If you love hearty baked dinners like Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole or Johnny Marzetti Casserole, this one is worth adding to your regular rotation.
Picture a pan coming out of the oven with golden, bubbly cheese and crisp-edged pepperoni on top — that’s Zucchini Pizza Casserole, and it tastes exactly as good as it looks. The base is shredded zucchini pressed flat and baked until set, so each slice has real structure, and the three-cheese layer — mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan — pulls into long strands with every bite.
It’s the kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table happy. The seasoned beef and Rao’s pizza sauce soak into the layers as everything bakes together, so the flavor runs all the way through by the time you cut into it. One 9×13 pan is enough for a full table, which makes this just as practical for a hectic school night as it is for feeding a crowd.
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Reader Love
Instead of egg, I used whipping cream and doubled the crust baking time. As my kids don’t like zucchini, riced cauliflower was used. It didn’t hold together but tasted delicious. It received 10/10 from my oldest, but my younger picky eater wasn’t thrilled. But all of the adults also loved it. We’ll be making it again, perhaps using the psyllium husk idea.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Golden, bubbly cheese topping — mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan melt together and pick up those browned edges in the final bake.
- Savory, well-seasoned filling — ground beef cooked with basil, oregano, sage, thyme, and red pepper flakes, then stirred into pizza sauce, gives every bite deep, pizza-forward flavor.
- A zucchini base that holds together — squeezing out the excess moisture before baking is what makes the base firm up and slice cleanly.
- Feeds eight from one pan — no multiple batches, no separate portions, just one dish that covers the table.
- Pepperoni crisps up on top — the second bake gives the pepperoni those slightly golden, crisp edges you’d find on a great pizza.
- Easy to make your own — swap in Italian sausage for the beef, or layer on extra toppings before the cheese goes on.
⏲ How to make this recipe
👉 Easy ingredient swaps
- Ground beef → Italian sausage: brown and drain it the same way — the flavors work perfectly with the pizza sauce and spices.
- Pizza sauce: the recipe uses Rao’s, but any pizza sauce you like works here.
- Pepperoni: the recipe calls for 15 slices; add more across the top if you want denser coverage.
- Eggs: to make the base egg-free, try a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg) as the binder — note that the texture may not be identical to the original.
✨ Variations
- Italian sausage version: replace the ground beef with Italian sausage and follow the same steps — the Italian herb flavors in the meat layer right into the pizza sauce.
- More toppings: add sliced mushrooms, diced bell peppers, or black olives on top of the beef mixture before the cheese layer goes on.
- Cauliflower base: swap the zucchini for riced cauliflower using the same technique — the base won’t hold together as firmly, but the flavor is still delicious.
- Egg-free base: use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water per egg) in place of the eggs in the zucchini base.
〰️ How to serve
- Let the casserole cool fully before slicing — this gives the zucchini base time to set so the slices hold their shape.
- Serve as the centerpiece of dinner alongside a simple green salad for a complete meal.
- Pair it with Baked Sliced Zucchini for a vegetable-forward side that fits right in with the Italian flavors.
- Feeding a crowd of pizza fans? Keto Meatza is another great pizza-style dinner to have in your back pocket.
🧊 Storing, freezing, and making it ahead
- In the refrigerator: cool the casserole completely, then cover the dish tightly or move the slices to an airtight container. It keeps for up to 4 days, and the base firms up even more overnight.
- Reheating: a single slice takes 60 to 90 seconds in the microwave. For a whole pan, cover it with foil and heat at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes — the foil keeps the cheese from drying out and browning a second time.
- In the freezer: wrap cooled slices individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Freezing does soften the zucchini base, so expect a looser slice the second time around.
- Making it ahead: assemble the casserole right through the cheese layer, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time, since it is going into the oven cold.
💬 FAQs
Why is squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini so important?
Zucchini naturally holds a lot of water. If that liquid stays in, the base layer won’t firm up during baking — you’ll get a soft, wet base instead of one that sets and slices cleanly. Use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much as you can before mixing.
Can I use a protein other than ground beef?
Yes — Italian sausage is a natural fit and works perfectly here. Brown and drain it the same way you would the beef, then mix it with the pizza sauce and spices as the recipe directs.
Do I really need to let the casserole cool completely before slicing?
Yes — the recipe specifically calls for cooling fully before slicing, and it matters. The zucchini base needs time to set after it comes out of the oven. Cut into it too soon and the layers won’t hold together as clean slices.
Can I add extra toppings beyond pepperoni?
Yes. The recipe layers pepperoni on top with the cheese, but you can add other toppings — mushrooms, bell peppers, or olives — on top of the beef mixture before adding the cheese layer. Keep in mind that toppings with a lot of moisture can release extra liquid as they bake.
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Zucchini Pizza Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces zucchini, stems and ends cut off
- 2 cups 224g shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 ¼ cups 140g shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ⅔ cup 80g grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 7 ounces Rao’s Pizza Sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground sage
- ⅛ teaspoon ground thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 15 pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and coat 9″ x 13″ casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a food processor, pulse zucchini until finely shredded. Transfer shredded zucchini to a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Discard excess liquid.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix together shredded zucchini, 1 cup (112g) shredded mozzarella, 3/4 cup (84g) shredded cheddar, grated parmesan, and eggs. Transfer mixture to prepared casserole pan and, using the back of a spoon or your hands, press mixture into even layer. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a pan over medium heat, brown ground beef, breaking beef apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain excess grease. In same pan or a mixing bowl, stir together cooked ground beef, pizza sauce, and spices until well-combined.
- After base layer of zucchini has finished baking, pour beef and tomato mixture on top. Sprinkle remaining shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar then add pepperoni in even layer on top. Return casserole pan to oven and bake until cheese is golden brown, about 23-25 additional minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and allow to cool fully before slicing and serving.
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