Zucchini Hamburger Casserole
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Creamy, crunchy, meaty and full of zucchini, this ground beef and zucchini casserole blends meat and vegetables to make a flavorful meal.
My husband describes this casserole as, “One of those midwestern meals where a bunch of flavors blend well together to make a complete meal.”
Zucchini Casserole With Ground Beef Recipe
Inspired by our Zucchini Casserole with Stuffing Mix, a read comments that she adds a layer of Italian blend cheese. The cheesy layer enhances the hamburger so well!
The creaminess of the soups reminds us of our Ground Beef and Noodle Casserole and the sour cream is like our Kielbasa Casserole. We all enjoy that there’s so many fresh vegetables in this easy ground beef and zucchini hot dish.
Serve with Chocolate Zucchini Cake or Carrot Cake Loaf to round out the meal with plenty of fresh produce.
Why This Ground Beef Casserole With Vegetables Works Well
- Perfect way to incorporate extra zucchini into a main dish.
- Love how the herb flavor in a box of Stove Top Stuffing or seasoned bread cubes enhances the vegetable flavors.
- Add ground meat or chicken to transform this all time favorite vegetable side dish into a main dish.
- Can change the flavor profile by changing the type of cream soups that you use. We like the combo of celery and onion, but mushroom mixes in well too.
Ingredients Needed
- Zucchini – use 5 medium zucchini to get 6 cups of thinly sliced veggies.
- Onion – can go up to two cups.
- Carrot – a bag of shredded carrots is a big time saver. I love the color and texture contrast that carrots add to this recipe.
- Cream Soups – combination of cream of celery and cream of onion adds a nice undertone and enjoyable creaminess to this casserole.
- Sour Cream – adds a nice creaminess to the dish. Use two cans, we like the combination of cream of celery and cream of onion.
- Ground Beef – turns the vegetable side dish into a hearty main dish. Use 85% lean hamburger for best results.
- Italian Blend Cheese – another layer of deliciousness! Mozzarella substitutes well too.
- Stuffing – herbs deepen the flavor of the dish and alleviate the need to add more seasoning while creating a crunchy layer on the top and bottom.
- Butter – mixes with seasoned breadcrumbs in the stuffing mix to allow it to become golden brown while baking.
How To Make Zucchini Hamburger Casserole
Wash and carefully slice the zucchini. I find that using a mandolin is the easiest way to make slices with a thin, uniform thickness. Slow down and use the guards to protect your fingers!
Using a deep skillet brown ground beef and drain any excess fat. Add onions and saute until translucent.
After draining, put beef on a paper towel lined plate.
Using the same skillet add olive oil and turn down to medium heat. Add slices of thinly sliced zucchini and cover. Stir every couple minutes.
If skillet is really full as some slices become tender set aside on the cooked beef. This will give more space for the remaining squash to continue cooking.
In a large mixing bowl pour in two cans of cream soup. We use cream of celery and cream of onion. Do not dilute.
Add sour cream and carrots and stir well.
Pour zucchini in, mix well.
Add ground beef and onions and stir one last time.
In a separate mixing bowl melt butter and stir in stuffing mix.
Spread half of the stuffing mix and butter mixture over the bottom of a 9 x 13″ casserole dish that has a light layer of non-stick cooking spray.
Then gently spoon creamy beef and zucchini mixture over the stuffing taking care not to move it around the pan.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Then sprinkle final layer of buttery stuffing mix.
Bake uncovered in an oven preheated to 350℉ for about 30 minutes until casserole is cooked through and the buttery bread cubes are golden brown.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- 6 cups of sliced zucchini is about 5 to 6 small to medium zucchini
- We prefer to use young, tender zucchini instead of large mature squash
- Yellow squash can be mixed half and half with the zucchini or completely substituted for the green gourds
- Zucchini can be cooked in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes or sautéed in olive oil until tender. Use the method that is easiest for you to par cook the veggies. This step can be done a day ahead of time if desired.
- Casserole tastes best warm and fresh the first time. This recipe is easy to cut in half to create fewer servings.
More Easy Family Meals
Crock Pot Beef Stew with Onion Soup Mix is an easy meal for chilly days.
Oven Roasted Kielbasa is a great sheet pan meal that’s easy to add a variety of seasonal veggies to the meal.
Parmesan Chicken Strips are so tender and pair well with several side dishes.
Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Pasta is another one dish wonder that’s worth a try from Chocolate with Grace.
Zucchini Hamburger Casserole
Author: JenniferIngredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 6 cups zucchini sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces stuffing mix herb flavored
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 10.5 ounce can cream of celery soup
- 10.5 ounce can cream of onion soup
- 1 1/2 cups Italian blend cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare a 9 x 13" pan with a layer of non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Add olive oil to a deep skillet over medium heat and cook zucchini until softened, stirring often OR cook in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes and drain well.
- Brown and drain ground beef. Add onions to the skillet and cook until translucent.
- Melt butter and stir in stuffing mix. Spread half (or about one box worth) in the bottom of a glass casserole dish.
- In a large mixing bowl stir to together both cans of undiluted cream soups, sour cream and shredded carrots.
- Add drained zucchini and stir again.
- Add cooked hamburger and onions and stir well. Spoon over top of the layer of stuffing mix taking care not to move the stuffing.
- Sprinkle cheese over top of the meat mixture.
- Sprinkle remaining butter and stuffing mix on top.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until stuffing is golden brown and the casserole is cooked through.
Notes
- 6 cups of sliced zucchini is about 5 to 6 small to medium zucchini
- We prefer to use young, tender zucchini instead of large mature squash
- Yellow squash can be mixed half and half with the zucchini or completely substituted for the green gourds