High-Protein Cheesy Zucchini Bake
Low carb • Sugar-free layered zucchini, cottage cheese, and gold mozzarella — 55 minutes, six squares
This is a high-protein cheesy zucchini bake, not a pasta lasagna. Salted zucchini, cottage cheese, eggs, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes bake in a white dish until the top is gold, like the pan and the plated square in the photo. Fifty-five minutes. No noodles, no sugar sauce.
Six squares. Drain the zucchini. Rest the bake so the slice holds.
Bake: 35
Squares: 6
Why you’ll love this bake
- 18g protein per square — cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella
- 6g net carbs — zucchini, not pasta sheets
- About 55 minutes, one dish
- Gold cheese, zucchini rounds, cherry tomatoes, like the photo
- No boxed mix, no sugar
- It reheats without a soggy noodle base
Health notes
- Protein: Cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella. That is what lands 18g.
- Lower carb than lasagna: Zucchini instead of noodles. Not keto-zero. 6g net is the zucchini and tomato.
- Six squares: Macros are per square, not the dish.
- Pasta sheets or sweet tomato sauce will jump the carbs. Stay with zucchini and no-sugar seasoning.
Key element — salt the zucchini, layer thin, rest the slice
Wet zucchini floods the dish. Slice, salt, and blot the rounds before you layer. Mix cottage cheese with eggs so the filling sets, then stack with mozzarella and tomatoes. Bake until the top is gold, like the photo. Rest 10 minutes so the square cuts clean instead of sliding.
New High Protein Recipes
High-Protein Cheesy Zucchini Bake
- Prep20 min
- Total20 min
- Calories260 kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
- Drain. Slice the zucchini. Salt both sides and rest 15 minutes. Blot dry with a towel.
- Heat. Heat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a 9×13 or similar white baking dish.
- Filling. Stir cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Layer. Zucchini, filling, mozzarella. Repeat. Finish with zucchini, tomatoes, and the last mozzarella.
- Bake. Bake 32 to 38 minutes until the top is gold and bubbling, like the photo. Rest 10 minutes. Basil on top. One sixth is one serving.
Notes & Tips
- Salt and blot the zucchini. Skip this and the bake turns watery.
- Do not flood with extra tomato. Halved cherries on top are enough.
- Cottage cheese plus eggs is the protein set. Do not skip the eggs.
- Rest 10 minutes so the square holds, like the plate in the photo.
- No pasta sheets. That is how 6g net stays 6g net.
Variations & serving ideas
- Ricotta: Use the same cup if you skip cottage cheese. Protein drops a little.
- Chicken: Layer 1 cup cooked shredded chicken for extra protein.
- Pasta or sweet sauce: Skip them. That is how carbs jump.
- Spinach: Squeeze 1 cup thawed spinach dry and fold it into the cottage mix.
- Sausage: Scatter 1/2 lb cooked Italian sausage between the layers.
- Spicy: Add 1/4 tsp chili flakes to the filling.
- Yellow squash: Swap half the zucchini for yellow squash rounds.
Storage
- Eat now: Best (After a 10-minute rest so the square holds)
- Refrigerator: Up to 3 days (Cover. Reheat 12 minutes at 350 F)
- Freezer: Up to 1 month (Wrap squares. Thaw, then warm in the oven)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving
| Nutrient | Amount per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 260 kcal |
| Total fat | 16 g |
| Sodium | 520 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 8 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
Nutrition values are approximate and vary with brands and portion sizes.
Frequently asked questions
Is this bake keto-friendly?
It is lower carb than lasagna, about 6g net from zucchini and tomato. Close to keto if you keep the tomatoes light.
Why is it watery?
The zucchini was not salted and blotted. Drain the rounds 15 minutes, then press them dry.
Can I use pasta sheets?
They add carbs. Stay with zucchini so each square stays at about 6g net.
Do I have to use cottage cheese?
Cottage cheese is how you hit 18g protein. Ricotta works. Plain shredded cheese alone will not set the same way.
Why did the slice fall apart?
It was cut too soon. Rest 10 minutes so the eggs and cheese set.
How do I reheat leftovers?
Oven 12 minutes at 350 F. The microwave works, but the top softens.
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