Description
A delightful casserole featuring layers of zucchini, tomatoes, crispy bacon, and a blend of cheeses, baked to perfection.
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 3 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
- Slice the zucchini and tomatoes into even rounds. Pat them dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, especially from the tomatoes.
- Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, then crumble once cool. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings if desired.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt.
- Arrange the zucchini and tomato slices in alternating rows in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the cream mixture evenly over the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the crumbled bacon over the vegetables. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan, distributing the cheese evenly.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the zucchini is tender.
- Broil for 1–2 minutes for a deeper golden cheese crust, watching carefully to prevent burning.
- Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes to the cream mixture.
- Feel free to substitute other vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms.
- This dish can be made ahead of time and baked just before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the casserole
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg