If you have zucchini coming out of years from this year’s garden, give this ground beef and zucchini dinner a try. Crumbled ground beef, zucchini, peppers, onions, and more all in one rice-based zucchini hamburger recipe.
Zucchini hamburger casserole is one of the recipes I reach for a lot for a quick and easy no-fuss dinner. In about 30 minutes you have a dinner to serve up your hungry family.
Table of contents
A zucchini casserole with ground beef, rice, tomatoes, peppers, onions all in a family friendly dinner that will even have picky eaters asking for seconds. Try this zucchini casserole for a side dish. Try my Salisbury steak recipe as well for an easy dinner.
Why You Will Love This Ground Beef and Zucchini Casserole…
- Easy ground beef recipe
- Simple recipe
- Great summer produce recipe
- Easy
- Tasty zucchini and rice dish
- Gluten Free
🧅 Why This Recipe Works
- Easy Prep
- Quick cook time
- Versatile in vegetables you use in the dish
- Affordable
- Great for meal prepping for lunches
- Etc
🥘 Main Ingredients
Ground Beef – I reached for ground beef for this recipe, but feel free to swap with ground turkey, chicken or even ground pork. I think even a ground sausage could compliment the dish nicely.
Zucchini and Veggies – Zucchini is one of my favorites and then the peppers, onions, canned tomatoes, and spices help add even more flavor to the dish. Feel free to play around with vegetables added to empty your produce drawer.
Rice – I used white rice but you are welcome to swap with brown rice if you want a different flavor blend. Then of course I will add in water to help get the rice cooked.
Spices – I did a blend of spices for this dish, chili powder, black pepper, and salt.
🍚How to Make
Step 1: Start by adding your ground beef and onions and cook it in until crumbled and no longer pink. Once the ground beef is done, drain off grease.
Step 2: Toss in the red peppers, and add in the spices, rice, and water. Allow the dish to simmer on low for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
Step 3: You will need to stir as needed. Then about 5 minutes before you are ready to serve add in your zucchini and cook to your tenderness, you prefer.
🍴 Expert Tips
- You can use any type of rice you would like, just make sure that you cook until the rice is fully cooked.
- Add in other veggies like cauliflower, squash, sliced carrots, etc for more flavor.
- You could top with cheese at the end for a fun cheesy twist.
- If you want to make this a cheesy casserole pour into a pan, top with cheese, and bake in the oven till cheese is melted
- Serve with a side salad, broccoli side dish, etc.
Meal Prep And Storage
This ground beef and rice dish are great for saving back to meal prep for the week. Just place all leftovers in the fridge in single-serve containers.
The vegetables will soften once they are refrigerated, and you go to reheat it. But, otherwise the flavor is very delicious.
👩🍳 Recipe FAQs
I used a white rice for this beef and zucchini recipe. If you want to reach for a Minute Rice go right ahead and use that. You will adjust how long it takes to cook.
You want to reach for a brightly colored zucchini that is firm to the touch and not soft. You will find it is more flexible than a cucumber, but not by much.
Zucchini has a thinner style green skin that is edible. It is up to you if you choose to peel zucchini or eat it without the peel. I will leave the skin on zucchini in almost any recipe I use. We just prefer it that way.
Even More Zucchini Recipes
Ground Beef and Zucchini Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 to 3 zucchini sliced
- 1 15 ounces can diced tomatoes or mild Rotel
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- In a skillet, you will add your ground beef and diced onions and cook until crumbly and the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease.
- Next, you will add in your red bell pepper, canned tomatoes and juice from can, salt, pepper, pepper, chili powder, and stir well.
- Once incorporated, add water and rice and stir the mixture. Make sure the rice is pushed down into the liquid.
- Turn heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice s fully cooked.
- About 5-10 minutes before the dish is ready, add in your zucchini slices and cook as well to your preference of doneness.
- Once your ground beef and zucchini skillet is done, serve it up with your favorite sides.
Notes
Nutrition
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