Smoky bacon, tomato sauce, and a golden Parmesan and cracker topping turn plain zucchini into Baked Zucchini with Bacon, the kind of vegetable side you’ll want to make again and again.
I’m a veggie lover. Always have been. Even back in the day when “meat and three” was the norm on Southern dinner tables and at country restaurants, I could always make a meal from just the “three.”
A plate filled with summer veggies and some hot water cornbread on the side. Well, that’s just about as close to Heaven as you can get in my opinion.
However, I gotta tell you. Zucchini just isn’t my favorite. I cook it often enough because I just feel like I should in the summer when it’s plentiful and cheap. But I don’t usually enjoy it very much. It always seems to need something to bump up the flavor, if you know what I mean?
Something like…bacon! Oh, yeah, of course.
Well, bacon makes everything better, so why wouldn’t it work for zucchini? Oh, it does. It works beautifully to give this casserole that great smoky flavor that everyone loves.
Then add to that a coating of tomato sauce, some onions and garlic, and a topping of crushed crackers and Parmesan cheese, and we have a winner of a recipe. If you’re looking for more ways to use fresh summer zucchini, you’ll want to give my Stuffed 8 Ball Zucchini and Baked Stuffed Zucchini Boats a try next!
Recipe Snapshot: Baked Zucchini with Bacon
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Oven
Primary Ingredients: Zucchini, bacon, onion, garlic, tomato sauce, crackers, Parmesan
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I love zucchini but, yeah, my men, not so much. This dish would be the perfect way to get them to eat it! The bacon and the cheesy crumb crust are great!”
— Jamie
What Makes This Recipe Special
My baked zucchini with bacon takes everything ordinary about garden zucchini and turns it on its ear. The bacon, onion, and garlic build real flavor, and the tomato sauce ties everything together into something really delightful.
The topping of crushed saltine crackers and Parmesan bakes into a golden, savory layer that adds a load of flavor to oftentimes bland zucchini.
This is a dish that solves the problem of too much zucchini from the garden without resorting to another loaf of zucchini bread. It comes together fast enough for a weeknight and also works well for a potluck.
Ingredient Notes
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- Bacon — I’d choose regular bacon, not thick sliced, for this recipe but either works. Cook it just until it’s done but not fully crisp.
- Fresh zucchini — Choose small to medium-sized zucchini with unblemished skin. Smaller zucchini have fewer seeds and less water, which makes for a better-textured casserole.
- Tomato sauce — Plain canned tomato sauce adds the slightly acidic flavor often missing in zucchini recipes. It also nicely complements the smoky bacon flavor.
- Saltine crackers — The crackers, crushed and combined with Parmesan, make an easy pantry-staple topping. They’re inexpensive, and most of us already have a box in the cabinet.
- Parmesan cheese — The finely grated boxed Parm is perfectly fine here. No need to pay the price for real Parmigiano Reggiano for this recipe. Unless, of course, you want to!
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the cheese. Cheddar or mozzarella instead of Parmesan will create a cheesier, more melty finish.
- Change the crackers. Try Ritz crackers for a slightly richer, more buttery taste.
- Use yellow squash. Yellow squash can stand in for some or all of the zucchini.
- Add protein. Cooked, crumbled Italian sausage stirred into the zucchini mixture takes this from a side dish into a light main course.
How to Make Baked Zucchini with Bacon
Optional Step: Salt and Drain the Zucchini
For a slightly firmer casserole, toss the sliced zucchini with about a teaspoon of salt and let it sit in a colander in the sink for 20 to 30 minutes, then wipe it dry before adding it to the pan. Alternately, you can briefly rinse the drained zucchini, but you’ll need to dry it quickly and thoroughly before it reabsorbs too much water. The prep and cook times in the recipe are written without this step, so if you do choose to salt and drain, you’ll need to 1) increase the prep time by 20-30 minutes, 2) eliminate the additional salt called for in the recipe, and 3) reduce the cook time by 5-8 minutes.
STEP 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish with butter or cooking spray and set it aside.
STEP 2. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it’s done but not crisp.
STEP 3. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens.
STEP 4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the zucchini, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.
STEP 5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
STEP 6. Crush the crackers and combine them with the Parmesan cheese. TIP: The easiest way to crush crackers is to seal them in a plastic bag and roll over them a few times with a rolling pin. No food processor required.
STEP 7. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the zucchini in the casserole dish.
STEP 8. Drizzle the top with olive oil or dot it with butter.
STEP 9. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until it’s hot and bubbly. Remove the foil about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time so the cracker topping browns nicely.
- Slice the zucchini evenly. Uneven pieces cook at different rates, so some end up mushy while others are still firm.
- Watch the last 10 minutes closely. Once the foil comes off, the topping can go from golden to too dark quickly, especially near the edges of the dish.
- Let it rest before serving. Give the casserole 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven so it sets up somewhat, making it easier to serve.
- Choose a dish that fits the volume. A casserole dish that’s too shallow will make the topping spread too thinly, and one that’s too deep will keep the center from cooking through evenly.
How to Serve
This casserole makes a good all-purpose vegetable side for just about any Southern supper. Serve it next to braised pork chops or fried chicken for a combination that never goes out of style.
It also holds its own on a covered dish table. Take it to a potluck for a contrast to the typical mashed potatoes and green beans everyone else brings.
For a lighter summer plate, pair it with something cool on the side, like a simple tossed salad or sliced tomatoes.
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The topping softens as it sits, but the flavor holds up well.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole dish, covered, in a 350-degree oven until heated through.
This casserole doesn’t freeze well. The zucchini breaks down and turns mushy once thawed, and the cracker topping loses its texture completely, so this one is best made and enjoyed while fresh.
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Recipe
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish with either butter or cooking spray and set aside.
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Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it is cooked but not crisp.
6 slices bacon
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Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened.
1 large yellow or white onion, 2 cloves garlic
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Remove the pan from heat and stir in the zucchini, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper.
4 cups fresh zucchini, 8 ounces tomato sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Pour the zucchini mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
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Crush the crackers and combine with the Parmesan cheese.
12 saltine crackers, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Sprinkle the cracker and cheese mixture evenly over the zucchini mixture.
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Drizzle the top with olive oil or dot with butter.
2 tablespoons olive oil
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Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove the cover about 10 minutes before the end of cooking time to allow for better browning.
- Cook the bacon until it’s done but not fully crisp. It finishes cooking in the casserole.
- For a firmer casserole, toss the sliced zucchini with about a teaspoon of salt and let it drain in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes, then wipe it dry before using. This step is optional. If you use it, eliminate the salt called for in the recipe and decrease the cook time by 5 to 8 minutes.
- Crush the crackers in a sealed plastic bag with a rolling pin for the easiest cleanup.
- Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking so the topping browns. Watch it closely once uncovered.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This casserole does not freeze well.
Serving -33Calories 107kcalCarbohydrates 9gProtein 4gFat 7gSaturated Fat 2gPolyunsaturated Fat 1gMonounsaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0.02gCholesterol 6mgSodium 438mgPotassium 288mgFiber 1gSugar 3gVitamin A 302IUVitamin C 14mgCalcium 75mgIron 1mg
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
