Zucchini Parmigiana

If you are experiencing a bumper crop of zucchini from your garden, here is the recipe for you. This Sicilian style zucchini parmigiana is lightly layered with tomato sauce, mozzarella, grated Parmigiano cheese and hard boiled eggs for the perfect vegetarian summer meal with no frying required!

My mom's eggplant parmigiana has always been a favorite of mine. Unlike most parmigiana dishes, hers was always much lighter. Never overly sauced or too cheesy and most importantly, she oven roasted her eggplant instead of frying it.

This Sicilian zucchini parmigiana recipe is prepared in the same way as a classic eggplant parmigiana, with a few exceptions. Zucchini parmigiana, or zucchini parmesan, has been on repeat mode here at our house this summer and therefore I had to share this recipe with you!

Here's why you need to try this zucchini parmigiana recipe!

• It contains an extra ingredient you don't typically see in a parmigiana recipe: hard boiled eggs. Yes indeed, we Sicilians like to add hard boiled eggs to several dishes including pasta al forno; or this Sicilian anelletti casserole with eggplant.
• Hard boiled eggs add extra flavor as well as protein. So don't knock it until you've tried it! If you are skeptical start by adding only one or two eggs to your recipe.
• The zucchini in this recipe is oven roasted until tender (but not mushy) instead of fried. This further lightens up the recipe without sacrificing any flavor.
• My zucchini parmigiana is lightly sauced and not overly cheesy and this is how it is prepared in Italy. The flavor of the zucchini shine through as they are not drowning in sauce or a thick layer of melted cheese.
• Make this dish ahead. In fact it is even better reheated the following day! Or try freezing it and bake just before serving.

Zucchini Parmigiana Ingredient List

• Zucchini: choose smaller zucchini which are tender and not seedy in the center.
• Tomato sauce: if you have leftover sauce that you used for a pasta dish or pizza, go ahead and use that. Otherwise sauté a garlic clove in olive oil, pour in about 2 cups of tomato passata, salt (to taste) and basil leaves. Let simmer while you prepare your zucchini.
• Grated cheese: use Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, or a combination of both.

Substitutions and Variations

• Try this recipe with eggplant instead of zucchini.
• For a creamier parmigiana, replace the mozzarella with ricotta applied in dollops on each layer of zucchini.

The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.

How to make Zucchini Parmigiana

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Use a mandolin, if you have, or a sharp knife to cut zucchini into ¼ inch slices. Grease two baking sheets with 1 tbsp. olive oil, arrange zucchini slices without overlapping, drizzle with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and salt lightly. You will have to bake all the zucchini in two batches.

2. Bake for 12-15 minutes until soft but not mushy, otherwise they will fall apart. Transfer to a plate. Prepare all ingredients to assemble your parmigiana: grated Parmigiano cheese; shredded or cubed mozzarella; tomato sauce and hard boiled eggs.

3. Ladle some sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Arrange zucchini slices slightly overlapping to cover the bottom of the dish.

4. Cover with another light layer of tomato sauce. Note that the zucchini is not drowning in sauce, just barely covered.

5. Top with ⅓ of the egg slices; sprinkle with 2 tbsp. of grated cheese; top with ¼ of the mozzarella and a couple of torn basil leaves. Top with more sliced zucchini and tomato sauce. Then continue with two more layers of ingredients finishing with a layer of zucchini; sauce; grated cheese and mozzarella.

6. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Recipe FAQs

If you tried this Zucchini Parmigiana Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how much you enjoyed it in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

More Italian zucchini recipes!