This easy baked sausage and fresh zucchini casserole is a perfect weeknight meal that comes together quickly and is super light yet filling. It is reminiscent of something like pizza or lasagna and seriously delicious! It's a healthy comfort food. Gluten free, low carb, keto and can be made paleo or Whole30.
If you've got some zucchini on hand and don't want to spiralize your life away, I've got a really simple and easy recipe that comes together rather quickly special for you.
This low carb zucchini casserole only requires 2 large zucchinis in a 1.75 quart baking dish. However, you can easily double or triple this recipe and throw it into a bigger container.
You can get a bit creative within the recipe itself, too. If you're really into marinara sauce, be sure to use that on top. However, make sure you check the ingredients for added sugar if you are on a Whole30.
If marinara isn't your style, use your favorite pasta sauce. I'm a huge fan of arrabbiata because I like everything in my life spicy, ya knowww? 🙂
Ingredients for low carb zucchini casserole
The ingredients needed are: zucchini (ha, obviously), oil, Italian sausage, onions, Italian seasoning, garlic, artichoke hearts, chicken broth, red sauce, parmesan cheese (optional) and fresh parsley.
It's a pretty short list, and you can find all of these things at your local grocery store.
You can get creative here and either use sweet or spicy Italian sausage. If Italian flavors aren't your thing, you probably won't fall in love with this dish. Just kidding.
But seriously. Go for a ground chicken thigh or chorizo if you're into it, and it'll still come out absolutely delicious.
If you want to add some extra veggies to this dish, you could also add a yellow squash to it. This adds a little extra color. I suggest removing one of the zucchinis if you're going to do this.
What's really awesome is that you can simply omit the cheese, and this zucchini casserole automatically becomes both paleo and Whole30 compliant as well.
Alternatively, you can go the other way with it and make it cheesy! Add mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, or even a little gruyere cheese to the top just before you place it in the oven. A sprinkling of panko bread crumbs is a nice touch too. This is a great way to please picky eaters (veggie adverse).
I wanted to show you how laid back layering the zucchini rounds into the casserole dish can be. You don't need to do it any particular way. However you do it, just make sure the zucchini is in an even layer.
Simply make room for them between the sausage artichoke mixture and make sure they are sticking out on top a bit.
They are the perfect vessel for the red sauce and cheese that are both about to be layered on top.
I've made zucchini casserole with polenta rounds instead, and it that way is also absolutely fabulous.
However, it would no longer be considered paleo, low carb or keto in this case.
By the way, I was absolutely inspired by my friend Maya over at Wholesome Yum to make this dish. She has a recipe for Baked Easy Cheesy Zucchini Casserole that got my engine roaring.
How to make this delicious zucchini casserole
Toss the zucchini slices with kosher salt in a small bowl. Place salt and zucchini mixture into a colander and set over the sink to drain for 30 minutes. Pat very dry with paper towels and remove as much salt as possible at the end.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil or avocado oil. Note that either is fine, but avocado oil has a little higher smoke point than does olive oil. After it has heat up for about 1 minute, add onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft, stirring frequently.
Add sausage and cook on a medium-high heat while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon for about 7-8 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts and salt & pepper.
Add mixture to a 1.75 quart baking dish and layer zucchini rounds in between. Evenly distribute the chicken broth on top of the dish. Cover with red sauce and cheese.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until zucchini is slightly golden around the edges and the cheese has melted. Feel free to do a low broil the last few minutes, too. Sprinkle zucchini casserole with fresh parsley and serve warm.
You can print out the recipe card below for easy reference! You can also find the available nutrient data for this dish.
I've also had this dish the next few days after preparing it, and it tastes just as delicious reheated.
You can also eat it cold or at room temperature. Just ask my husband Tim... he absolutely refuses to warm anything up especially since we haven't had a microwave since moving to this house last year.
It's a "waste of time" and "almost everything tastes just as good cold." He's crazy.
I am not in this camp.
Pack in an airtight container and take this deliciousness to work though or make it for a weeknight meal for the entire family.
The kids will love it! I have given some to Sophie, and the girl seriously gobbles it down. It'll become a favorite of the whole family.
Well, that's all she wrote. This easy zucchini casserole recipe will surely become a staple in your kitchen.
It's simple, quick, easy and full of so much flavor. I cannot wait to hear what you think!
More easy low carb recipes like this:
- Paleo Whole30 Chili
- One Pan Creamy Garlic Shrimp
- Easy Paleo Cashew Chicken
- One Pan Shrimp Fajitas
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-less Soup
- Paleo Chicken Salad Wraps
Easy Baked Zucchini Casserole with Sausage
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchinis cut into ¼" rounds
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ white onion sliced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ pounds Italian sausage ground
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained & chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup bone broth or chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups red sauce see notes
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese for garnish, optional
- ¼ cup fresh parsley roughly chopped
Instructions
- Toss the zucchini slices with kosher salt. Place into a colander and set over the sink to drain for 30 minutes. Pat very dry and remove as much salt as possible at the end.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. After it has heat up for about 1 minute, add onions with Italian seasoning. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft, stirring frequently.
- Add sausage and cook while breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon for about 7-8 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook for about a minute, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a bowl. Stir in artichoke hearts and salt & pepper.
- Add mixture to a 1.75 quart baking dish and layer zucchini rounds in between. Evenly distribute the broth on top of the dish. Cover with red sauce and cheese.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until zucchini is slightly golden around the edges and the cheese has melted. Feel free to do a low broil the last few minutes, too. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve warm.
Sally says
Tasty but too soupy and too salty. Maybe rinse the zucchini and pat dry. Why the broth? Don’t need it -- there is way too much moisture.
david says
How can you tell zucchini is "slightly golden" when it's covered in red sauce?
Sally says
It will not be golden. Just make sure it’s all hot.
Mary says
https://waterfallmagazine.com
magnificent post, very informative. I wonder why the opposite specialists of this
sector do not understand this. You must proceed your writing.
I am sure, you've a great readers' base already!
Jacqui says
Just made this delicious dish for my hubby who recently went keto. He said it was the BEST dinner I have ever made (we have been married for 12 years)!
Oh my gosh, GET OUT. I could cry!!!!
Stephanie says
it says drain zucchini for 30 mins but drain from what? are they supposed to be cooked first? doesn't say.... thanks
Nope! Drain from the salt and water... you are extracting the moisture from them! 🙂
Sarah says
Could I use ground beef instead?
Yes you can!!!!
Judy says
I just made it - but next time I'll try to figure out how to make it less salty and less liquidy - but it was good. (My husband has been doing keto for awhile - he initially lost weight - now he is trying to maintain, though more weight loss would be good.)
K says
Less liquid more red sauce, more spices (although amount and type aren’t specified). thinner zuchhini!, more cheese. I can’t even! I will be looking for a new recipe as this one requires way too many modifications. Why chicken stock. If the zucchini don’t cook, slice them smaller.
This was not a good choice. Had to drain a bunch of liquid, which unfortunately had a bunch of flavor.
Charlene says
Italian seasoning mentioned in ingredients but not in directions. Also it appears artichokes are chopped before added to mixture?
Just fixed those errors- so sorry! Yes and add the seasoning to the onions !
Deonshae Thomas says
It was really quick and easy to throw together for the weeknight. Super tasty. First time having artichoke LOVED IT!
Oh my gosh, happy to introduce you to artichokes! 🙂
Sandy says
What can I replace the artichoke hearts with?
Hmm, what do you have on hand? You could use another canned veg.
Liz says
Mushrooms!
Judy says
I just left them out - it was fine.
Heidi says
Quick, filling, delicious. Perfect for those cold days when you want something warm that's not soup. I left the cheese off because I can't eat dairy, and incredible both the first night and almost better left over.
Vanessa M Winter says
Everybody loved it!
Jen says
Do I make the red sauce? Or do I buy a sauce? How much do I use? Am I just missing it in the recipe ingredients?
Clearly, I was way too excited to publish and didn't proof read. I just fixed this!
Lia Stone says
Hi, Monica! I'm excited to try this recipe! It seems as if some ingredients may be missing - I don't see chicken stock or red sauce listed. What are the amounts? Thank you! This looks delicious!
Clearly, I was way too excited to publish and didn't proof read. I just fixed this!
Jean says
The ingredient list doesn’t say how much chicken broth is required.
Clearly, I was way too excited to publish and didn't proof read. I just fixed this... so sorry!