Description
This cheesy, baked zucchini ricotta melt with marinara sauce is a low-carb, gluten-free comfort dish perfect for dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium zucchinis, sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1½ cups marinara sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella for topping
- Optional: red pepper flakes, fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish.
- Brush zucchini slices with olive oil, season, and roast/grill 2–3 min per side.
- Mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, basil, salt & pepper.
- Spread marinara on the dish base. Layer zucchini, ricotta, and marinara.
- Repeat layering. Top with remaining mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 min, then uncover and bake 5–10 min until bubbly.
- Garnish and serve warm.
Notes
- Salt zucchini slices first to draw out moisture for a firmer bake.
- Use cottage cheese or cream cheese if you don’t have ricotta.
- Add cooked ground beef or sausage to marinara for extra protein.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: zucchini bake, low-carb dinner, ricotta cheese recipe, baked zucchini marinara, gluten-free casserole