Mouthwatering, satisfying and wholesome this Cheesy Grilled Zucchini and Tomato Bake is made with tender grilled zucchini and roasted tomatoes that are layered casserole style in a baking dish with herbs, spices, and cheese, and then baked until golden and bubbly! It’s the perfect side dish or serve it during summer months as a vegetarian main!

While I love my grilled zucchini lasagna, this cheesy grilled zucchini and tomato bake features a lot of the same flavors and savory taste while also being easier to make at the same time. You can serve it as a healthy side dish or even as a vegetarian meal on its own.

This casserole takes fresh seasonal ingredients like ripe tomatoes and zucchini and turns them into an amazing casserole that really makes the veggies shine! A few simple yet carefully planned steps like grilling the zucchini and roasting the tomatoes takes this zucchini dish from insipid to flavorful and appetizing as the Italian would say.

I love zucchini and it seems to make its way into every dish during the summertime! A few other family favorites include these zucchini patties and baked zucchini Parmesan.

Why You Will Love This Zucchini Bake

This healthy zucchini tomato bake is a great way to use fresh summer produce. Here are some other reasons I can’t get enough of it!

Healthier: This meat free recipe not only features nutritious veggies but is both low carb and gluten-free!
Simple ingredients: Zucchini, tomatoes, cheese and a few herbs and spices is all you need to make this cheesy zucchini casserole.
Versatile: You can serve this as a vegetarian main or as a side dish to so many meals.
Flavorful: This layered casserole is bursting with fresh summer produce, it is the best way to use your zucchini and tomatoes.

Ingredients Needed

Tomatoes: You will need 7 small fresh tomatoes. Plum or Roma tomatoes are my choice for this zucchini tomato casserole. But cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes could work.
Zucchini: 3 to 4 medium sized zucchini work best for grilling the zucchini slices and then making baked zucchini.
Sauce: For the fresh tomato sauce you will need fresh parsley, fresh basil leaves, dried oregano, fresh garlic, salt, hot pepper flakes and olive oil. Italian seasoning could be used as well.
Mozzarella cheese: Firm mozzarella cheese that is freshly grated melts best in this veggie casserole dish.
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese: You will need some layering the zucchini bake and for topping the casserole.

How to Make Zucchini and Tomato Bake

To start, roast your tomatoes by cutting them in half and placing them on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven until almost dried but still moist. Remove from the oven let cool, then cut into smaller pieces.

While your tomatoes are roasting, grill your zucchini. Trim the zucchini and then slice it lengthwise into thin strips. Grill on a grill pan until tender, approximately 1-2 minutes on each side. Move grilled zucchini slices to a clean plate and continue until all zucchini are grilled.

Make tomato sauce, by adding the oven dried tomatoes, parsley, oregano, salt, basil, garlic, hot pepper flakes and olive oil to a medium sized bowl and mixing gently to combine.

Now it’s time to layer the zucchini and tomato bake! To a lightly greased baking dish, arrange one layer of zucchini on the bottom, top with ⅓ of the tomato sauce mixture, sprinkle with ½ of the grated mozzarella and ⅓ of the Parmesan cheese. Continue with another 2 layers ending the last layer on top with only the Parmesan cheese.

Bake until golden, then let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Top with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.

Zucchini Tomato Casserole Variations

Vegetables: Feel free to use yellow summer squash, a mix of zucchini and yellow squash or even sliced onions would be a great addition to this easy zucchini casserole.
Breadcrumb topping: Add up to an ⅛ cup of Panko bread crumbs or regular breadcrumbs near the end of baking time for a crunchy topping.
Layering option: Skip grilling and roasting and slice your zucchini and tomatoes into rounds instead. Layer the tomato slices and zucchini slices in the baking dish. You could even just dice your vegetables into 1 inch cubes, mix with the simple seasonings and cheese mixture then bake.
Cheese: While I love a zucchini, tomato mozzarella bake you could use another melty cheese like cheddar cheese instead.
Sauce: Skip roasting your tomatoes and make this easy tomato sauce instead.

Serving Suggestions

This zucchini bake is so versatile it really goes with just about anything! Here are a few Italian favorites I like to serve it with:

A side of Italian bread is a must when serving it as a meatless main.
It’s great with pasta dishes like this creamy tomato pasta.
Grains go well with this dish like my favorite creamy Italian zucchini risotto.
Serve it with seafood like this sautéed shrimp or Italian fish soup.
A light summer meal of this casserole with grilled chicken salad is delicious!

Make Ahead and Storing Instructions

Make ahead this zucchini bake up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

To store, place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Can I add a protein to the tomato zucchini bake?

While I love this vegetable casserole bake as is, you can certainly add in some cooked protein to make it a more complete meal. Try cooked ground beef, Italian sausage or even cooked shredded chicken.

What should I do if there is extra liquid in the baking dish?

Zucchini and tomato are both watery vegetables and will release liquid during baking. This is normal and completely fine, just drain it off before serving or even serve it as is, if it doesn’t bother you!

Can I freeze zucchini and tomato casserole leftovers?

No, you cannot freeze the leftovers of this tomato and zucchini bake. Both zucchini and tomatoes have a high water content and the texture will drastically change when thawed.

Can I use frozen zucchini?

You might be able to but I have not tried it. Do not thaw your zucchini slices and try baking it at a higher temperature around 400°F. I really would try it first with fresh zucchini, though!

This Summer if you are looking for more delicious ideas for using zucchini then I hope you give this Zucchini And Tomato Bake a try and of course don’t forget to let me know what you think! Buon Appetito!