Just-baked zucchini parmesan.

Yesterday afternoon I returned from a week away to find a dozen summer squash in my fridge. It wasn’t the best-looking lot — not pristine enough to make this raw salad or this spaghetti — but it was still absolutely fit for consumption.

I knew just the recipe to make with that 5-lb. collection of neglected courgettes: zucchini parmesan. When roasted and layered between homemade tomato sauce and parmesan, and topped with a layer of crispy bread crumbs, no one would know the days of those summer squash were numbered.

This is one of my favorite ways to put a heap of summer squash to good use. You’ll find the recipe below.

Looking for more summer squash recipes?

Here are 15 ideas:

A pile of zucchini and summer squash on a countertop.

Raw Summer Squash Salad

summer squash salad

Summer Squash Spaghetti

summer squash spaghetti

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Involtini

Zucchini Bread (Award Winning 🎉🎉🎉)

Sautéed Summer Squash with Mint, Basil & Pine Nuts

Sautéed summer squash on a plate.

Oven-Baked Zucchini Fries

Zucchini Fries.
Photo by Eva Kolenko for Bread Toast Crumbs.

Roasted Ratatouille = The Best Ratatouille

Veggie-Loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers

Veggie loaded stuffed bell peppers on a platter.

Vegetarian Tortilla Casserole

A piece of vegetarian tortilla casserole on a plate.

Summer Squash Pizza with Burrata and Basil

Summer Squash pizza on a pizza peel.

Zucchini Pickles

zucchini pickles

Grilled Vegetable Tacos

vegetable tacos

Toasted Orecchiette with Zucchini & Corn

Orecchiette with zucchini and corn.

Zucchini Parmesan

The below recipe for zucchini parmesan follows the exact method I use to make eggplant parmesan: roast vegetables; then layer them with tomato sauce and parmesan. There’s no breading or frying here; rather the roasted squash is layered with parmesan and tomato sauce and the whole ensemble gets topped with a layer of parmesan-bread crumbs. It’s completely irresistible.

Here’s the play-by-play: Slice 3.5-5 lbs. of summer squash into 1/4-inch thick rounds. A mandoline is helpful here.

Sliced zucchini and summer squash in a large bowl aside a mandoline.

Toss the sliced squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. (An extra-large bowl is handy here.)

Sliced summer squash and zucchini in a large bowl dressed with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Roast the squash slices on two sheet pans (x-large sheet pans are handy here.)

Roasted zucchini parmesan on a large sheet pan.

Layer the squash with tomato sauce and parmesan in a 9×13-inch pan.

A 9x13-inch pan filled with layers of summer squash, tomato sauce, and parmesan.

Stir together fresh bread crumbs, parmesan, and olive oil; then …

A bowl filled with the bread crumb topping for zucchini parmesan.

… pile it atop the assembled casserole.

Assembled zucchini parmesan ready for the oven.

Bake until evenly golden.

Just-baked zucchini parmesan.

Serve immediately or at room temperature.

A slice of just-baked zucchini parmesan on a plate.

Here are two tomato sauces I love, one calling for fresh tomatoes, one for canned. Of course, your favorite jarred sauce will work great here. I love all of the Rao’s brand sauces.

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A slice of just-baked zucchini parmesan on a plate.

15 Essential Zucchini Recipes: Zucchini Parmesan

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5 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Alexandra Stafford
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This is a double recipe of this long-time favorite zucchini parmesan recipe. Like this eggplant parmesan recipe, there’s no breading or frying here; rather roasted squash is layered with parmesan and tomato sauce and the whole thing gets topped with a layer of parmesan-bread crumbs. It’s completely irresistible.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 to 5 lbs. summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
  • olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup (3 ounces roughly) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • tomato sauce (such as this one or this one, or whatever tomato sauce you love)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450ºF (convection roast if you have it). Line two baking sheets — I love these extra-large baking sheets for this — with parchment (for easy cleanup). In a very large bowl (or two large bowls if you don’t have an extra-large one), dress the squash with 1/4 cup olive oil and salt to taste — be generous. Season with pepper to taste as well. Toss well — the slices should feel evenly oiled.
  2. Transfer the seasoned squash to each of the prepared sheet pans and spread in an even layer — it’s OK if some of the squash are overlapping. Transfer the pans to the oven, and bake until the slices are beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Rotate the pans. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes or until most of the slices are golden — it’s very likely that one of the squash will look completely done and some will look like they need more time. This is fine — the goal with the roasting is mostly to remove moisture so that the finished casserole is not watery. Remove pans from the oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
  3. Meanwhile, toss the 2 cups bread crumbs with 1/3 cup of the grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  4. Into a 9×13-inch baking dish, spoon a small amount of sauce (about 1/2 cup), then a single layer of roasted squash, then a thin layer of parmesan. Repeat the layering until all of the squash and cheese has been used, ending with a little sauce. Top with the bread crumb mixture.
  5. Bake until the squash mixture is bubbly and the top is golden, 25 minutes or so depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. This can also be made ahead and reheated.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American