Italian Squash

Baked zucchini and squash is the perfect way to enjoy all the flavors of the season whether you are picking from your own backyard garden or perusing the local farmer's market.

We are roasting our zucchini and squash right in the oven alongside onions and fresh parmesan cheese and topping the entire dish with a dash of balsamic vinegar to create a dish that is simple yet bursting with flavor.

 

You'll love this Italian Style Zucchini and Squash!

With our garden bursting at its seams with fresh produce, our family is always looking for new ways to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Roasted vegetables are always a favorite in our home and a great way to utilize the harvest.  The two vegetables we always grow at home since they're so bountiful, easy, and inexpensive are zucchini and tomatoes. This is the first year we added yellow squash too!

This dish is a perfect way to do just that! Loaded with fresh zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and onions, these roasted veggies are ideal for gluten-free eaters, as well as low-carb and keto fans. If you are looking to make this recipe work for dairy-free and vegan diets, simply forgo the parmesan cheese.

• Just three simple steps (slice, season, and roast) are all that separates you from crispy and flavorful oven-roasted vegetables!
• Baked zucchini and squash takes less than 30-minutes to make.
• Roasted squash and zucchini pairs well with just about any main course.
• Easily adaptable to dairy-free and vegan lifestyles (simply omit the parmesan cheese).

Create an entire healthy meal by pairing your baked zucchini and squash with air fryer pork chops and this broccoli cauliflower salad. 

Are you looking for more ways to use up all of that zucchini? Be sure to check out our ground beef zucchini casserole, zucchini curry, vegan ratatouille! These three dishes let the zucchini shine and are all packed with flavor.

Ingredients you'll need

There are a lot of ingredients on this list, but don't let that scare you off! This dish is super easy to pull together and tastes amazing! After a few minutes of prep work, you can let the oven do the hard part. 😉

• medium-sized zucchini
• medium-sized yellow squash
• red onion - we added red for color but yellow or sweet is a great substitute
• cherry or grape tomatoes - any small tomatoes can work
• olive oil
• sea salt
• dried garlic
• ground black pepper
• Italian seasoning
• parmesan cheese- shredding your own adds great flavor and melts better, pre-shredded will work too
• balsamic vinegar- optional

Variations

• While we gave our roasted zucchini and squash recipe Italian flavors, there’s so many ways to change up the taste!
• Herbs and Spices: Experiment with different herbs and spices for a flavor twist. Try adding garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning.
• Cheese Variations: Swap out the Parmesan for another type of cheese. Try crumbled feta, shredded cheddar or a sprinkle of blue cheese.
• Add Heat: For a spicy kick, sprinkle some red chili flakes before baking.
• Citrus Zest: Add some lemon or lime zest for a pop of freshness.
• Nutty Topping: Add some crushed almonds or walnuts for an added crunch.
• Balsamic Glaze: Drizzle a little balsamic glaze over the top after roasting for a sweet and tangy twist.
• Pesto: Toss the veggies in pesto before roasting for a burst of herby flavor.

Dietary tips

Vegan - To make baked zucchini and squash vegan simply omit the parmesan cheese. However, if you still want that cheesy flavor, sprinkle on some nutritional yeast after cooking.

Low Carb/Keto - All of the veggies are low carb, but the balsamic vinegar does add a tiny bit of sugar. Feel free to skip the balsamic vinegar or substitute with red wine vinegar.

How to Make Roasted Zucchini and Squash

Your baked zucchini and squash is as easy as 1, 2, 3, and just needs to slice, season, and bake. Let's get cooking! 

1. Prep the Veggies

Preheat your oven to 400F and make sure your rack is in the middle.

Slice the zucchini, onions, and squash into thin, uniform slices. Half the cherry or grape tomatoes.

Place all of the vegetables in a medium-sized bowl and combine them with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

2. Bake

After seasoning, spread your vegetables on a roasting pan in a single layer. If you are concerned they may stick to the pan, apply a light coating of oil, or use parchment paper. 

Roast your vegetables in the oven.

After 20 mins, remove the pan from the oven and flip the vegetables on the pan. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional but super tasty!) and the parmesan cheese. 

Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately and enjoy!   

Recipe Tips

• For even baking, make sure your zucchini and squash pieces are sliced as evenly as possible.
• If making a larger batch you may need to use two baking pans to ensure the vegetables are in a single layer.
• If your pan is overcrowded, or you prefer softer vegetables, you may need to cook longer.
• Be sure you add the parmesan cheese during the last 5-minutes of cooking.
• Add other vegetables including carrots, halved Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, or butternut squash to your pan to create a very seasonal dish.
• Lightly sprinkle your favorite bread crumbs on the vegetables when you add the parmesan cheese for additional crunch (just be mindful of the carb content).
• Sprinkle additional parmesan cheese on top just before serving.

How to serve?

Baked squash and zucchini is a versatile side dish that will pair nicely with a variety of main dishes and other sides such as:

• Pork chops
• A whole chicken or chicken pieces
• Pot roast
• Lamb
• Duck

Storage and leftovers

Store any leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for 4-5 days.

While this dish is best enjoyed fresh, you can definitely freeze leftovers if needed. Just be aware that the texture may change a bit upon thawing due to the high water content of these veggies. They might be a bit softer or even slightly mushy after freezing and thawing, but they'll still be delicious and perfectly safe to eat.

To Freeze: Let the veggies cool down completely, put them in a freezer safe container, and store them for up to 2-3 months. Since they will turn softer after freezing, defrosted zucchini and squash would be a fantastic addition to soup!

Reheating

• Oven (Best Option for Crispiness): Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the roasted squash out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Reheat in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until it's heated through and crispy.
• Stovetop: Heat a bit of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the roasted squash and sauté until it's warmed through, for about 5-10 minutes.
• Microwave (Fastest, but Least Crispy): Place the squash in a microwave-safe dish. Cover the dish and microwave the squash on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Be sure to stir halfway through for even heating.

Reader Questions

More Zucchini Recipes

• Ground beef zucchini casserole
• Thai zucchini curry
• Vegan ratatouille

More Roasted Vegetable Recipes

• Parmesan herbed potatoes
• Oven-roasted radishes
• Creamy roasted bacon Brussel sprouts

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