Alright, let’s talk about this casserole.
I told you guys last night about this thing and I promised you all a recipe, so today’s the day.
If any of you are in the same boat as I am with an abundance of zucchini, then this is absolutely a recipe for you. If you’re not on that boat, well then go head out and buy some ASAP. This is not a recipe to miss.
Jay was a little skeptical of this beauty yesterday – he’s not easily swooned by veggies like I am – but after one bite, he was just as hooked as I was. We were trying to figure out what it reminded us of while eating it, and we decided that it sort of reminded us of a light, cheesy hash brown casserole…except with zucchini.
My favorite part was definitely the crispy edges.
I definitely think you guys are gonna love this one.
Light & Tasty Zucchini Casserole
(adapted from Eat More of What You Love cookbook)
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 teaspoons butter, divided
- 6 cups coarsely grated zucchini
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped peppers
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 cup low-fat evaporated milk*
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
*I didn’t have evaporated milk on hand, so I substituted with 2/3 cup non-fat dry milk + 3/4 cup water. Regular milk is not recommended.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add zucchini, onion, and peppers and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the liquids have evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add 2 teaspoons of butter to skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add milk, Dijon, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and whisk until mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until blended. Pour over zucchini mixture, stir, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into zucchini mixture, then pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining teaspoon of butter, combine with panko breadcrumbs, and sprinkle on top of casserole.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!
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