Weeknight dinners just got better with this veggie-packed, high-protein, beef and zucchini casserole. Lean ground beef coated in a rich and creamy tomato sauce spread of zucchini and sweet potato noodles. You can make this dairy-free casserole in advance as well making busy weeknights that much easier.
Casseroles are a staple in any busy mom’s kitchen because they can normally be prepared in advance. However, most casserole recipes are based on cooked rice or noodles.
I wanted something a little bit lighter. This healthy beef and zucchini casserole uses spiralized sweet potatoes and zucchini to bulk it up and the result is a grain-free dinner that my kids loved, just like Sloppy Joe Stuffed Potatoes.
Loaded with color, wholesome nutrients, and lots of savory flavor, it’s a busy weeknight dinner you’ll soon have on rotation.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Meal prep: This beef Zucchini casserole can be made in advance and simply baked on busy nights, saving you time in the kitchen. Learn more about family meal planning on a budget.
Allergy-friendly: Naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and grain-free, the casserole can be made paleo and whole30 as well depending on the cream cheese you choose.
Flavorful: Everyone at the table gobbles this casserole up! It’s made with tomato sauce, cream cheese, and light seasonings that bring out lots of fresh flavor.
Ingredients You Need
Though the list of ingredients may seem overwhelming, there’s really not much to making this casserole.
It's also a great way to use up excess amounts of zucchini from the garden just like this protein zucchini bread or air fryer zucchini and squash.
Expert Tips To Make It
You need a spiralizer to make this recipe. Though you could probably use zucchini slices and layer them, I haven’t tried cooking it that way.
I use a local vegan cream cheese I enjoy as it doesn’t contain seed oils. However, any cream cheese will work, just make sure it’s softened before you need it.
If you have slow cooker ground beef made, skip the browning and just reheat it on the stove with some water and the bell peppers and onion.
Make sure to layer the sweet potato noodles on the bottom of the dish so that the zucchini is on top of them. As the water comes out of the zucchini it will cook the noodles.
You want to make sure that the ground beef is fully coated in the sauce before portioning it onto the noodles. You may need to add a splash more tomato sauce if your cream cheese is really thick.
You only want the casserole dish covered for half the baking time, otherwise, the zucchinis give off too much water, though draining them helps just like with air fryer zucchini fritters. Uncovering it halfway through allows it to thicken up and set a bit.
I like to use lean ground beef but know that ground venison, or ground turkey both work here, just like in this more traditional ground beef casserole.
Hack: To make this meaty zucchini casserole paleo-approved, use a traditional cream cheese. To make it whole30-compliant, you need to use Kite Hill cream cheese.
How To Make It
Step 1: Spiralize the zucchini and sweet potatoes.
Step 2: Brown the beef with garlic, drain the grease, and then mix in the peppers and onion.
Step 3: Layer the sweet potato and zucchini noodles into a 9x5 inch casserole dish.
Step 4: Whisk together the spices, tomato sauce, cream cheese, and nutritional yeast until smooth.
Step 5: Pour the sauce over the ground beef and mix until it’s all coated.
Step 6: Portion the ground beef mixture over the zucchini.
Step 7: Use a silicone spatula to spread it out evenly. Cover with aluminum and bake.
Step 8: Remove the aluminum foil halfway through baking and finish cooking. Serve.
How To Make It In Advance
To meal prep the ground beef zucchini casserole, follow the directions to assemble it.
Make sure the beef has fully cooled and then wrap the casserole dish in aluminum foil. Place it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
When you need it, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking it in the oven.
What Is A Spiralizer?
if you don't own a spiralizer- get on that! Definitely a staple appliance in the kitchen and one I use pretty often (for recipes like this zoodle bowls!).
Spiralizers help:
- Keep your meals interesting
- Replace noodles in a dish with a healthier option
- Are great for low-carb recipes
- Make simple dishes like coleslaw or quinoa beet stir fry more visually appealing
A spiralizer has been a staple in my kitchen for almost eight years now (I went through a raw stage).
Not only is it fun (the kids love it!) but you can load up your meal with veggies and skip the starch.
Variations
This dairy-free beef casserole makes for a delicious weeknight dinner because it’s so easy to adjust! Below are a few of our favorite flavor swaps:
Spice: When I make this for just my husband and me, we add some sliced jalapenos to the mix for a pop of flavor. You could do a bit of hot sauce too.
Cheese: You can easily top the zucchini casserole with cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese blend, or even parmesan cheese (dairy-free or otherwise). If you do this, broil for 30 seconds once it’s done cooking for a golden-brown look.
Proteins: Using a different protein like ground venison or ground turkey is an easy way to change the flavor slightly.
Storing leftovers
If you have leftover zucchini casserole, make sure to let it cool fully before storing it. When it’s cooled, place the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave in intervals or in the oven at 350F until heated through.
Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic-this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)
More Dairy and Gluten Free Dinner Recipes
- Chicken taco skillet
- Honey mustard chicken
- Gluten-free egg roll in a bowl
- Easy, healthy dinner recipes
Beef and Zucchini Casserole
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 Zucchini medium sized
- 1 Sweet potato large
- 0.34 kilograms Lean ground beef about ¾ pound
- ⅓ cup Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ Bell pepper diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
- 1.5 cups Tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup Dairy-free cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
- Brown the beef over medium heat with the garlic and drain the excess grease.
- Add in the onion and peppers and cook 2-3 minutes until they start to soften. Set aside.
- Meanwhile. spiralize the sweet potatoes and zucchini.
- Place the sweet potatoes at the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish followed by the zucchini.
- Drizzle ½ cup of tomato sauce over the vegetables.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining tomato sauce, seasonings, cream cheese, and nutritional yeast until smooth.
- Pour into the pan of cooked ground beef and mix until everything is coated.
- Scoop the ground beef mixture onto the vegetable noodles and smooth it out until even.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes before removing the foil and baking for another 15 minutes.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Farrah says
Made this for dinner and it turned out great. The beef was juicy and the zucchini noodles were tender but not mushy. We really enjoyed it! So yummy!
fitasamamabear says
Happy you liked it, my hubby even devoured it!