Zucchini is a very healthy low-calorie vegetable widely used in cooking. Due to its neutral taste, it goes well with almost all products and is part of many interesting dishes. Today we will figure out how to cook zucchini in the oven.
General recommendations
For baking, it is advisable to use young thin-skinned zucchini. This will save you from having to peel the vegetables from the rough skin and seed core. The fruits processed in this way are cut into cubes, circles or longitudinal plates and proceed to further preparation.
Before sending the zucchini for heat treatment, they are stuffed or combined with the rest of the ingredients, greased with sour cream or any other sauce and sprinkled with grated cheese. At the same time, it is extremely important not to overexpose them in the oven. Properly cooked zucchini has a very delicate, slightly sweet taste. But it only takes a little longer to hold them on the fire, as they instantly turn into a fresh mass.
As for spices, it is advisable to add thyme and Provence herbs to dishes based on zucchini. The presence of these seasonings will add a whole new touch to the casserole. If your recipe involves the use of chicken, then it is recommended to rub it with half a lemon and only then cook it. Thanks to this little trick, it will become more tender.
Simple vegetable casserole
This light and very aromatic dish is prepared with a minimum amount of vegetable oil. Therefore, it can be considered dietary. The composition of this casserole includes:
- A pair of medium squash.
- 4 large spoons of vegetable oil.
- 3 cloves of garlic.
- A glass of sour cream.
- On a large spoon of chopped greens of dill and parsley.
- 150 grams of hard cheese.
- Salt and aromatic herbs.
Before you cook young zucchini in the oven, they are washed, cut into centimeter cubes and put in an ordinary plastic bag. Vegetable oil, salt, spices and chopped herbs are sent there. Tie the bag and shake it several times so that all the ingredients are mixed together. Salted zucchini is poured onto a baking sheet lined with foil and subjected to heat treatment. Bake vegetables at an average temperature for twenty minutes. After this, the zucchini is greased with a sauce made from grated cheese, sour cream, spices and chopped dill and brought to readiness.
Casserole with rice and carrots
For those who do not know what and how to cook zucchini in the oven, we recommend that you pay attention to the option described below. This tasty and not too high-calorie vegetable casserole is equally well suited for both adult and baby food. To feed your family a fragrant and healthy dinner, you will need:
- 200 grams of zucchini.
- A glass of rice.
- 100 grams of carrots.
- Medium onion.
- 500 milliliters of vegetable or meat broth.
- Salt, fresh dill and vegetable oil.
Washed vegetables, if necessary, are peeled and ground. Onions and carrots are fried in preheated vegetable fat. As soon as they soften, they add cubes of zucchini to them, and after them they send rice there.
The browned vegetable mixture is poured into a deep heat-resistant form, poured with broth, sprinkled with chopped herbs and sent for further heat treatment. Bake the dish at one hundred and ninety degrees for half an hour. This time is enough for the rice to absorb the liquid and have time to fully cook.
Casserole with tomatoes
This option will certainly be of interest to those who have not yet decided how to cook zucchini with tomatoes in the oven. Such a casserole can be a great dinner for the whole family and add variety to the familiar menu. To make such a dish, you will need:
- 400 grams of ripe tomatoes.
- A glass of sour cream.
- 400 grams of young zucchini.
- 70 g of Dutch cheese.
- Vegetable oil, salt, herbs and spices.
Washed zucchini is cut into slices about one centimeter thick, folded into a deep container, salted, sprinkled with aromatic herbs and left for a short time at room temperature. After that, they are sent to a refractory form, alternating with circles of tomatoes, smeared with sour cream, sprinkled with grated cheese and put in the oven. Cook such a casserole at two hundred degrees no longer than half an hour.
Barrels with egg and feta cheese
The recipe below will surely attract the attention of those who are interested in how to cook stuffed zucchini in the oven. To create this light summer dish, you need a minimal set of products, including:
- 150 grams of feta cheese.
- A pair of zucchini.
- 2 eggs.
- 40 milliliters of vegetable oil.
- Fresh dill.
Before cooking zucchini in the oven, they are washed, cut into slices about four centimeters thick and boiled for five minutes. After the vegetables have cooled slightly, pulp is carefully removed from them, chopped and mixed with eggs, chopped herbs and feta cheese. Zucchini barrels are stuffed with minced meat, greased with oil and baked at standard temperature for twenty minutes.
Boats with cottage cheese
Of course, this dish is not as popular as what was done with the addition of minced meat, but true gourmets who are looking for new unusual options for how to cook zucchini in the oven will surely appreciate it. The recipe for this juicy piquant treat suggests the presence of certain foods. Therefore, before starting the process, see if you have:
- 550 grams of cottage cheese.
- 3 zucchini.
- 100 grams of cheese.
- 4 cloves of garlic.
- A bunch of dill.
From the washed zucchini, the side part is cut about two centimeters thick. After that, the pulp is carefully removed from the vegetable, and the resulting void is filled with cottage cheese mixed with grated cheese, chopped herbs and crushed garlic. The resulting boats are covered with cut parts and put in the oven. Bake at a moderate temperature for no longer than forty minutes.
Casserole with potatoes and bacon
This fragrant and nutritious dish will be a real find for many housewives thinking about how to cook zucchini in the oven to nourish a large family. To create such a casserole, you will need:
- A pound of potatoes.
- A pair of zucchini.
- Sweet bell pepper.
- Leek.
- 200 grams of bacon.
- 3 large spoons of olive oil.
- Salt and aromatic spices.
The bottom of the mold is greased with olive oil and a portion of the potato cut into thin slices is placed in it. Top with slices of zucchini, strips of bell pepper and half rings of leek. All this is salted, sprinkled with aromatic spices and covered with thin plates of bacon. Spread the remaining potatoes with the last layer, season it and sprinkle with olive oil. The mold is covered with foil and put into the oven. Prepare the dish at two hundred degrees. After about a quarter of an hour, they carefully remove the foil and wait another twenty minutes.
Barrels of meat and vegetables
Using the technology described below, you can quickly and tasty cook zucchini with minced meat in the oven. They are incredibly satisfying and perfect for a family dinner. To treat your family to such a treat, you will need:
- Large onion.
- 600 grams of minced meat.
- Kilo of zucchini.
- Medium carrot.
- ½ bell pepper.
- Ripe tomato.
- 80 grams of cheese.
- 3 cloves of garlic.
- Salt and aromatic spices.
Washed zucchini is cut into transverse pieces, the height of which is about seven centimeters, carefully freed from the inside, leaving the bottom. The resulting barrels are boiled in boiling water for no more than five minutes, and then cooled. Before cooking zucchini in the oven, fry onions, minced meat, carrots, tomato, bell pepper and garlic in a pan. The resulting filling is salted, sprinkled with seasonings and placed inside the barrels. Top them sprinkled with grated cheese and cleaned for subsequent heat treatment. Cook them at a moderate temperature for about twenty minutes.
Chicken fillet casserole
A dish prepared according to the method described below is notable for its simple composition and speed of preparation. To create it you will need:
- 250 grams of chicken.
- 3 zucchini.
- 70 milliliters of cream.
- 3 cloves of garlic.
- A pair of ripe tomatoes.
- Large onion.
- 200 grams of mozzarella.
- Bell pepper pod.
- 4 eggs.
- 150 grams of feta cheese.
- Salt, refined vegetable oil and fresh parsley.
Before you cook delicious zucchini with chicken in the oven, they are washed under a stream of cool water, peeled, cut into not too thin circles, spread in a heat-resistant container, oiled, and removed to the side.
In a separate frying pan, in which there is already a small amount of preheated vegetable fat, the fillet pieces are browned, chopped bell pepper, crushed garlic, chopped onion, mozzarella and chopped greens are added to them. All mix well and spread on zucchini. Place neat tomato slices and pre-grated feta cheese on top. All this is poured with sauce made from beaten eggs and cream, and sent for heat treatment. Cook the casserole in a well-heated oven until a beautiful golden crust is formed.