Description
Delightful Creamy Parmesan Zucchini brings Italian-inspired comfort to weeknight dinners with minimal effort. Cheese-lovers and veggie enthusiasts will savor this quick, elegant side dish that elevates simple zucchini into a memorable culinary experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Vegetables:
- 2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Salt for zucchini
Dairy and Cheese:
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
Seasonings and Herbs:
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare zucchini by slicing into thin, uniform rounds. Sprinkle salt over slices and let rest for 15 minutes to extract excess moisture. Gently pat dry with paper towels to ensure crisp texture during baking.
- Create cream sauce by gently melting butter in a saucepan. Add minced garlic and sauté briefly until aromatic, avoiding burning. Slowly incorporate heavy cream, maintaining low heat while whisking continuously to prevent curdling.
- Whisk mozzarella into cream sauce until smooth and slightly thickened. The sauce should have a silky, consistent texture without lumps.
- Grease baking dish and layer zucchini slices in an overlapping pattern. Pour warm cream sauce evenly across zucchini, ensuring complete coverage.
- Generously sprinkle Parmesan and remaining mozzarella over the surface, creating a complete cheese layer that will melt and brown during baking.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake for 20 minutes, watching for golden-brown cheese and bubbling edges. The top should be lightly caramelized with crisp cheese peaks.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-7 minutes. This resting period helps sauce set and makes serving easier. Cheese will continue to slightly firm up during this time.
Notes
- Salt zucchini thoroughly to remove excess moisture, preventing a watery dish and ensuring a crisp, flavorful texture.
- Control heat carefully when making cream sauce to avoid burning garlic or curdling cream, maintaining smooth, rich consistency.
- Use high-quality Parmesan and mozzarella for deeper flavor and better melting performance in the final dish.
- Consider low-carb or dairy-free alternatives like using almond milk, nutritional yeast, or coconut cream for dietary modifications.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 70mg