Cheesy Zucchini Rice Casserole
This creamy, cheesy zucchini casserole combines fresh garden zucchini with leftover rice to make an easy side dish. Golden brown on top and packed with plenty of cheddar cheese, this gluten-free casserole recipe will have even the pickiest eaters devouring their veggies!
If you’re looking for more ways to use zucchini, try my gluten-free carrot zucchini muffins or these Mediterranean-inspired chicken zucchini boats.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Mediterranean
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Vegetarian
- Skill Level: Easy
When late summer arrives, zucchini recipes are everywhere. However, I actually love zucchini all year long. That is why I created this hodgepodge of a zucchini casserole recipe that has become a family favorite! I combined extra zucchini with leftover rice (yes, rice is gluten-free), shredded cheese, and seasonings, and the result was a creamy, cheesy casserole loaded with veggies and flavor. I was absolutely floored at how awesome it was. And now it is something we make regularly.
Reasons You’ll Love This Zucchini Casserole Recipe
- Zucchini is naturally gluten-free. It’s one of my favorite ingredients, as it’s available in the grocery store year-round, easy to cook, and super versatile. It’s a great “hidden veggie” in recipes like zucchini tater tots and my Italian noodle casserole.
- Easy to make. This easy zucchini casserole recipe comes together quickly. Stir the ingredients together, and toss them in the oven. You’ll have time to prepare a side salad or the rest of your meal while the casserole bakes.
- Adaptable. There are so many delicious ways to adapt this zucchini casserole depending on what you and your family like. It’s wonderful for using up leftovers!
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need. Keep reading for additional tips and serving ideas, or scroll all the way to the recipe card for the full amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Zucchini – You’ll need 2 medium zucchini. This recipe is flexible, so don’t worry about measuring an exact amount. Choose ripe, deep green zucchini without any soft spots or blemishes.
- Plain Greek yogurt – You can use nonfat, lowfat, or whole milk yogurt. Just be sure it isn’t flavored.
- Egg – Just one to bind it.
- Seasonings – Dry mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can adapt the spices to taste. Add cayenne or Cajun seasoning for a spicier kick.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar gives it great flavor. You can use white or yellow cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack.
- Leftover cooked rice – Follow my easy methods to cook white rice or brown rice, or use leftovers that you cooked for another recipe. This casserole is also a great way to use up leftover takeout rice.
How to Make Zucchini Casserole
The most important thing is not to end up with a soggy, watery casserole. For this reason, you’ll need to drain the grated zucchini to get reid of extra moisture. Don’t skip this step! Once the zucchini is ready, follow the steps below to prepare this easy zucchini rice casserole:
- Trim and grate the zucchini. Cut the ends off the zucchini and shred it using a cheese grater.
- Squeeze out the water. Place the shreds in an old kitchen towel, and squeeze tightly to remove the excess moisture.
- Prepare for baking. Start by preheating the oven to 400°F and greasing an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
- Combine the ingredients. In a bowl, stir the yogurt, egg, and seasonings together. Add the zucchini, rice, and cheese, and stir until combined.
- Bake the casserole. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and set.
- Slice and serve. Let cool slightly. Then cut into squares and serve.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Squeeze it well. The key step is making sure you squeeze all of the moisture out of the zucchini. So wrap it in an old towel and keep squeezing until you see that there is almost no more liquid being released.
- Use leftover rice. When rice is at least a day old and has gotten cold in the refrigerator, it gets dried out a little. This helps it to absorb some of the moisture from the zucchini.
- Scoop it if needed. If you happen to end up with a zucchini casserole that doesn’t quite hold together in squares, just scoop it out of the pan with a spoon and enjoy. It’ll still taste delicious.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Proper storage. You can cover the pan with plastic wrap or transfer any leftove rpieces of the casserole to an airtight container. Then refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing it. The combination of zucchini, cheese, and yogurt will lead to a watery, unpleasant texture when it it frozen and thawed.
- Reheat till steaming hot. You can return the pan to the oven until it is fully heated through, or place pieces on a microwave-safe plate and heat it up in the microwave.
Make it a Meal
Wondering what to serve with cheesy zucchini casserole? I especially love it in the summer with grilled flat iron steak or grilled chicken drumsticks. But it’s also great to enjoy year-round with some of our favorite family dinners like these:
- Serve with chicken. While the dish is in the oven, you can easily make baked BBQ chicken breasts alongside it or honey mustard chicken bites on the stove.
- Kid-friendly meals. Since anything cheesy is a great way to get the kids eating their veggies, serve this casserole as a side with favorites like hot dog taquitos or BBQ turkey meatballs.
- Add beef. You also can’t go wrong serving this veggie and rice casserole with chili lime cube steaks or steak bites to pair with it.
More Zucchini Recipes
Cheesy Zucchini Casserole with Rice
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini , shredded (about 2-2 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
- 1 cup leftover cooked rice (white or brown rice)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Coat a 8×8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
- Shred 2 medium zucchini, then place the shredded zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, , 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
- Stir in the squeezed zucchini, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, and 1 cup leftover cooked rice.
- Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly set in the middle and lightly browned.
- Slice into 16 squares and serve.
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I’ve eaten almost all of those ingredients together but never as a “bake”! Good idea
Thanks – I am so glad it worked, but I had a feeling those ingredients would bake together well.
Can you use Minute rice? I don’t have leftover rice.
Since it doesn’t have liquid in the recipe, you do need to cook the rice first. But you can use Minute rice once you’ve cooked it.
Oh my. This is exactly what I want for dinner. And I have all the ingredients !!
It definitely is hearty enough to be dinner!
I’m just waiting for the rice to finish cooking. I added some onion and herbs because I had them around and wanting to be used. Can’t wait to eat it!
I wanted to let you know that I made it and just LOVED it. It was so, so good. My husband loved it too. We finished it off at breakfast 🙂 Definitely making again.
Oh I am so glad! Love your addition of herbs and onion. I only had enough time to toss it together and throw it in the oven, so I didn’t know if the onion would cook enough without sautéeing it first. But I bet it made it taste even better.
Oh my… I love zucchini and this is sure to be a favorite yummy in my tummy delish dish…
I love zucchini too, and cheese makes everything better!
You are SO creative. None of my hodgepodge recipes turn out this beautiful and yummy!!
Thanks Liz! I am pretty lucky when I throw things together.
This is the type of think my mom would make for us growing up. So simple and tasteful! The name is great, but don´t get me started on fb… not my favorite social media place, at all
I am trying to like G+, but I am just so comfortable on Facebook.
You call it hodge podge, I call it lunch please!
I know! I’m kinda wishing I had some left for lunch today.
Oh man, the Facebook thing is SO FRUSTRATING. I feel you! We’re all in this together. 🙂
On another note, I need as many zucchini recipes I can get. My zucchinis are coming in way faster than I can eat them. Thanks for sharing!
I know! It is such a pain. My reach had been increasing, then I had the baby and put things on hold.
Oh, and here are lots of zucchini recipes for you – http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2013/07/sweet-and-savory-zucchini-ideas/
I love this roundup from Dorothy at Crazy for Crust.
What a great idea! It’s so creative, I love it!!
Thanks! I was so excited when it turned out so well!
I love seeing recipes that use up what’s on hand in the fridge and pantry. Hodge Podge is a great name for it!
I always try to use up everything! My poor three year old is alway eating bits and pieces 🙂
I love using leftovers to make something amazing! Happy Sunday!
Me too! I hate throwing anything away! Thanks for hosting!