Serve up this Healthy Turkey, Zucchini and Rice Casserole for an easy dinner packed with lean protein and veggies. A great make-ahead recipe option!
When we lived in Utah, stealth zucchini deliveries were a real thing. I can recall several instances of opening our front door to find a bag of the green squash sitting on the stoop, with the delivery person nowhere in sight. As grateful as I was for the generosity of fellow gardeners and neighbors, the reality was that we had our own exploding patch of zucchini and the thought of dealing with MORE ZUCCHINI made me a little twitchy.
As a fellow zucchini lover and firm supporter of seasonal vegetables in all their multitude, I feel it is my duty to provide you with as many zucchini recipes as possible. Baked zucchini fries (my kids’ favorite), zucchini roll-ups and turkey zucchini meatballs (the squash haters will never know!) are just the starting point.
I was on a roll with posting rice casseroles for awhile and it’s high time for another version, this one involving zucchini, of course. It all started with my favorite Greek Turkey, Rice & Feta Casserole, then morphed to teriyaki (think stir fry-type flavors and veggies) and southwestern (black beans, corn and chiles…oh my!) versions.
The formula is the same for each of the casseroles, with the sauce and mix-ins changing dependent on the flavor profile. Saute the ground turkey (or beef, if you prefer), onion, garlic and spices, then stir in the other vegetables, sauce and cooked rice. Transfer everything to a casserole dish, top with cheese (in some cases) and bake for about 20 minutes. One of the easiest dinners that’s also great as leftovers!
#EatSeasonal
#EatSeasonal is the brainchild of my friend Becky of The Vintage Mixer , who has pulled together a group of bloggers to post seasonal recipes each month, using her produce guide as inspiration.
There’s a fantastic variety of recipes, some sweet and some savory, as you can see in the collage below, all inspired by produce that is fresh and seasonal in August. Be sure to click on the links to check out the recipes. For more seasonal recipe inspiration, follow the #EatSeasonal hashtag on Instagram.
Healthy Turkey, Zucchini & Rice Casserole by Cookin’ Canuck
Caramelized Onion Galette by The Vintage Mixer
Roasted Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream with Graham Cracker Waffle Cones by Food for My Family
Italian Plum Upsidedown Cake by Suitcase Foodist
Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Panzanella Salad by Completely Delicious
Coconut Cherry Cobbler by Kitchen Confidante
Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Zucchini Boats by Flavor the Moments
Healthy Berry Crisp with a Coconut Oat Crumb Topping by Joy Food Sunshine
Zucchini, Cherry Tomato, and Gorgonzola Bites by Letty’s Kitchen
Healthy Turkey, Zucchini & Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper divided
- 2 Portobello mushrooms stems removed & gills scraped, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/4 cup chopped zucchini 3/4-inch dice
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 3/4 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/2 cup packed grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 8- by 12-inch or 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, onions, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is browned.
- Stir in the mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes, and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the rice, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and 3 tablespoons parsley.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese on top and bake until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is melted and starting to brown, about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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marcie says
Everyone that grows their own zucchini says how much they need recipes for it because it grows crazy! This looks like a delicious way to use it up…there’s nothing like a comforting rice casserole!
Lola says
I was hoping to use up some cooked turkey I have in the freezer, saved for soup but could be used to make this , no?
Lydia @ Suitcase Foodist says
Oh yes. The stealth zucchini drop-off . I’m battling with a giant overproducing zucchini plant as we speak. This will have to make the rotation this week.
Kerri says
This looks amazing- but I just don’t like portobellos or mushrooms! What can I substitute in its place. I love pretty much all other veggies’! I want to make it this weekend!
Dara says
This recipe is really versatile. You could use extra zucchini in place of the mushrooms or sub in red bell peppers. I hope you enjoy it!
Sabrina says
nice recipe, thank you, nice and different way for me to use my zucchini, this looks great!
tomate farcie says
I loved this! For me it’s really versatile. I had Bella mushrooms so I used those and added some spinach. It’s probably great for whatever needs to be used up. Thanks!
Diane says
i just made this tonight and it turned out great! I can’t have dairy so I substituted nutritional yeast for the parm and it added a nice nutty flavor. I’m a runner and this is an awesome “stretch your budget” meal that hits a lot of protein and nutrition needs! I love your blog! Thank you!