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This creamy and delicious zucchini tomato casserole is made with layers of tender zucchini and tomatoes, coated in a creamy, cheesy blend that’s packed with flavor.
Serve it as a tasty appetizer with toasted baguette slices or crostini, a hearty side dish next to salmon kabobs or air fryer chicken thighs, or even as a satisfying vegetarian dinner all on its own.
This creamy and savory zucchini tomato casserole is so incredibly simple to make, and it’s the perfect way to enjoy a garden’s summer veggies. After a short stint in the oven, you’ll be dishing out a vibrant and tasty meal that could stand alone or complement any main dish.
The star players, zucchini and tomatoes, bring a natural juiciness to this dish. The tomatoes provide a balance of sweet and tangy that goes perfectly well with the creamy zucchini. If tomatoes aren’t quite your style, don’t fret, my cheesy zucchini casserole recipe makes an excellent alternative.
Why You Should Make This Zucchini Tomato Casserole
- Easy: This casserole comes together with simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients—no fancy tools or complicated prep required. It’s the perfect quick weeknight dinner or weekend side dish.
- Seasonal Freshness: Loaded with summer zucchini and juicy heirloom tomatoes, this recipe is a delicious way to use up that garden haul (or your farmer’s market finds) while the produce is at its peak.
- Crowd-Pleaser: With its creamy cheese layers, garlicky flavor, and tender roasted veggies, this zucchini tomato casserole wins over even the picky eaters. It’s one of those dishes where nobody misses the meat, and you’ll know it’s a winner when the dish is scraped clean.
Ingredients For This Zucchini Tomato Casserole Recipe
Before you scroll down to the recipe card, here’s a quick look at the ingredients you’ll need to make this casserole. I’ve added a few notes and tips below in case you need swaps or want to use what you’ve got on hand.
- Whipped cream cheese: This makes the filling extra smooth and creamy, and it’s way easier to mix than the block kind.
- Milk: Just a splash helps loosen up the cream cheese and makes everything spreadable.
- Dried basil + ground nutmeg: The basil brings that earthy herby flavor, and the nutmeg adds a subtle warmth that works surprisingly well with zucchini.
- Zucchini: Sliced thin so it bakes up tender. No need to peel! I use smaller zucchini because they are tastier and have fewer seeds.
- Salt and black pepper: Just a pinch in each layer helps everything shine.
- Heirloom tomatoes: These add juiciness and a pop of color. Any ripe, flavorful tomato works here if heirlooms aren’t available.
- Garlic: Because obviously. You’ll divide it between the layers to make sure that garlicky flavor runs through the entire casserole. If garlic powder is all you have, you can use it.
- Fresh basil: Chopped and sprinkled into the layers, and again on top for that final fresh finish.
- Shredded Italian cheese blend: I use a pre-shredded mix for ease, but feel free to use mozzarella, provolone, or whatever combo you like.
- Butter: Dotted on top right before baking to help everything brown and bubble.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Moisture. Zucchini and tomatoes naturally release water as they bake, but don’t worry, that’s totally normal. To reduce moisture, lightly sauté the vegetables before layering them in the dish.
- Layering shortcut. Don’t feel like sprinkling salt, pepper, garlic, and basil between every layer? Just stir them into the cream cheese mixture and save yourself a few steps.
- Texture. Prefer softer veggies? Leave the casserole in the oven for an extra 7 to 10 minutes. If it starts browning too much on top, loosely cover it with foil.
- Zucchini choice. Smaller zucchinis usually have more flavor and fewer seeds. Grab those if you can because they’re ideal for this kind of casserole.
- Extra creamy. If you like your casseroles on the creamier side, you can stir in a bit more cream cheese or even a spoonful of sour cream.
- Boost the protein. Turn it into a full meal and add in cooked, pulled chicken, cooked ground beef, Italian sausage, or browned ground turkey between the layers.
- Cheese swap. Feel free to mix up the cheese blend. Mozzarella, Parmesan, or sharp cheddar are all great options, depending on your mood and the contents of your fridge.
- Crunch factor. For a crispy topping, sprinkle breadcrumbs, crushed pork rinds, or buttery crackers over the top before baking. Adds great texture!
Serving Suggestions
This cheesy zucchini casserole is one of those simple dishes that just works. It’s loaded with fresh veggie flavor, super easy to make, and always disappears fast at the table. I love serving it alongside something meaty to round out the meal. Try it with my honey soy grilled pork chops, air fryer steak, Instant Pot chicken breasts, or even lemon butter grilled salmon. Total dinner win!
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Zucchini Tomato Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 zucchinis, sliced, you'll need about 6 to 7 cups of sliced zucchini,
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, divided
- 1 cup Italian Blend shredded cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut up into 1/4-inch slices
- chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Grease a 9-inch baking dish with a little butter. Set aside.
- Make the cheese mixture. Prepare the cream cheese mixture by combining the whipped cream cheese, milk, basil, and ground nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.
- Assemble. Layer half of the zucchini slices on the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Add a layer of sliced tomatoes over the zucchini slices. Sprinkle with half of the garlic and half of the fresh basil.
- Add the cheese. Add a layer of HALF of the cream cheese blend over the tomatoes; sprinkle with half of the shredded Italian cheese.
- Repeat with the zucchini and tomatoes. Repeat one more layer of zucchini slices; add a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat one more layer of tomato slices and add the rest of the garlic and fresh basil.
- Finish and bake. Spread a layer of the remaining cream cheese mixture and sprinkle the rest of the shredded Italian cheese. Dot with pats of butter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbly, browned, and the veggies are tender.
- Rest and serve. Remove the zucchini tomato casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil; cut and serve.
Notes
- Zucchini: Choose smaller zucchini for more flavor and fewer seeds.
- Cream Cheese: Per the recipe, please use whipped cream cheese. It’s soft and spreads easily.
- Creaminess: Add more cream cheese or sour cream for extra creaminess.
- Protein: Add cooked shredded chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef for a complete meal.
- Cheese: Experiment with shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, or cheddar cheeses.
- Reduce Water: Lightly sauté zucchini and tomatoes before adding to the casserole to slightly reduce moisture.
- Crunch: Add breadcrumbs, pork rind crumbs, or crushed crackers on top for a crispy finish.
- Store in an airtight container and in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Make Zucchini Tomato Casserole
This casserole is light, flavorful, and cheesy enough to make everyone love their veggies. I mean… if I want my family to eat zucchini, I’ve learned it has to come with cheese. 😄
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 375˚F and grease a 9-inch baking dish with a little butter. Set it aside.
- Combine. Mix the whipped cream cheese, milk, dried basil, and nutmeg in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Layer. Add half of the zucchini slices to the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
- Top. Add a layer of tomato slices, then sprinkle with half of the garlic and half of the chopped fresh basil.
- Spread. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture over the tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese.
- Repeat. Do one more round of zucchini, a bit of salt and pepper, tomato slices, the remaining garlic and basil, the rest of the cream cheese mixture, and the rest of the cheese.
- Add butter and bake. Add slices of butter all over the top of the casserole. Pop the dish in the oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly, golden, and the veggies are tender.
- Rest and serve. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerator. Store the casserole in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes for a delicious and quick work lunch!
- I don’t recommend freezing it because zucchini and tomatoes release a lot of water, which can affect the overall dish’s taste and texture.
More Zucchini Recipes
- Tomato and Zucchini Frittata
- 15 Best Zucchini Recipes
- Cheesy Bacon and Corn Stuffed Zucchini
- Creamy Ricotta Zucchini Noodles
I love this recipe, and I have been using it for about two years! And I have passed it on to so many people. However, I am deeply regretting, not copying it because lately every time I come on the ads, make it almost completely impossible to view the recipe. And if you try to click the X on the ads, it takes you to the ad so you have to start all over again. So I understand that ads are how you make your money, but you might want to reconsider how many you’re actually showing! I am writing this recipe down and I’m never coming back to the side again. But once again, it is an amazing recipe.
Made this as the main dish. It went over very well.
The only thing I changed was to plac the veggies on some paper towel layers and sprinkle them with a bit of salt. Let them set a bit and that will release some of the water. This will help control the chance of a watery casserole.
I did salt the dish but VERY LIGHTLY.
We followed this recipe exactly for a dinner party – and it was the hit of the evening. Now I have to share this recipe with everyone there! Absolutely delicious.
I am looking forward to making this, since I have a habit of changing up what I eat on a regular basis.
Just one note on the zucchini… even if small sizes are not available, I use a vegetable peeler and peel the veg top to bottom right thru to the level of the seeds… rotate the squash and continue till all sides are peeled into long thin strips. Then, I throw the center into a ziplock bag and into the freezer. I discovered this technique making zucchini noodles because the center is LOADED with the seeds AND the water. My noodles do not get soggy any longer with I heat them up. I also have a Salmon dish with Roasted Plum tomato sauce… and the noodles are heated in that sauce and the dish is to die for delicious.
Impossible to grow tomatoes in AZ summer. Looks delish! Wondering if could use canned whole tomatoes cut in pieces and drained? I would pre cook sliced Zucchini a few minutes in microwave and drain It doesn’t weep.
My cream cheese mixture was tasty but not spreadable. I spooned it on in dollops. The Italian blend cheese got lost. Didn’t look as cheesy and as appetizing as expected. Three out of six liked it.
It was tasty, but I had to bake it for over an hour for it to be done. My oven is accurate, so that wasn’t the problem. I sliced everything thin. You might want to consider adjusting the baking time or the temp.
yep, I think I will have this problem too…. it is because the directions say to cut the zucchini into 1/4″ slices…… but a look at the pictures reveals that she really cut them about 1/16″ thick…… I cut mine into 1/4″ slices as directed and I expect that it is going to take alot longer than 20-25 minutes to get that zucchini cooked…
I used chive onion cream cheese, about 1/3 small container as I didn’t want to go to the store. Just put dabs on the tomatoes. Also used Panko bread crumbs for thickening. Topped it with Tillamook medium-cut farm style cheddar cheese. Baked at 325 until tender. Had to stop myself from eating half the pan!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I do find it a bit watery, but I just drain off the excess moisture when I put the leftovers in the fridge. I added eggplant, and it was fantastic! I’m trying it this time with a dusting of coconut flour on the zucchini to absorb some of the moisture. I also use just dried herbs, and add a bit of red pepper flakes.
This was great! I added ground italian sausage for my meat loving family. It was a little soupy from the zuchinni, but it was delicious and relatively easy to make.