Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

My neighbor dropped off a bag of zucchini last week, and I was desperate for something that wasn’t zucchini bread. I remembered this recipe my sister found in an old Penzey’s catalog – one she’d been raving about for years.

After one bite of this Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake, I finally understood why. My husband stopped mid-conversation to ask what I’d done differently, and my kids actually cleaned their plates. I promise you there will be no leftovers when you make this!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

My mother-in-law came over for dinner last month and took three helpings of this dish. THREE. She’s the woman who usually just picks at her food and says everything needs more salt. When she asked me to write down the recipe, I knew I had a winner.

What gets me every time is how the zucchini doesn’t turn to mush like it does in most recipes. It stays tender but still has some bite to it. And that cheese on top? My kids fight over who gets the corner pieces because that’s where the cheese gets all crispy and golden.

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📝 Ingredient List

Main Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini (I just slice them however – rounds, half-moons, whatever)
• 2 medium yellow squash (same deal as the zucchini)

The Cheese Stars:

• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (buy the block, trust me on this one)
• ½ cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese + extra because you’ll want more on top

Fresh Herbs & Aromatics:

• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (do NOT use the dried stuff – it’s not the same)
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions (just the good parts)

Simple Seasonings:

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder (I use more because we’re garlic people)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper however much tastes right to you

No eggs, no flour, no breadcrumbs – just vegetables and cheese doing their thing.

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

I’ve messed around with this recipe enough times to figure out what actually matters. The zucchini and yellow squash get all tender and release just enough liquid to make everything creamy. Don’t ask me how – it just works.

That mozzarella has to be the good stuff though. I made it once with the pre-shredded kind from a bag and it was terrible – all gluey and weird. Grate your own from a block. Takes two extra minutes and makes all the difference.

The fresh basil is what makes people go “what IS that?” when they taste it. I tried dried basil once when I was out of fresh and my husband asked if I was feeling okay because it tasted so bland. Never again.

And if you’re looking for more quick weeknight dinner recipes, check out my Easy Baked Chicken and Zucchini Or Crispy Parmesan Zucchini– they’re both reader favorites!

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 8×8 baking dish (mine’s glass but whatever you have works)
• Big mixing bowl (bigger than you think you need)
• Sharp knife for chopping
• Box grater for the cheese
• Measuring stuff

I keep a little salad spinner just for herbs now because wet basil makes everything soggy.

👩🍳 How to Make Cheesy Zucchini Bake

1. Heat Your Oven and Chop Your Stuff (5 minutes)

Turn your oven to 350°F. Wash the zucchini and squash – don’t peel them, the skin’s fine. Chop off the ends and slice them up. I don’t get fancy about it, just slice them so they’re all roughly the same size.

2. Deal With the Herbs (3 minutes)

Wash your basil and dry it really well. Like, really well. I learned this lesson the hard way when my first batch turned out all watery. Chop it up roughly and slice your green onions thin.

3. Mix Everything Up (2 minutes)

Get your biggest bowl and dump in the zucchini, squash, basil, green onions, thyme, garlic powder, and about half the mozzarella plus all the Parmesan. Salt and pepper it good. Mix it all up with your hands – it’s faster and you can feel when everything’s coated right.

4. Into the Pan (1 minute)

Grease your dish with butter – tastes better than spray. Dump everything in and spread it around so it’s even. Looks like a lot but it shrinks down.

5. First Time in the Oven (25-30 minutes)

Stick it in there uncovered. Check it at 25 minutes by poking the zucchini with a fork. When it goes in easy but doesn’t fall apart, it’s ready.

6. Add More Cheese (10-15 minutes)

Pull it out and dump the rest of the mozzarella on top, plus extra Parmesan if you want. Back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and starting to get brown spots.

7. Wait a Few Minutes

This is the hardest part. Let it sit for 5 minutes before you dig in or you’ll burn your mouth. Ask me how I know.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs:

My cousin went to culinary school and she always says the same thing – good ingredients, don’t mess with them too much. That’s exactly what this recipe is.

❗ You Must Know

DO NOT salt your zucchini first and let it drain. I know every other recipe tells you to do this but don’t. The zucchini needs to release its water while it’s baking – that’s what makes it work. I skipped this step by accident once and realized the recipe was actually better without it.

Personal Secret: I keep a jar of grated Parmesan mixed with a little garlic powder in my fridge. Sprinkle it on everything – this dish, pasta, salads, whatever needs more flavor.

💡 Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Buy cheese in blocks and grate it yourself. The pre-shredded stuff has all kinds of coating on it so it doesn’t melt right.

If you want the top extra crispy, turn on the broiler for the last couple minutes. But don’t walk away – broilers are mean and will burn your food in about thirty seconds.

My brother adds leftover cooked sausage to his and says it’s incredible. I haven’t tried it but it sounds good.

Sometimes I put a clean kitchen towel under the dish for the last ten minutes if there’s too much liquid. Soaks it right up.

🎨 Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Once you make this a few times, you can start messing with it:

I add sun-dried tomatoes sometimes when I have them.

My sister-in-law puts mushrooms in hers.

Leftover grilled chicken works great mixed in.

When my herb garden is going crazy, I use whatever fresh herbs I have – oregano, a tiny bit of rosemary, whatever.

Some people like red pepper flakes for heat. Not my thing but might be yours.

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

You can put this together in the morning and stick it in the fridge, then bake it at dinner time. Just add about ten extra minutes since it’ll be cold.

I’ve frozen it after the first baking step too. Let it cool down completely, wrap it up good, and freeze it. Then thaw it overnight and add the final cheese layer before finishing it in the oven.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

I’ve been making this for three years now and here’s what I’ve figured out: some liquid in the bottom of the pan is normal. Don’t panic about it. It’s not supposed to be dry.

The recipe is pretty forgiving. I’ve made it with all zucchini when I couldn’t find yellow squash. Still good. I’ve made it when my basil was looking sad. Still worked.

My sister got this from Penzey’s ages ago, then she changed it, then I changed her version. That’s how family recipes work, right?

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

This goes with pretty much everything but here’s what I actually serve it with:

Grilled chicken or steak in the summer when it’s too hot to cook much inside.

Just with salad and some bread for lunch.

At potlucks because everyone eats it, even the kids who don’t like vegetables.

At holidays when you need a vegetable side that’s not boring green beans but also not some complicated casserole that takes all day.

Hope this becomes one of your go-to recipes like it is for me!

🧊 How to Store Your Easy Cheesy Zucchini Bake

Fridge: Keep it covered for about 4 days. Honestly tastes better the next day.

Freezer: Freezes fine for a few months. I portion it out so I can just heat up what I need.

Reheating: Oven’s best – 325°F for about 15-20 minutes. Microwave works for single servings but you lose the crispy top. Sometimes I microwave it then stick it under the broiler for a minute to crisp it back up.

⚠️ Allergy Information

No gluten, so celiacs can eat it. Vegetarian too.

Has dairy: Lots of cheese obviously.

For dairy-free people: Haven’t tried it but some people have told me they use cashew cheese and nutritional yeast instead. Said it worked okay.

Low-carb people: You’re all set with this one.

❓ Questions I Get Asked

💬 Made this yet? Tell me how it went! Did you change anything? Did your family like it? I love hearing about people’s cooking experiments so drop a comment below.