Description
A comforting and nutritious casserole featuring a zucchini crust, layers of sauce, cheeses, and savory ground meat that captures the classic flavors of pizza.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium zucchini, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion powder (or pinch of garlic powder)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (or chicken/turkey)
- Pinch of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dried or fresh parsley, oregano (if available)
- 1 cup pizza sauce (sugar-free)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 oz pepperoni, sliced (optional)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Make the Zucchini Crust: Start by shredding your zucchini using a box grater. Transfer it to a colander, sprinkle with sea salt, and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible. In a large bowl, combine the drained zucchini with eggs, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and cheddar jack cheese. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a greased 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Pop the crust in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until slightly golden.
- Make the Meat Pizza Sauce: While the crust bakes, heat a large skillet, brown your choice of ground meat until fully cooked. Drain excess fat, then add garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano. Stir in pizza sauce and tomato paste, simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Assemble: Once your crust is ready, remove it from the oven. Spread the hearty meat sauce over the crust and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Optionally, add pepperoni slices. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve: Let it cool for about 5 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
Make the zucchini crust a day in advance and store it in the fridge for easy baking later. You can also use an air fryer at 350°F for the same baking times to achieve crispiness without added calories.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
Keywords: casserole, zucchini pizza, low-calorie, healthy dinner, comfort food