High-Protein Cheesy Zucchini Bake
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.
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.
Ingredients
Bake (6 squares)
- 3 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus extra for the zucchini
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp chopped basil or parsley
Swaps
- 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.
Instructions
| 1 | Drain. Slice the zucchini. Salt both sides and rest 15 minutes. Blot dry with a towel. |
| 2 | Heat. Heat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a 9×13 or similar white baking dish. |
| 3 | Filling. Stir cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. |
| 4 | Layer. Zucchini, filling, mozzarella. Repeat. Finish with zucchini, tomatoes, and the last mozzarella. |
| 5 | 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. |
Pro 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.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per square (1 of 6) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 260 |
| Protein | 18g |
| Net carbohydrates | 6g |
| Total carbohydrates | 8g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Total fat | 16g |
| Sodium | 520mg |
Estimates with zucchini, cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella. Pasta sheets or sweet sauce will raise carbs. This is a lower-carb bake, not zero-carb.
Variations
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
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
FAQ
Test your knowledge
5 quick questions about this bake
1. Protein per square?
2. Net carbs per square?
3. How many squares in a bake?
4. Why salt and blot the zucchini first?
5. Why skip pasta and sweet sauce?
