Baked Zucchini and Tomatoes With Cheese

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 12/20/21
zucchini and tomatoes baked with cheese

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

Add this recipe for tasty cheese-topped zucchini and tomatoes to your dinner repertoire. It is an excellent side dish, especially if you have a garden with an abundance of summer vegetables. The tomatoes and zucchini are combined with herbs and baked to perfection with lots of melty cheese. If you have fresh basil, use that—about 2 to 3 teaspoons, chopped—instead of dried basil. 

Serve the baked vegetables with grilled or sautéed meat, fish, or poultry. 

Ingredients

  • 4 small zucchini, ends removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

  • 2 large tomatoes, cored, sliced into slices, and quartered

  • 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 8 ounces fontina cheese, shredded

  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

  3. In a large bowl, combine zucchini and tomatoes; sprinkle with finely chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, basil, and pepper. Toss vegetables to blend thoroughly; drizzle with olive oil and toss again to coat vegetables.

  4. Transfer vegetables into prepared baking dish.

  5. Bake for 25 minutes.

  6. Top with fontina cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese; continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Tips

  • Fontina cheese is a semisoft cheese made with cow's milk. Fontina cheese originated in Italy in 1477, and there are now three styles: Danish-style, Italian-style, and Swedish-style. The Danish and Swedish styles are tangier than the milder Italian-style, and all are earthy and nutty in flavor. The cheese melts beautifully and is excellent eating cheese.
  • Zucchini can be frozen if you have a surplus. Just wash the squash, slice it or cube it, and blanch it in boiling water. Cubed or thinly sliced should be blanched for about 3 minutes. Blanche thick slices for about 6 minutes. Cool the squash quickly in ice water and seal in freezer containers or bags. Freeze for up to three months; longer if you use a vacuum sealing system. See How to Freeze Summer Squash and Zucchini for more.

Recipe Variations

  • Grape tomatoes—or cherry tomatoes—are another good option for the dish. Add about 1 to 2 cups of halved grape tomatoes to replace the cut-up tomatoes.
  • The recipe calls for fontina cheese, but Gruyère, Gouda, and provolone are some good substitutes. Any good melting cheese that you like is fine in this recipe.
  • Add some yellow summer squash to the dish if that's what you have, or use a combination of zucchini and yellow squash for the extra color.
  • For more color and flavor, add bell pepper, cut into strips. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
257 Calories
21g Fat
8g Carbs
12g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 257
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 415mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 20mg 102%
Calcium 339mg 26%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 430mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)