Description
A delicious low-carb beef zucchini bake that combines lean ground beef with fresh zucchini in a savory tomato sauce, topped with melted mozzarella cheese for a satisfying and healthy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 whole medium zucchinis
- 1 whole medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup low-sugar tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your baking dish with olive oil.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Cook diced onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Brown the Beef: Add ground beef to skillet. Cook 6-8 minutes, breaking apart with spatula until completely browned and no pink remains.
- Add Sauce: Stir in tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors and reduce liquid slightly.
- Layer the Bake: Place half the zucchini slices in baking dish. Top with half the beef mixture. Repeat layers, then sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Slice zucchini into ¼-inch rounds for the perfect texture that won’t turn mushy
- Salt zucchini slices and let drain 15 minutes to remove excess moisture
- Use 85% lean ground beef for the best balance of flavor and fat content
- Let the beef mixture cool slightly before layering to prevent cheese from melting prematurely
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 285 calories
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: beef zucchini bake, low carb casserole, ground beef recipe, zucchini recipe, keto friendly, healthy dinner