Zucchini Bake with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Parmesan
Try this Zucchini Bake with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Parmesan recipe
Try this Zucchini Bake with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Parmesan recipe
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded
- cooking spray (i use misto)
- 2 large or 2.5 lbs zucchini cut into quarters
- 10 oz grape tomatoes cut in halves or 2 large tomatoes, diced
- 7 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/3 cup parsley or basil finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil oregano or organic italian seasoning
- Carbohydrate 19.7027430558467 g
- Cholesterol 11.0000000140161 mg
- Fat 4.31196046655683 g
- Fiber 4.4179428871539 g
- Protein 8.85889803892568 g
- Saturated Fat 2.2731536674356 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (319g)
- Sodium 209.59176179353 mg
- Sugar 15.2848001686928 g
- Trans Fat 0.425635234260481 g
- Calories 141 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray 8 x 8 or 9 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients, except parsley/basil, and stir to combine.
- Transfer to a prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 25 minutes for crunchy zucchini or 35 minutes if you like well cooked vegetables.
- I recommend checking for doneness with a fork or knife after 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with basil or parsley and serve hot/warm.
Golden pools of rendered tomato juices mingle with nutty, browned parmesan cheese as the vegetables soften inside a 350 degrees F oven. Mediterranean cooking traditions frequently pair summer squash with acid-heavy fruits like tomatoes, relying on mutual moisture release to concentrate flavors without heavy stocks. Crushed raw garlic mellows substantially during baking, losing its aggressive sharpness and imparting a savory background note to the porous zucchini flesh. Cutting the zucchini into substantial quarters prevents the vegetables from turning to pure mush, ensuring distinct structural integrity even after thirty-five minutes of heat. Gluten-free by nature, this preparation substitutes easily for heavier grain-based casseroles while delivering satisfying umami from aged dairy. Home cooks managing lactose intolerance can swap the parmesan for hard-aged sheep milk cheeses or nutritional yeast flakes without altering the fundamental moisture balance. Fresh parsley or basil added after baking provides a necessary aromatic contrast to the cooked ingredients. Freezing raw zucchini causes cell walls to rupture due to high water content, so freezing this specific assembled dish before baking is discouraged. Instead, bake the vegetables fully, cool them completely, and store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to three days. Reheat portions gently in a conventional oven at 300 degrees F until warmed through to preserve the texture of the melted cheese.
