• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Cooking Classes
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Dessert
      • Italian desserts
    • Drinks
    • Mains
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Meat & Poultry
    • Pasta & Risotto
    • Pizza & Focaccia
    • Preserves
    • Sides
    • Soups & Sandwiches
    • Special Diets
      • Gluten-free
      • Vegan/Vegetarian
  • Travel
  • About Us
    • Work with Us
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

SugarLoveSpices logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Cooking Classes
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Subscribe
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Published: Mar 15, 2016 ยท Modified: Aug 13, 2018 by Nicoletta ยท 14 Comments

    Parmigiana di Zucchine (Zucchini Parmigiana)

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    • 46
    • 114

    You all know the more famous Eggplant Parmigiana. Thisย version uses zucchini, layered with mozzarella, ricotta and parmigiano in a tomato sauce, for an equally delighful, light and complete vegetarian meal.

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    You might be wondering why I am cooking more and baking less. I mean, I am producing more savory recipes than sweet...what's happening? Well, a girl's gotta eat ๐Ÿ™‚ .

     

     

    I've always loved baking more than cooking, and I think it's awesome that Loreto and I are complimentary in this way: in our foodblog he is the savory chef and I'm the baker, most of the times. In our kitchen we run aย smooth routine: when preparing our lunch or dinnerย I usually prep everything for him, like a sous-chef, and saves him a discreet amount of time and fuss. Plus we so enjoy sharing the smallย kitchen, working in tandem and having fun in the making. And the clean up is shared, too. Which is formidable. I bake mostly in the morning, when Loreto is at work, so I get to do everything myself, butย when ย I bake on the weekends I so much appreciate his prepping all the ingredients for me and I count on his knowledge and creativity. This is our normal life when I'm in Canada. The months that I'm in Italy andย away from him,ย though, are hardย on so many levels, one being that I have to cook, and bake (and clean-up) all by myself. I spendย the weekendsย at my parents's, which you think would relieve some of my stress, butย lately they're asking me to cook and bakeย for them, too. Which, seen ย on the brighter side, means that they really enjoy my food.

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    My mother is allergic to eggplant, so Parmigiana di Zucchine is a dish that we've done many times during the years to replace the more common Eggplant Parmigiana that she cannot eat, and it has always been a success. I love it and I started thinking about making one for myself,ย one dayย at work, trying toย figure out what to make for my lonely weeknightย supperย and that would also be good the day after, to bring to work.ย I had all the necessaryย ingredients: organic zucchini, cow ricotta, mozzarella and parmigiano that I bought at Eataly (which when I'm in Rome, is the main provider to my fridge and pantry); while the jarred tomatoes are the onesย my parents make in the summer and they are our supply during the winter. Preparing the Parmigiana di Zucchineย is not extremely time consuming, the longest part is to fry (or grill for a healthier version)ย the zucchini slices.ย The tomato sauce is my basic, super tasty "sugo" (tomato purรฉe, garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper) and it needs to cook only 10-15 minutes, butย you can also make itย the day before and store it in the fridge, I sometimes do that. Assembling the Parmigiana is pretty easy: you start by spreadingย some tomato sauce at the bottom of a rectangular baking dish, add a layer of zucchini slices, crumble some ricotta and mozzarella on top, grate some parmigiano and cover with another ladle of tomato sauce. Repeatย until you've finished all the ingredients. The last layer is tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmigiano, just to give that nice bubbly cheesy crust when it's baked. I usually lay the zucchini slices one way and then the other way in the next layer, in a lattice design that helps keep everything in place (we do the same for the lasagna).

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    It smells so good while it's in the oven. I would check it once in a while, since the baking time may vary from oven to oven and according to how many layers you've done. It could take less or longer. I usually know it's ready when the top is bubbling nicely and it's turning a beautiful golden color. I suggest not to cover it with foil paper. The zucchini (combined with the ricotta and mozzarella) release already a good quantity of liquid, you do not want to end up with a soupy "mess".ย  Draining the mozzarella and making a thicker sauce helps a bit, but anyway, there might be some liquid at the bottom of the dish. Letting it rest before cutting it and digging into, this is a good strategy. It gets firmer with the passing of time. The day after it's excellent! Warmed it up in the oven, the next day,ย turnedย my sad lunch at work into a mouthwatering experience (also for my coworkers that gatheredย by the toaster oven, summoned by the delicious whiff).

    The zucchini, nice soft and a bit smoky from the charred bits;ย the ricotta and mozzarella, so rich and creamy, melding theย flavors of the zucchini and the tomato sauce;ย sweet hintsย from theย garlic and fresh basil, and the topping a crispy gooey golden brown melted mozzarella and parmigiano, making this dish heavenly and leaving you wanting seconds.ย Whenever we have Parmigiana,ย Loreto is usually scraping the sides of the dish trying to get every last bit :-).

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Hope you enjoy this Parmigiana di Zucchine (Zucchini Parmigiana) as much as I did.ย It is a fresh, light and tasty main course, ideal for aย vegetarian or for your meatless meals.

    Song of the day: "When We Were Young" by the wonderful Adele.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Parmigiana di Zucchine (Zucchini Parmigiana)


    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Zucchini Parmigiana is a very tasty and well balanced main dish, thanks to the properties of the vegetables and the proteins of the cheese.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 500 g zucchini, washed and sliced lengthwise
    • 150 g tomato purรฉed
    • 1 small clove garlic
    • 2 basil leaves
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 100 g mozzarella, drained and cut in cubes
    • 50 g ricotta
    • 50 g parmigiano reggiano, grated
    • extra virgin olive oil, for frying and for the tomato sauce

    Instructions

    1. Wash and thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise.
    2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry the sliced zucchini in batches until golden and tender. Drain on paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.
    3. Let the mozzarella drain in a colander for a few minutes, then cut into cubes.
    4. In the meantime, heat 1 Tbsp olive olive in a pan and sautรฉe the garlic. Add the tomato purรฉe, basil and adjust with salt and pepper. Cook the tomato sauce for about 10-15 minutes.
    5. Spread 1 ladle of tomato sauce at the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Add a layer of zucchini slices, mozzarella, grated parmigiano and ricotta flakes. Repeat layers: tomato sauce, zucchini slices, mozzarella, parmigiano and ricotta.
    6. Finish with a layer of tomato, mozzarella and parmigiano.
    7. Bake in a 190ยฐC oven for 20-25 minutes or until you see the melted mozzarella and the top is golden and crisp.
    8. Take out of oven and let rest for a few minutes just to let it set, before serving.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 servings

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @sugarlovespices on Instagram and hashtag it #sugarlovespices

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

    Ricetta in Italiano:

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Zucchini Parmigiana

    Parmigiana di Zucchine


    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: una pirofila rettangolare di 15 cm
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 500 g di zucchine (circa 3-4 medie)
    • 150 g di polpa di pomodoro
    • 1 spicchio d'aglio, piccolo
    • 2 foglie di basilico
    • Sale e pepe q.b.
    • 100 g di mozzarella
    • 50 g di parmigiano reggiano grattugiato
    • 50 g ricotta di mucca, opzionale
    • Olio extravergine d'oliva q.b.

    Instructions

    1. Lavate le zucchine sotto lโ€™acqua corrente, eliminate le estremitร  e tagliatele per lungo, in modo da creare tante sfoglie.
    2. Fatele friggere in una padella con un po' di olio evo. Quando diventano dorate, mettetele in un piatto rivestito con carta assorbente per liberarle dell'olio in eccesso e salatele.
    3. Nel frattempo mettete sul fuoco moderato un pentolino con un po' di olio evo, fate soffriggere l'aglio, aggiungete la polpa di pomodoro, aggiustate di sale e pepe, unite il basilico e lasciatela cuocere a fiamma bassa per una decina di minuti.
    4. Fate sgocciolare la mozzarella dal liquido di conservazione e tagliatela a cubetti.
    5. Mettete uno strato di sugo di pomodoro sul fondo di una pirofila, fate uno strato di zucchine e completate con la mozzarella, una spolverata di parmigiano e qualche ciuffetto di ricotta.
    6. Proseguite in questโ€™ordine, alternando il verso delle zucchine, sino al completamento degli ingredienti. Finite con un ultimo strato di pomodoro, mozzarella e parmigiano.
    7. Infornate a 190ยฐC per circa 20-25 minuti, o fino a quando la mozzarella sarร  sciolta e si sarร  formata lโ€™invitante crosticina sulla superficie.
    8. Estraete la parmigiana dal forno, lasciatela riposare qualche minuto per far ritirare un po' di liquido che le zucchine inevitabilmente formeranno e poi servitela in tavola.

    Notes

    La parmigiana di zucchine รจ un piatto unico molto gustoso ed equilibrato grazie alle proprietร  delle verdure e le proteine del formaggio. Ottima alternativa vegetariana.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 porzioni

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @sugarlovespices on Instagram and hashtag it #sugarlovespices

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

     

    • 46
    • 114

    Nicoletta

    I love baking and kneading dough because it takes me to a happy place in my soul. Dig deeper โ†’

    Previous Post: « Spelt Flour Banana Bread With Walnuts And Honey
    Next Post: Quesadilla con Huevos »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. karrie @ Tasty Ever After says

      March 16, 2016 at 5:25 pm

      My favorite is eggplant parmigiana and I consider it major comfort food. When I make it, I have to eat the whole pan by myself because my Hubby isn't a fan of eggplant. Love that I now have an alternative that will be just as good, if not better than the eggplant version...plus the Hubby will eat it! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 17, 2016 at 12:54 am

        Karrie, I love eggplant parmigiana! This is a great alternative, though, equally tasty and delicious, with a flavor less pungent and strong, but sweeter and more delicate. And you can enjoy it with your hubby ๐Ÿ™‚ . Thanks again for stopping by.

        Reply
    2. Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says

      March 16, 2016 at 7:58 pm

      I love this! Definitely need to make in the summer when I have a surplus of zucchini growing. This looks so comforting!

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 17, 2016 at 12:59 am

        This is actually a classic summer italian dish, when the zucchini are at their best and release a lot of flavors. If you grow your own zucchini (awesome!), I would give it a try. It is also good at room temperature (my humble opinion). Thanks so much for leaving your comment!

        Reply
    3. Natanja says

      March 18, 2016 at 7:11 am

      This looks so delicious! I'd be scraping the sides of the dish as well. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Can't wait till zucchinis come back in season!!!

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 18, 2016 at 7:20 am

        Thank you so much for your nice words! Yes, when the zucchini are in season it is a delicious dish to make ๐Ÿ™‚ .

        Reply
    4. Vicky Chin says

      March 18, 2016 at 11:09 am

      Looks super yummy! My son doesn't like zucchini very much, but I think he will with this recipe! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 18, 2016 at 1:46 pm

        Thanks Vicky! You can try, maybe your son will like it. It cheesy and they usually like that ๐Ÿ™‚ .

        Reply
    5. Redawna says

      March 18, 2016 at 11:25 am

      Oh my!

      Your pictures look amazing! I absolutely love this idea as eggplant is virtually impossible to get in my small town but zucchini is always available.

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 18, 2016 at 1:49 pm

        You're so sweet, thank you! It is as tasty and delicious as the eggplant parmigiana, hope you give it a try.

        Reply
    6. Mel @ The Refreshanista says

      March 18, 2016 at 6:17 pm

      This looks delicious! I'm not the biggest fan of eggplant so I love that you used zucchini. I'll definitely be trying this ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 19, 2016 at 12:10 am

        Thank you Mel! Definitely a great alternative to the eggplant parmigiana. Let me how you like it if you try it or if I can be of any help.

        Reply
    7. Leslie Rossi | alifewellconsumed says

      March 21, 2016 at 12:53 pm

      my nonna makes this dish and i love it!

      Reply
      • Nicoletta says

        March 22, 2016 at 1:20 am

        Oh, thank you, Leslie! Nonnas are the best, aren't they? I miss mine so much!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! We are Loreto and Nicoletta, the foodie duo behind Sugar Love Spices. We love creating in the kitchen using seasonal good quality ingredients that we believe are key to the success of every meal. Come with us as we share traditional Italian recipes and so much more. Having fun in the kitchen is very important to us, and want to share that light heartedness with you. Nicoletta will help you with the sweet things, and I Loreto like to spice things up. Dig deeper โ†’

    Cooking Classes

    We now offer Virtual Cooking Classes on Yaymaker!

    Our in-home Cooking Classes

    Load up on new recipes, exclusive goodies + more

    get exclusive content straight to your inbox.

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    Links

    • Home
    • Cooking Classes
    • Recipes
    • Travel

    Stay Connected

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    About

    • Contact
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    COPYRIGHT ยฉ 2021 SUGARLOVESPICES