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    Home » Recipes » Auntie's Favorites

    Modified: May 4, 2023 · Published: Nov 24, 2020 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income from ads.

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole combines fresh zucchini, carrots and onions, along with your favorite stuffing mix to create a savory, veggie-infused side dish that's perfect in the summer when zucchini is plentiful or in the winter when comfort food is king. It goes great with No Ketchup Meatloaf and Buttermilk Chicken Tenders. This is an old-fashioned zucchini casserole recipe full of hearty vegetables.

    Full of veggies but not lacking that distinctive comfort from traditional stuffing, this recipe is pure comfort food.
    Not your ordinary stuffing recipe. This side dish is brimming with fresh zucchini.
    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients to Have on Hand
    • Use Garden Vegetables
    • What to Serve with Zucchini Stuffing Casserole
    • Optional Garnish
    • Zoodle Topping
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Make it a Main Dish
    • More Side Dishes to Enjoy
    • More Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole is one of my Mom's specialties. Thanks, Mom! It's a recipe that helps us enjoy zucchini, especially when it's plentiful from the garden, and it's a great way to use even the large zucchini that are sometimes less tender when simply cooked on the stove.

    My family has enjoyed this dish for many years. It's terrific in the summer months, using fresh zucchini from the garden.

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    Scroll down to the recipe card for specifics on how much of each ingredient you'll need.

    • zucchini
    • carrots
    • onion
    • cream of chicken soup
    • sour cream
    • pre-seasoned stuffing
    • butter

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole is all about savory flavors.

    Added bonus, this made-from-scratch zucchini side dish is on the table in about an hour or you can make it ahead.

    Four zucchinis, three carrots and an onion on a counter.
    This recipe starts with fresh veggies.

    Use Garden Vegetables

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole could easily be called garden stuffing or carrot and zucchini bake because it's so full of those fresh garden vegetables.

    In fact, veggies are the main ingredients. Love that!

    Around my house, when it's zucchini season, my family is quick to ask when we'll be enjoying this easy zucchini casserole recipe. But it's not relegated to just the summer season, I make this year around and even serve it for holiday meals.

    I like to make Zucchini Stuffing Casserole because there are just a handful of ingredients that combine to create a delicious zucchini mixture that is savory and versatile.

    Diced zucchini in a 4-cup glass measuring cup.
    About 4 cups of diced zucchini is perfect for this recipe, but don't worry if you add more. The more veggies the better!

    What to Serve with Zucchini Stuffing Casserole

    Tender zucchini casserole can be an incredibly versatile side for everything from a summer cookout to a winter gathering or even an elegant meal.

    This is delicious to serve with roast beef, hamburgers or pork. It's tasty with Chicken Spaghetti with Rotel and Velveeta or even alongside seafood, like Ivar's Copycat Fried Cod.

    In the summer and early fall, I like to serve this zucchini side dish with anything that comes from the grill.

    Then once the holidays roll around, this is the ideal side dish for holiday turkey, ham or even prime rib.

    Grated carrots in a one-cup measuring bowl.
    Your measurements don't need to be precise with this recipe, anywhere in the ballpark of 1 cup of grated carrots is perfect,

    Optional Garnish

    For a whimsical garnish, grab any of the zucchini that wasn't needed in the recipe and use a spiralizing tool to create zucchini noodles.

    Place a handful of the curled, tender zucchini noodles on top of the stuffing and they'll cook perfectly during the last 20 minutes of baking.

    As an option, you could also spread a handful of shredded zucchini on top during those last 20 minutes of baking. The only thing you'll miss is the curls.

    Curled zucchini noodles in a bowl.
    Curled zucchini noodles, or "zoodles" as they are called, are a wonderful topping for this stuffing recipe.

    Zoodle Topping

    I've made this recipe dozens of times and every now and then I like to include a layer of zucchini "zoodles" on top. It adds a little eye appeal and if you have an abundance of zucchini on hand, it's a great way to put that garden veggie to good use.

    Despite that veggie-inspired topping, I'm not sure I'd classify this as a healthy side dish. But given the ingredient list is full of vegetables, I'd say it's worthy of being called a "good thing" to bring to the dinner table.

    This is simply the best zucchini casserole recipe I've ever tried. It's second only to zucchini bread as my favorite way to use summer zucchini.

    Baking dish with zucchini casserole and a serving spoon.
    Piping hot and fresh from the oven, this stuffing casserole recipe is full of veggies and not like any stuffing recipe we've had before.

    Recipe FAQs

    What type of stuffing mix should I use?

    There are many delicious options for pre-seasoned stuffing, but my favorite for this recipe is Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing.

    I think the mix of white and wheat bread and the herbs and spices in this particular mix are the perfect complements to zucchini.

    It's also a crumb-style stuffing mix so the pieces of bread are small and crunchy. One bag of stuffing mix on a counter.

    Is there a vegetarian option?

    For sure. Replace the can of cream of chicken soup with a can of cream of celery soup. The flavor of the dish will be more subtle, but the consistency will be the same.

    Can I freeze this recipe?

    I don't recommend freezing it. But it can most certainly be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking. I've done that many times when I plan to serve this with a holiday meal. Remove the pan from the refrigerator and set it on the kitchen counter for about 30 minutes, then bake as directed.

    Should I peel the zucchini?

    There's no need to peel zucchini before baking it or enjoying it.

    Can I use yellow squash instead of zucchini?

    Yes, yellow squash has a very similar taste and texture to zucchini. Both are technically referred to as summer squash and are most always interchangeable in recipes. You may just want to change the title if you use yellow squash and refer to this as a squash stuffing casserole.

    Baking dish with zucchini casserole and a serving spoon.
    Savory and delicious, this zucchini stuffing bake recipe is full of veggies and adds a whole new twist on a stuffing side dish.

    Make it a Main Dish

    Feeling hungry for a stuffing casserole that's a main dish? Here are protein options to add when you combine the vegetables with the stuffing and the other ingredients:

    Chicken Stuffing Casserole: Chicken is a wonderful addition to this stuffing casserole. Dice three cooked chicken breasts or shred meat from a rotisserie chicken and stir in with the vegetables, stuffing, soup and sour cream. Place everything in the baking dish. Cover and bake as directed in the recipe.

    Turkey Stuffing Casserole: If you have leftover turkey from the holidays this is a tasty way to re-purpose leftovers for a main meal. Dice 3 - 4 cups of cooked turkey with the zucchini, carrot, onions, soup and sour cream. Spread into the baking dish, cover and bake according to the recipe.

    More Side Dishes to Enjoy

    • Yukon gold mashed potatoes in a bowl.
      Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
    • Baked beans, franks and pineapple pieces in a baking dish with a spoon.
      Easy Franks and Beans
    • Apple and cranberry stuffing.
      Cranberry Apple Stuffing (Baked)
    • Pan roasted asparagus on a plate with lemon slices.
      Pan-Roasted Asparagus

    More Recipes

    Here are other recipes I think you'll love digging into any time comfort food is the top priority: Classic Potato Rolls are a wonderful scratch-made potato roll and there's no kneading involved, Crockpot Banana Bread proves our Crockpots are a great place for baking and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is comfort food at it's finest.

    If you tried this Zucchini Stuffing Casserole or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below.

    Recipe

    Baking dish with zucchini casserole and a serving spoon.

    Zucchini Stuffing Casserole

    Zucchini, carrots and onions, along with your favorite stuffing mix, combine to create a savory, veggie-infused side dish that's perfect alongside any meal. Serve with Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes for a winning collection of sides.
    5 from 123 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 495kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    • 4 cups zucchini - diced - about 3 medium zucchinis
    • 1 cup carrot - peeled and grated - about 2 carrots
    • ½ cup onion - chopped fine or grated
    • 1 can cream of chicken soup - undiluted
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ⅓ cup butter - melted
    • 2 ¼ cups herb seasoned stuffing mix - Pepperidge Farm classic stuffing - divided
    • ⅛ teaspoon pepper, freshly ground - optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°
    • Spray a 13”x9” baking dish with Pam or grease with shortening.

    Prepare Zucchini

    • Rinse and dice zucchini, place in a glass 4-cup measuring dish and sprinkle with a ¼ cup of water. Cook in the microwave until the zucchini is slightly softened, but not fully cooked. About 4 minutes. Drain water and set aside.

    Combine Ingredients

    • In a large bowl combine 1 ¼ cups seasoned stuffing mix and melted butter. Mix in carrots, onion, sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Add drained zucchini and stir.
    • Spread veggie and stuffing mixture in the baking dish and top with remaining 1 cup of seasoned stuffing mix and top with pepper.

    Bake

    • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove foil for remaining 20 minutes or until the mixture is bubbling around the edges and the stuffing on top is hot and lightly browned.
    • Total baking time, about 40-45 minutes.

    Optional Garnish

    • Use any extra zucchini that you didn't need for the recipe to create spiralized zucchini "noodles." Place the zucchini curls on top of the stuffing for the last 20 minutes of baking time. The zoodles, as they are called, add a colorful garnish to the topping,

    Notes

    Feeling hungry for a stuffing casserole that's a main dish? Here are protein options to add when you combine the vegetables with the stuffing and the other ingredients:
    Chicken Stuffing Casserole: Chicken is a wonderful addition to this stuffing casserole. Dice three cooked chicken breasts or shred meat from a rotisserie chicken and stir in with the vegetables, stuffing, soup and sour cream. Place everything in the baking dish. Cover and bake as directed in the recipe.
    Turkey Stuffing Casserole: If you have leftover turkey from the holidays this is a tasty way to re-purpose leftovers for a main meal. Dice 3 - 4 cups of cooked turkey with the zucchini, carrot, onions, soup and sour cream. Spread into the baking dish, cover and bake according to the recipe.
    Calories: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 11gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 1285mgPotassium: 495mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 4123IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 4mg

    Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook

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    Comments

      5 from 123 votes (117 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




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    1. Jacob Hackman says

      August 30, 2023 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved this! Will have to save this recipe for Thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

        September 02, 2023 at 4:16 pm

        I'm so glad your family enjoyed it Jacob! Great idea to serve it at Thanksgiving. Thanks for the five star rating!!

        Reply
    2. Sheila says

      August 17, 2022 at 2:28 pm

      Was very easy to assemble..having it tonight but sure looks yummy!! Can't wait to try it!

      Reply
    3. Katie Youngs says

      August 09, 2021 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      Yum! I love that this turns a light summer veggie into comfort food. It's one of my favorite ways to eat zucchini!

      Reply
    4. Sangita says

      August 06, 2021 at 10:31 am

      5 stars
      Healthy and delicious stuffing recipe.

      Reply
    5. Amanda Dixon says

      August 06, 2021 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious! It's such a great way to use summer zucchini, and I love the creaminess the sour cream added.

      Reply
    6. Jean says

      August 05, 2021 at 10:09 pm

      5 stars
      we love zucchini and always looking for new recipes to try! adding this to our night meals

      Reply
    7. Alexandra says

      August 05, 2021 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      Such a delicious way of using my homegrown zucchini!

      Reply

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