Macheesmo

I predict that there will be a time in the next few months where you or somebody you know has more zucchini or squash then they know what to do with.

For example, I have two friends who have a pretty serious garden going this year and I think they planted three zucchini plants… for two people. I’m pretty sure that half of one plant probably produces more zucchini than two people can eat.

In an effort to give you all some ideas for what to do with that excess zucchini and squash that will soon be around, I present to you this beautiful and simple Shredded Veggie Casserole.

The key to packing in as many veggies as possible is to shred them before you add them to the casserole.

Read on zucchini lovers…

Shredded Veggie Casserole

by Nick

Serves:

Serves 6

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

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Eggs and a few cheeses folded in with shredded summer vegetables and cubed bread. A great breakfast casserole!

Ingredients

8 large eggs

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 cup ricotta cheese

3 cups zucchini and/or squash, grated

3 cups cubed bread, stale is best

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved (about 8)

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper

Olive oil for pan

Instructions

1) Grate zucchini and/or squash until you have three cups of grated vegetables.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together eggs with milk and add in grated cheese.

3) Stir in shredded veggies and bread.

4) Add fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper.

5) Add mixture to a oiled 9×13 casserole dish. Top with halved grape tomatoes, cut side up.

6) Bake casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then turn up heat to 425 and bake for another 10 minutes until the casserole is set in the middle and lightly browned around the edges.

7) Serve immediately with hot sauce!

Shredded Veggie Casserole

The Veg Prep

I used a mix of zucchini and squash for this version basically just to show that you could use either. If you have a lot of one or the other, you can use that. No need to go to the store to get the green/yellow combo.

The key step is to run the veggies through your box grater which makes it easier to distribute them into the casserole.

Besides the shredded veggies, there isn’t much too this dish. It’s basically just a lot of stirring stuff together in a bowl.

Start by whisking the eggs with the milk and then stir in the cheese. I used ricotta cheese, but honestly you could use cottage cheese also. It just gives the final casserole some moisture.

Then stir in all those wonderful shredded veggies.

Doesn’t get much easier than this, people.

The Bread Situation

I debated whether or not to add bread to this. I think, without the bread, it wouldn’t have enough body to it. The bread makes the dish feel more substantial and also gets kind of toasted on top which gives the casserole a good crunch.

You can use any stale bread you have, but I think it’s an important ingredient. Just cube it into tiny pieces and stir it into the mix.

Herbs and Spices

The egg mixture is pretty tasty as is, but we can add a bit more flavor to it with some fresh herbs and spices. I tossed in a good handful of fresh basil, some red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, of course.

Baking the Shredded Veggie Casserole

Rub your casserole dish with olive oil and then pour in your egg mixture. Spread it evenly over the dish and then dot the top of the dish with halved grape tomatoes. Spread out the tomatoes evenly and make sure the cut side of the tomato is UP so the moisture can evaporate from the tomatoes as the dish cooks.

Bake this sucker at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn the temperature up to 425 degrees and bake it for another 10 minutes or so until the eggs are set and the edges are lightly browned.

Serve it up immediately!

In my opinion, this Shredded Veggie Casserole didn’t keep very well. It was delicious on day one, but wasn’t as good reheated on day two.

If you are having people over though, it would be a perfect brunch dish to serve.

Bookmark this bad boy or send it to someone who is expecting a zucchini payload this year!

You might like these other Vegetarian recipes!

Crispy Homemade Veggie Nuggets

Butternut Squash Ziti

Thai Spaghetti Squash with Peanut Sauce