Easy and cheesy zucchini ground beef skillet casserole! This recipe is a scrumptious mix of fresh zucchini, onion, seasonings, ground beef, rice and cheese. It's something the whole family will enjoy. Make it in 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
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I love to make casseroles year-round because they’re so easy and versatile. This zucchini ground beef skillet casserole has lots of fresh zucchini in it, so it's a great recipe for summer when squash is in season.
When I want something a little lighter, I'll make a zucchini, squash, and corn casserole. It's incredibly similar to this recipe, but swaps the ground beef for lots of summer veggies.
And I always have to make my favorite zucchini recipe: almond flour zucchini muffins with chocolate chips. It's a simple recipe with wholesome ingredients and makes the perfect grab-and-go snack.
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It's A Weeknight Wonder!
Versatile: It's incredibly easy to swap the ingredients based on what you have. I’ve made this skillet casserole with all kinds of different protein and veggies, and it’s always delicious.
Quick & Easy: The entire recipe only takes 30 minutes from start to finish. You could also cook the rice and chop the veggies in advance to make it even easier. Perfect for busy weeknights!
Well-Rounded: Zucchini ground beef casserole is a whole meal right in your skillet. It has fresh vegetables, protein, rice, and cheese!
Your Grocery List!
- Ground beef: I’m using 80/20 ground beef because I use the leftover fat to sauté the veggies. It adds so much extra flavor! Feel free to use lean ground beef or even ground turkey, and saute the veggies in olive oil.
- Rice: I always have long-grain white rice on hand, but brown rice works, too.
- Zucchini: Use just zucchini, or a combo of zucchini and summer squash.
- Yellow onion: Or a white onion - use whatever you have on hand.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Chopped into small pieces.
- Simple seasonings: Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Cheese: I like to use Colby Jack in this recipe, but cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese also work great.
- Parsley: This one’s an optional garnish, but it makes the zucchini skillet look so nice when it's done.
Making Ground Beef Zucchini Casserole
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
Cook the rice and ground beef:
- Make the rice using your preferred method. We’ll need 1 cup of cooked rice (start with about a half cup raw).
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Stir the meat to break it up until it’s completely cooked through.
- Drain the ground beef and set it aside, saving 1 tablespoon of fat for the veggies.
Sauté the vegetables:
- Dice zucchini and onion in big, even pieces. The cut of the veggies (especially the zucchini) is important for avoiding sogginess. Slice into ½-¾ inch slices and then quarter each slice.
- Sauté the chopped onion and zucchini in the same skillet until they’re brown and slightly soft.
- Deglaze the pan with water, scraping up all the bits stuck to the bottom.
Combine it all:
- Once the veggies are done, return the ground meat to the skillet.
- Add the cooked rice, sun-dried tomatoes, and seasonings to the same pan.
- Mix everything well, and use the back of a spoon or spatula to pat it down.
Top with cheese:
- Sprinkle an even layer of your favorite cheese on top and cover with a lid.
- The heat from the beef and zucchini mixture will melt the shredded cheese pretty quickly.
- Once the cheese is nice and melty, remove it from the heat to cool slightly.
The finishing touches:
- While the casserole rests, garnish it with fresh chopped parsley.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs, dried parsley works great too!
- Use a large serving spoon or spatula to dish it out, and enjoy!
Stacey's Top Tips
- Let the veggies sit and sear! Sauté the zucchini and onion over medium-high heat without stirring them too often, or they won’t brown properly.
- I make this recipe using any veggies I have on hand. It’s incredible as a sweet potato ground beef casserole, and great with broccoli or bell peppers.
- I'm using my 3-quart stainless steel pan, but a large cast-iron works wonderfully, too. If your cast-iron doesn’t have a lid, you can cover it with foil.
- If you want a different flavor profile, feel free to add your favorite spices. You can also make it with tomato sauce and minced garlic for an Italian vibe.
Serve It With:
Side salad: Since the zucchini ground beef skillet casserole is a complete meal, I'll usually just make a simple garden salad to go with it. This cucumber, tomato, onion, and feta salad is super fresh and incredibly easy to make.
Roasted Veggies: When I want something more filling, I'll get an easy side dish going while I put the casserole together. It pairs especially well with simple veggie sides, like roasted broccoli and cauliflower, or my easy oven-roasted asparagus.
How To Store Leftovers
Storing leftovers: Once cooled, place the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3-4 days.
How to reheat: Microwave a single serving until warmed through. Or, place the entire skillet in the oven on medium heat.
Meal Prep: Portion the leftovers into individual glass containers for easy, filling lunches throughout the week.
Common Questions
It’s most likely because the zucchini pieces are too small. It’s best to cut them into large, even-sized pieces so they don’t overcook too quickly. For a medium zucchini, I'll make ½-inch zucchini slices, then cut each one into quarters.
You certainly can! It won’t be a one-pan recipe anymore, but you can easily transfer all the ingredients to a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Then, top it with cheese and bake until it’s melted and bubbly.
Use cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice. It's a super-easy swap, especially if you use cauliflower rice that's already prepared. Making a low-carb version is also a great way to add more veggies to the casserole for an easy, healthy dinner.
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Zucchini Ground Beef Skillet Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Large, 3 quart stainless skillet *or non-stick *be sure you've got a lid for the skillet you use!
Ingredients
- ½ cup long grain white rice *or brown rice
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20% *see note below
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 medium yellow onion *or white onion
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil *chopped
- 1 & ½ teaspoons Italian seasonings
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 & ½ cups shredded colby jack cheese *or cheese of choice
- Chopped fresh parsley *optional for garnishing
Recipe notes:
Ground beef: I use 80/20% ground beef so that I can reserve fats for sautéing veggies. If you want to use leaner beef that's fine! Just sub olive oil to sauté veggies.Instructions
- Prepare ½ cup of raw rice to make approximately 1 cup of cooked rice. I like to make mine on the stovetop, but you can use your preferred method!½ cup long grain white rice
- Brown ground beef in a large non-stick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. I use my 3-quart stainless skillet, and it fits the ingredients nicely.1 pound ground beef
- Drain fat from beef but reserve 1 tablespoon in the pan for sautéing veggies. Place beef in a bowl to the side. If you used leaner beef, you can sauté veggies in olive oil.
- Chop veggies into large pieces. The cut of the veggies (especially the zucchini) is important for avoiding sogginess. Slice into ½-¾ inch slices and then quarter each slice. Do the same with the onion.2 medium zucchini, 1 medium yellow onion
- Add veggies to the skillet and sauté 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat until nice and brown. Don't stir too often or they won't brown properly.
- Deglaze your pan with about ⅓ cup of water and reduce heat to low. (This simply means, add water to the pan to get all of the brown bits unstuck from the bottom of your pan)!
- Return browned beef to the skillet with the sautéed veggies. Add cooked rice, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and all seasonings. Mix well and pat into an even layer in the pan. Reduce heat to low.¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 1 & ½ teaspoons Italian seasonings, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Top with shredded cheese and place a lid on the pan. Once cheese is fully melted, remove from heat. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and enjoy!1 & ½ cups shredded colby jack cheese, Chopped fresh parsley
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