I’ve always liked zucchini, although I think it has such a mild flavor that it often needs a lot of spices and herbs to give it more flavor.
The Italian sausage used in this recipe, does just that. It gives this casserole a lot of flavor, without being overpowering. You can go with reduced fat cheese if you want to make this leaner, or add more veggies to make sure you have enough greens in your diet! Here’s an extra tip for you; make two of these and freeze the other one – you’ll have a quick dinner waiting for you when you’re too busy to cook!
Ingredients
¾ pound sweet Italian sausage
2 medium zucchinis, sliced
1 jar of pasta sauce (homemade or store-bought)
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9×9 inch glass pan with cooking spray
Brown sausage in a skillet, and add pasta sauce. Set aside half for another dinner another night. Use the remaining sauce with sausage and rice for the recipe below.
Add a small dollop of tomato sauce to the bottom of the prepared pan, just to prevent sticking. Layer zucchini, covering the bottom of the pan. Top with cooked rice, then sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Sprinkle a handful of mozzarella cheese on top, then add enough red sauce to cover the whole thing. Repeat these layers until you run out of ingredients. Sprinkle the top layer with the Parmesan cheese, a bit of salt and pepper plus oregano. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
USE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW.
Quick tip: Use any sausage for this casserole!
