
This Zucchini Squash Bake makes for delicious comfort food when the weather outside is
frightful. Gluten free and vegetarian, it’s chock full of nutritious zucchini plus protein-rich ricotta.
Zucchini Squash Bake
Ingredients:
- 1 small (about 2 pounds) kabocha, red kuri or delicata squash
- ½ Tbs. olive oil
- ⅛ tsp. plus ½ tsp. salt, divided
- 1 small zucchini, grated (about ½ cup)
- ⅔ cup ricotta
- ½ cup grated hard cheese, such as Fontina, Emmental, Gruyère or non-aged Gouda
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 egg (beaten)
- ½ tsp. ground nutmet
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
FOR THE TOPPING
- ½ cup bread crumbs (regular, gluten-free or panko)
- 1 Tbs. butter (melted)
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out seeds. Drizzle oil and 1 /8 teaspoon salt over cut side of squash halves. Place squash, cut side down, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover squash loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Once cooked, remove foil and let squash cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, place grated zucchini, ricotta, grated cheese, parsley, thyme, pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt; stir to combine. Mix in beaten egg and nutmeg; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, toss bread-crumb ingredients together; set aside.
- Once squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a bowl and add lemon juice; mash with a potato masher until smooth. Gently fold ricotta cheese mixture into squash until combined.
- Grease a 2-quart round baking dish, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Scoop squash mixture into baking dish, and top with bread-crumb mixture. Bake until topping turns golden brown in spots, about 25–30 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.
PER SERVING (1 cup): 193 cal, 11g fat (4g mono, 1g poly, 6g sat), 57mg chol, 418mg sodium, 16g carb (3g fiber, 5g sugars), 10g protein
SOURCE: The recipe by Carsen Snyder is posted by permission of Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years. Photo by Jennifer Olson.