This Zucchini Au Gratin with Rice is a lovely side dish recipe to change things up for the holidays or just any night of the week. Shredded zucchini and rice in a delightful creamy cheese sauce is a gorgeous dish that everyone will love. Plus, it goes with any protein you serve it with.
Love zucchini? Try our other dishes, Zucchini Roll Ups, Delicious Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini, Best Fried Zucchini Recipe, or Garden Fresh Zucchini Salsa.
Do you have a garden full of zucchini and just harvesting it now? Or are you looking for an amazing side dish for the holidays with friends and family coming over. Either way, this easy recipe will come in handy. It is hearty, cheesy, and full of great zucchini. A recipe that you will want to make again and again.
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Ingredients for Zucchini Au Gratin with Rice
In this easy zucchini dish, instead of using zucchini sliced or zucchini noodles, the recipe calls for zucchini shredded. I think this is best with the rice as then it mixes in perfectly. Feel free to substitute yellow squash if that is what you have. Either summer squash work well.
Heavy cream isn’t necessary for this recipe. Half and half works just great as the shredded cheese makes is creamy too.
If you substituted another thickener in this zucchini gratin instead of all-purpose flour, this recipe can be gluten-free also.
Ingredients
Zucchini, shredded
Salt
White rice
Butter
Olive oil
White onion, medium diced
Cloves garlic, minced
All-Purpose flour
White wine
Reserved zucchini water
Half and half cream
Grated Parmesan, divided
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Olive oil for drizzling
Cheesecloth
How to Make Zucchini Au Gratin with Rice
Let’s start to make this gorgeous casserole now.
Using cheesecloth and working in batches, wring out as much liquid from the zucchini as you can. Reserve 1 cup of the zucchini water and set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 11 baking dish or equivalent and set aside.
Cook the rice as per the package directions but only allow simmering for 5 minutes, then remove it from the heat and drain any remaining water. The rice should be quite al dente. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and sauté, stirring often until they are soft, translucent, and are just beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 – 2 minutes more.
Stir in the flour and continue to cook for another 1 – 2 minutes.
Add the white wine and stir constantly so as to prevent the flour from clumping, then add the reserved zucchini liquid and half and half cream.
Continue to stir the mixture over medium-low heat until it simmers and begins to thicken.
Stir in the shredded zucchini, rice, Kosher salt, and pepper.
Once the mixture is well-combined, add in 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes. The casserole should be bubbling and starting to turn to a golden brown.
Remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This will let any excess liquids in the dish be absorbed.
Can you Make Zucchini Rice Casserole a Complete Meal?
Can you make zucchini rice casserole into a complete meal? Sure you can by adding in already cooked chicken, turkey, or ham. This is a great way to use up leftovers also.
So not only is this a great side dish to serve for the holidays, but it is also a fabulous dish to serve after the holidays with using up all those leftovers into another delicious meal. Just dice up your leftover protein into small pieces and add it at the end before putting it in the casserole. Viola, a whole new meal.
More Great Vegetable Side Dishes
Tired of the ho-hum dishes you serve all the time. Try some of these great sides to liven up any meal, from a festive table to a weeknight meal.
Simple vegetables can easily be brought to the next level with some delicious additions. All of these recipes are hearty, scrumptious sides that will go with so many proteins, the list is endless for different dinner ideas.
Delicious Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini
Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Tomatoes
Creamy Mushroom Orzo with Spinach
Roasted Cabbage with Blue Cheese Sauce
Haluski – Fried Cabbage and Noodles
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Zucchini Au Gratin with Rice
Ingredients
- 2 lbs zucchini shredded
- 3 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white rice
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup white onion medium diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp AP flour
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 cup reserved zucchini water
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan divided
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Cheesecloth
Instructions
- To prepare the zucchini, shred the zucchini using the course side of a box grater.
- Place in a large non-reactive bowl and sprinkle with 3 tsp of salt. Stir to mix in the salt and allow to sit of 30 minutes.
- Using cheesecloth and working in batches wring out as much liquid from the zucchini as you can. Reserve 1 cup of the zucchini water and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8 x 11 baking dish or equivalent and set aside.
- Cook the rice as per the package directions but only allow simmering for 5 minutes then remove it from the heat and drain any remaining water. The rice should be quite al dente. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan heat the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and sauté, stirring often until they are soft, translucent, and are just beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 – 2 minutes more.
- Stir in the flour and continue to cook for another 1 – 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir constantly so as to prevent the flour from clumping, then add the reserved zucchini liquid, and half and half.
- Continue to stir the mixture over medium-low heat until it simmers and begins to thicken.
- Stir in the shredded zucchini, rice, Kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.
- Once the mixture is well-combined add in 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes. The casserole should be bubbling and starting to brown on top.
- Remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving, this will let any excess liquids in the dish be absorbed.
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