Zucchini is in-season here on the east coast. I picked our first zucchini of the growing season 2 weeks ago. Since that time…every week I’ve been getting another 2 or 3 from our backyard garden. Every week I try to make a zucchini dish and the rest of them I preserve using my home canner.
Here’s the recipe for the Baked Zucchini with cheese, garlic, tomatoes and bacon. They’re really easy to make and you can use whatever kind of shredded cheese you like or have on hand. I usually top them with halved cherry tomatoes…but I didn’t have any on hand. Instead, I just chopped up 2 medium sized tomatoes and tossed those on top.
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You can omit or add all kinds of different ingredients. I sometimes use minced garlic, finely chopped onions, various cheeses, halved green olives, various peppers (we like sweet banana peppers), etc. If you have a little of this or that from the garden…add it!!!
Baked Zucchini and Cheese with Bacon Appetizers Recipe
1 Fresh Medium Sized Zucchini
1 bag Italian Cheese Mix, Shredded (see note above)
Olive Oil
Seasoned Italian Bread Crumbs
2-3 Large Eggs
Salt and Ground Pepper
Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 finely chopped banana peppers
Real Bacon Bits (not immitation)
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread a little bit of olive oil across a silicone baking sheet using a paper towel. I purchased my silicone baking sheets from Amazon. They’re reusable and they make every baking sheet non-stick! Plus…easy to clean!!! Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Wash and slice the fresh zucchini into thin rounds (about 1/8? thick). In a small bowl whisk together 2-3 large eggs. Sprinkle in a dash of salt and ground black pepper into the egg mixture. Pour bread crumbs onto a plate. Wash cherry sized tomatoes and then slice in half. Chop the banana peppers into small pieces.
Dip each zucchini round into the egg, covering both sides. Then roll the slice into the seasoned bread crumbs. Place onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Then add a few finely chopped banana peppers, minced garlic and the diced tomatoes on top, just a little bit…don’t cover the slice with tomatoes. Sprinkle 100% real bacon bits on top.
Place the baking sheet into a preheated 350 degrees oven for 10-12 minutes. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the zucchini slices. Remove from the oven when the slice is fork tender. Let the slices sit on the baking sheet another 1-2 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Variations: You can add minced garlic and finely chopped onions onto the top of each zucchini slice if desired. If you want to add some “heat” you can top them with finely chopped habanero or jalapeno peppers.
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