Y’all have probably figured out by now that we are not big meat eaters here in the Test Kitchen household. We love us some vegetables. It’s good for us plus its good for our bank account so we don’t complain 🙂
One of my all time favorite dishes is Eggplant Parmesan. I would make it probably once a week, maybe more, if eggplant was a reasonably priced vegetable. Or if the Hubs didn’t think it was a ‘weird’ vegetable. He & the eggplant, for some reason, have some unresolved issues. He hasn’t come to realize how wonderful the eggplant actually is. But he does love zucchini. So when I first saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I was going to try it. I got to satisfy my ‘Parmesan’ craving and he didn’t have to eat anything weird.
The only negative side to this dish for me was the fact that the zucchini didn’t get crispy being baked in the oven. The flavors were very good and I would definitely make it again. I just think next time I will go ahead and fry them up! I need the crunch of the breading on my Parmesan dishes!
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large zucchini, sliced thick
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
- marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
LETS COOK:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the sliced zucchini rounds to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to make sure all of the zucchini is evenly coated.
- In a medium shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and all 5 seasonings.
- Dip each piece of zucchini into the bread crumb mixture and turn to coat both sides. Be sure to press down on the zucchini to ensure the breading sticks. Place the breaded zucchini in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a medium baking dish with some of the marinara sauce. Place a layer of the baked zucchini on top of the sauce, overlapping the zucchini if necessary. Top the zucchini with a handful of the mozzarella cheese and a sprinkle of the Parmesan. Add another thin layer of marinara sauce. Repeat the layers until all of your zucchini is used, ending with a layer of the cheeses on top.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
NOTES:
*I served this with a side of angel hair pasta
Bake the zucchini on a cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath, and it will get crunchier.
Great tip!! Thank you!!
Yummy! I am definitely making this one day! Pinned. Thanks for sharing on Marvelous Mondays! 🙂
This looks amazing!
I really like this so I’m pinning it!
Oh this looks so yummy!! We’ll have to try this to add more veggies into our weekly meals!