Celebrity Recipe
Stanley Tucci's Zucchini Parmesan Casserole
Four humble ingredients, one cozy casserole. Tucci's lighter, roasted take on his family's eggplant parmigiana, with the full method and how it scores for your goals.
Short Answer
Stanley Tucci's zucchini parmesan is a 4-ingredient casserole: roasted zucchini rounds and pan-fried potatoes layered with marinara sauce and grated Parmesan, then baked until bubbly. It is a lighter, roasted spin on his family's eggplant parmigiana, swapping breaded-and-fried for simple roasted vegetables. Total time about 50 minutes; serves 6.
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes, sliced into rounds
- 4 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 1 jar marinara sauce (Carbone or any good-quality jar)
- 1 wedge Parmesan cheese, grated
- Extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper
Substitutions: use a certified gluten-free marinara for gluten-free; swap Parmesan for a plant-based hard cheese (and a no-added-dairy marinara) for vegan; add basil or oregano, or swap zucchini for eggplant or bell peppers to move it closer to the original.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
- Slice the zucchini into rounds, toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a single layer for about 20 minutes until golden and slightly crisped.
- While the zucchini roasts, slice the potatoes into rounds and pan-fry in olive oil with a pinch of salt until tender and golden-brown (or roast them alongside the zucchini).
- Once the zucchini is done, reduce the oven temperature to 350F (175C).
- Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer the cooked potatoes on the bottom, then the roasted zucchini.
- Pour the marinara sauce over the layers so it covers everything evenly, then top generously with grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until bubbly and aromatic. Rest a few minutes before serving.
Curious how this casserole lands on protein, carbs, and sodium? Paste it into the free Recipe Scorer for the full macro and health-goal breakdown.
What makes it work
Roasting instead of breading is the move. Zucchini is one of the lowest-carb, lowest-calorie vegetables there is, so it carries the marinara and Parmesan without the heaviness of a fried parmigiana, which makes it an easy fit in a low-carb week. Like a lot of comfort-food casseroles, the variables worth watching are the sodium in jarred marinara and Parmesan, and the carbohydrate from the potato layer, all of which you can dial in by brand and portion.
Serving suggestions
- Pair it with a fresh green salad and a light vinaigrette to balance the richness.
- Serve with crusty bread for the marinara.
- Make it a higher-protein dinner by serving it alongside a simple lean protein like grilled lemon pepper chicken.
- For brunch, top a portion with a poached egg.
More recipes like this
- Classic Eggplant Parmesan (the dish that inspired it)
- Zucchini with Chickpea and Mushroom Stuffing
- Creamy Parmesan Polenta
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Four core ingredients: potatoes, zucchini, a jar of marinara sauce, and Parmesan cheese (plus olive oil, salt, and pepper for roasting). It is a deliberately simple, family-style casserole adapted from Tucci's eggplant parmigiana tradition.
It is lighter than classic eggplant or chicken parmigiana because it is roasted, not breaded or fried. Zucchini is very low in carbohydrate and calories, and Parmesan adds protein and calcium. The two things to watch are the sodium in jarred marinara and grated Parmesan, and the carbohydrate from the potato layer. Paste the recipe into the free Recipe Scorer to see how it lands for your goals.
Yes. For gluten-free, use a certified gluten-free marinara. For vegan, swap the Parmesan for a plant-based hard cheese and choose a marinara without added dairy or sugar. You can also swap the zucchini for eggplant or bell peppers, closer to the original parmigiana.
A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness, and crusty bread is perfect for the marinara. To turn it into a higher-protein dinner, serve it alongside a simple lean protein.
Know what is in the recipe before you cook it
Paste any recipe and see protein, carbs, sodium, and a score for your goals, on real USDA data.