***This* post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy *for more info.***

Baked zucchini parmesan is one of my favorite summer dishes. Lightly breaded round slices of zucchini are oven “fried” and layered in a casserole dish with marina and topped with mozzarella. The casserole is baked until hot and bubbly and the mozzarella is melted.

Every year I plant four zucchini plants and get giddy when my garden runneth over with them. I grow some war club size zucchini intentionally, primarily to use in this parmesan recipe. I like working with big round slices of the squash as it takes less effort to prepare them for the casserole. If you don’t have access to war club sized zucchini, you can use smaller ones and slice them lengthwise.

To further lighten this dish, I use homemade breadcrumbs make from low carb bread and fat free mozzarella. Store bought breadcrumbs and 2% fat or part-skim mozzarella can be substituted in this recipe, just make sure to adjust the points if you are doing Weight Watchers.

We eat this dish a lot during the summer when are plants are producing and we are genuinely sad when our plants poop out. This recipe does require some prep time but it is so worth it when you taste the final results.

Please see the recipe card below for exact amounts and directions.

Ingredient Round Up

Huge zucchini to cut into round slices or smaller ones that can be sliced lengthwise
Bread crumbs – I used homemade ones as they cut the pts in half for the breadcrumbs. Store bought ones will work, just adjust the points.
Romano cheese
No sugar added marinara sauce – I used Prego.
Shredded fat free mozzarella

Making the Zucchini Parmesan

Wash and dry your zucchini. Slice them into rounds using a chef knife or mandoline if you have one.

Set up a dredging station. Place egg whites into a pie plate and beat with a fork. Place bread crumbs on a plate. Apologies, I forgot to take a photo with the breadcrumbs on the plate.

Spray a cookie sheet with Pam. Dip the slices of zucchini into the egg white wash and them into the bread crumbs. You are looking for a very light coating of bread crumbs on both sides of the zucchini slice.
Place the breaded zucchini slices onto the cookie sheet. Repeat until the cookie sheet is filled with breaded zucchini slices.

Place the zucchini slices into a preheated oven and bake for 10 min. Remove them from the oven and turn each one over and then return to the oven for another 10 min.

While the first pan of zucchini slices is baking, prepare the second pan of breaded slices. I find it takes 3 – 4 baking sheets of zucchini slices to fill a 9″ x 13″ baking pan or less if you are using a smaller baking dish.
Remove the first sheet of slices when they are done and pop the second baking sheet of slices into the oven.
Using the first baking sheet of done slices, start to build your casserole. Spread some marinara or other tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.

Layer the baked zucchini slices on the bottom of the baking dish until it is completely covered.

Place a small amount of marinara on each slice and spread it around on each slice.

Build a second layer of baked zucchini slices on top of the bottom layer. Spread some marinara on each zucchini slice and then repeat with a third layer.

Sprinkle romano cheese and then fat free mozzarella evenly over the top of the last layer of the baked zucchini slices.

Pop into the oven and bake until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven when done. Let sit for 5 min so the cheese sets and then cut and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

Serving Ideas

A piece of zucchini parmesan makes a nice meatless lunch or dinner. You can serve it with some fruit a side salad or a roll.
For dinner you can serve zucchini parmesan with Italian chicken sausage or meatballs. Add a side salad and/or piece of garlic bread and you have a complete meal.
Stuff shells also pairs well with zucchini parmesan and adds protein to the meal.

WW 2 pt for 1/8 of casserole with homemade bread crumbs; 4 pt with store bought bread crumbs