Yes Please! Vegetable Casserole
My sister in law is a vegetarian and coming for Thanksgiving next week. She’s not super picky about what I serve but I like to keep it tasty and interesting for her while offering everyone else colorful healthy options to add to their plate. This vegetable casserole was auditioning for a starring role on our holiday table last night.
Spoiler Alert: it won the job!
Whether you are looking for a fun and delicious new way to serve up some extra vegetables for a weeknight meal or like me, you are trying to spice up your healthy holiday dinner, this vegetable casserole is a must try! It’s an easy way to serve up a ton of flavor with no guilt. My kids recoiled when they saw the eggplant on the counter and my husband always begrudgingly comes to the table when squash of any sort is on the menu but this dish is so beautiful to look at and it was great to hear all the surprised accolades from my judges as they tore into their dinner.
I have made versions of this dish before but this was the first time adding eggplant and it added a real depth to the flavor that I did not know was missing. I think this version is the keeper. You can make it just like me, or change up the vegetables to your favorites, just try to buy ones similar in size so they stack nicely.
Ingredients: 2 yellow squash 2 zucchini 1 eggplant 4-5 Roma tomatoes 1 medium yellow onion Italian seasoning blend* Kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Pull out a 13x9 baking dish or if you want to be super fancy you can even use a cast iron skillet. Slice up your vegetables (a mandarin slicer helps keep the thickness constant so it cooks evenly) Start creating your pattern by alternating lines of yellow squash, eggplant, tomatoes, onion and zucchini in your casserole dish. Sprinkle the top generously with Italian seasoning and a touch of salt (if desired) Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, Remove foil Bake for 12-15 minutes more until Cheese is golden Enjoy on its own as a side dish or make it a meal by serving it over a bed of brown rice or quinoa.
