Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

Zucchini cornbread casserole is the newest recipe to come out of our garden. Two weeks into zucchini season, and we already have more than we can keep up with. This casserole is full of fresh vegetables and is a full meal. If you love zucchini in the summer, you will love this on a warm summer evening.

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Zucchini casserole is a go to in our house every summer, so I am always trying something new, and this one is different. With six whole eggs and a full box of cornbread mix, it is not a side dish. It is dinner.

Ever since Jim and I moved into our house right after we were married, we have had a garden, and I always plant one or two zucchini plants. That sounds so reasonable back in May, not so much as every day there is a bigger and bigger zucchini.

By the time those plants really get going, the zucchini are on the counter, they are in the refrigerator, and they are going home with the neighbors.

This one has already earned a spot in the rotation of zucchini casseroles we make every summer. Put it on the table with a salad and you are done.

Why You Will Love This Zucchini Casserole

• It uses up a mountain of zucchini. Four full cups go into one pan.
• Dump, stir, and go. One bowl, no layering, nothing to cook ahead.
• It is a full meal, not a side dish.
• It is full of veggies no guilt after dinner.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully, and they are wonderful for breakfast.

Ingredients You Will Need

I did use fresh basil and oregano, as we have an abundance of these herbs also.

• 4 cups shredded Zucchini, about 3 medium zucchini. Fresh from the garden is best, and no need to peel it.
• 1 box of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread and Muffin Mix. One 15-ounce package. The honey in the mix plays off the sweet corn and the sharp cheddar. (or any cornbread mix you like, even Jiffy Cornbread Mix)
• 3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar gives you the most flavor.
• 6 large eggs. This is what turns a side dish into a meal.
• 2 ears of Fresh Corn, kernels cut off the cob, about 1 1/2 cups.
• 1 small Onion, chopped fine.
• 1 chopped Sweet or hot pepper, chopped fine (depending on if you want a little heat)
• 1/2 cup any Milk.
• 1 teaspoon dried or Fresh Basil.
• 1 teaspoon dried or fresh oregano.
• Garlic powder. 1/2 teaspoon.
• Salt and pepper. 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra salt for draining the zucchini

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Susan’s Tips for the Best Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

• I have discovered over the years that shredded zucchini casserole recipes only are successful and appetizing depending on how much water you take out before it goes in the pan.
• Shred the zucchini on the large holes. I use a Geedel Rotary Cheese Grater with a Hand Crank that makes this go so much faster. The fine holes turn it to mush.
• Lightly salt it, let it sit, then wring it out in a clean kitchen towel. You will be shocked how much water comes out.
• Shred your own cheese from a block. Put it in the freezer for about 5 minutes to help with the shredding. Bagged shredded cheese is coated so it does not melt as smoothly.
• Cut the corn with a corn zipper. Frozen corn works, just thaw and pat it dry first.
• Let the eggs sit out while you prep. Room temperature eggs blend into the mix much more easily.
• Grease that 13×9 well, especially the corners.

How to Make Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

1. Salt and drain the zucchini. Shred 4 cups of zucchini, toss it with 1 teaspoon of salt, and let it sit in a colander for 15 minutes while you get everything else ready. Then gather it in a clean kitchen towel, or a few layers of strong paper towel, and wring it out hard over the sink or a bowl.
   Pro tip: This is the whole recipe right here. Skip it, and you will be serving this with a spoon instead of a spatula.
2. Prep the vegetables. Stand each ear of corn on end and cut the kernels straight down off the cob. Chop the onion and the pepper fine so they cook through in the bake.
   Pro tip: Chop the pepper smaller than you think you need to, so nobody gets one big bite of hot pepper.
3. Mix it all together in one bowl. Add the drained zucchini, the whole box of cornbread mix, the cheddar, the eggs, the corn, the onion, the pepper, the milk, the basil, the oregano, the garlic powder, and the salt and pepper. Stir until you see no dry pockets of mix.
   Pro tip: The batter will be thick and scoopable, not pourable. That is exactly right, so do not add more milk.
4. Spread it into the pan and bake. Scoop it into a well greased 13×9 casserole dish and smooth the top flat. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, until the center is set and the top is deep golden. Pro tip: Start checking at 45 minutes. If the top is browning before the center sets, tent it loosely with foil and keep going.
5. Let it rest before you cut it. Give it 15 minutes on the counter. It slices clean once it settles, and it holds its shape on the plate.
   Pro tip: Make sure to cut it into 12 squares. Anything bigger and it wants to break apart when you lift it.

Variations

• iffy: Use two boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, since each box is 8.5 ounces and the Krusteaz box is 15 ounces. Jiffy is a little less sweet, so a squeeze of honey brings it back in line.
• Squash and zucchini: Swap two of the four cups of zucchini for shredded yellow summer squash. Drain it the same way, and you have a squash and zucchini casserole with a little more color in every slice.
• Southern: Brown a half pound of breakfast sausage and fold it in with the cheese.
• Mexican: Use pepper jack instead of cheddar, add a small can of drained green chiles, and stir in 1 teaspoon of cumin.
• Meatier: Add a pound of browned and drained ground beef for a heartier casserole that will feed a crowd.
• Milder: Leave the pepper out entirely. The corn and the honey cornbread carry plenty of flavor on their own.

Make It a Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Because this one is built on six whole eggs, it works as breakfast, not just dinner.

Bake it the night before, let it cool completely, and refrigerate it right in the pan. In the morning, cut a square and warm it in the microwave for about a minute.

Make sure to add a half pound of cooked breakfast sausage or crumbled bacon if you want to have more protein and more texture likd breakfast.

What to Serve With Zucchini Cornbread Casserole

This recipe is perfect just as it is and does not need any extras however, you can try some of these.

• A big garden salad.
• Sliced garden tomatoes with salt and a little basil
• A bowl of chili in the fall, since the cornbread mix makes it a natural partner

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Cover the pan tightly or move squares to an airtight container. It keeps for 4 days.
• Freezer: Wrap individual squares in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheating: A single square goes about 1 minute in the microwave. To reheat the whole pan, cover it with foil and warm it at 325 degrees for 20 minutes.

More Zucchini Recipes for Your Family

• Low Sugar Zucchini Bread with Olive Oil
• Easy Ground Beef Zucchini Skillet Casserole Low Carb
• Easy Italian Zucchini Bake Recipe Side Dish

Frequently Asked Questions

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