A traditional Chilean recipe: Zucchini Casserole, which I always liked a LOT. Here in Houston, we are in full zucchini season, and I need all the help I can get to cook them in new creative ways. What’s your favorite way to prepare zucchini?
Always taste the raw zucchini and discard if they are bitter; there is nothing worse than cooking a dish and, just before serving it, discovering that you had a bad one and all is ruined. The zucchinis turn bitter when the plant is under stress, usually for a lack of regular watering.
You may also like the recipe: Cheesy Zucchini Boats.
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Pastel de Zapallitos Chilean Zucchini Casserole
An easy and delicious way to eat zucchini.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
- 3 zucchinis
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, optional
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 slices of bread soaked in milk
- 3 eggs, separated yolks and whites
- 4 slices of cheese
Instructions
- You can use a skillet or pot that can go in the oven and save some washing.
- In a skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat and fry the onion until it is translucent about 5 minutes, add garlic finely chopped or passed through the press, cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the chopped zucchini thinly sliced. Cook until zucchini is tender and just cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, season and taste. Turn off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.
- Drain any milk left on the soaked bread, add the egg yolks and combine. It should resemble a paste.
- Beat the egg whites to soft peaks.
- Add the egg yolks and bread mixture to the zucchini, and mix well.
- Add the egg whites, fold carefully.
- Cover with slices of cheese and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and cheese is melted.
- Serve hot.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Oven-baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 178
- Sugar: 6.1 g
- Sodium: 200.2 mg
- Fat: 9.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.4 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 8.9 g
Keywords: zucchini cheese casserole
Pls send me more recipe thank you
Hi. My mom is from Chile and makes this every summer. Her version sometimes includes ground beef and sliced hard boiled eggs on top before going in the oven. Delicious.
Yes, I’m planning on doing the version with ground beef soon, is still very popular in Chile. Thanks for commenting.
Can you replace the bread with something else? Thanks
Maybe with rice, but I haven’t done it. It’s traditionally with bread.