This Zucchini Italiano is loaded with zucchini and squash simmered in onions, garlic tomatoes, and cozy Italian herbs, then finished with a smart combination of nutritional yeast and just a touch of Parmesan. The result is a dish that tastes far cheesier than it actually is, with a rich, savory depth that makes every bite deeply satisfying.
It’s healthy, comforting, and full of nourishing goodness—served as a main or a hearty side dish, and perfect for feeding a crowd or setting yourself up for success as meal prep. Hearty without being heavy, comforting without regret, and exactly the kind of vegetable-forward dish that makes getting your veggies feel effortless.
Watch the YouTube demo HERE to see how easy this dish comes together.
Let’s go….
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable broth, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, halved then sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 1 fire-roasted whole red pepper, sliced
- 3 zucchini, sliced into rounds
- 3 crookneck yellow squash, sliced into rounds
- ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped (plus more for topping)
- 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoes with sauce, roughly chopped
- 1½ cups fresh tomatoes, chopped (cherry or grape tomatoes halved)
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp onion powder
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 Tbsp soffritto seasoning
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat ½ cup vegetable broth in an extra-large sauté pan over medium heat. Add sliced onion and cook until opaque. For caramelized onions, cook 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add ¼ cup broth, then add garlic and sliced red pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add remaining ¼ cup broth, then add zucchini and yellow squash. Stir well and simmer about 10 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
- While the vegetables simmer, chop the fresh basil (see my easy basil-chopping technique in the YouTube video).
- Add fresh tomatoes and stir well.
- Add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and soffritto seasoning. Mix thoroughly.
- Add San Marzano tomatoes and sauce. Reduce heat slightly and simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in nutritional yeast until fully combined.
- Transfer mixture to a 13×9 baking dish.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over the top, then finish with fresh basil.
- Bake 10–15 minutes, just until the cheese melts. Watch closely so the basil doesn’t get crunchy.
Bon Appetit!
