lightly browned and excess water has evaporated. (A little char adds great flavor!)
- Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder (if using instead of onion) as it cooks. Drain any excess liquid.
- Mix filling: In a large bowl, lightly beat egg, and add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and and 2 cups cheese and stir together.
- Then gently fold in the drained and cooked zucchini. Stir gently to mix everything evenly.
- Assemble casserole: Spread the zucchini mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Make topping: In a small bowl, mix crushed crackers (or panko) with melted butter until evenly coated.
- Add topping: Evenly spread top the casserole with ½ to 1 cup additional cheddar cheese. Then, sprinkle the cracker topping over the casserole.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.
- Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before serving to help it set up.
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Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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