Baked Zucchini in Tomato Sauce Recipe: Simple Italian Side

Name: Baked Zucchini In Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds (1 kg) zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise; 3 fresh onions (spring onions), sliced; 1 large onion, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and blended; 1 cup (200 ml) tomato sauce; 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup (60 ml) Gratsi White; 1/3 cup (50 g) breadcrumbs; 300 g Graviera cheese, grated (or substitute with Gruyère, Kefalotyri, or Parmesan); Salt to taste

Comforting, cheesy & summery

By Alexandras Home

@home.alexandras

April 30, 2025

By Alexandras Home

Ingredients

2

pounds (1 kg) zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
3

fresh onions (spring onions), sliced
1

large onion, chopped
4

garlic cloves, minced
4

ripe tomatoes, peeled and blended
1

cup (200 ml) tomato sauce
1/3

cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/4

cup (60 ml) Gratsi White
1/3

cup (50 g) breadcrumbs
300

g Graviera cheese, grated (or substitute with Gruyère, Kefalotyri, or Parmesan)
Salt to taste

Instructions

TOTAL TIME

2 hours

8 servings

If you’re a zucchini lover, this recipe is for you. It’s a comforting, cheesy, summery dish where zucchini meets a rich tomato sauce and melts into golden perfection. Simple, flavorful, and perfect as a main or side! If you're a zucchini devotee, you'll also love our Greek Zucchini Pie (Kolokithopita) — another comforting way to make the most of the harvest. For a taste of the Italian island life that inspired this kind of cooking, read about Five Days in Ponza. And for a cozy film night in with this dish, check out our Cinepanettone Christmas film picks.

Halved tomatoes on a wooden cutting board with a knife; in the background are whole cucumbers, an onion, a glass of liquid, spices, ketchup, olive oil, and cheese on a counter.

STEP 1: Prepare the Sauce

In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic until fragrant and soft.
Add the fresh onions and cook for a minute.
Pour in the Gratsi White and let it evaporate completely.
Stir in the blended tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat.

Side-by-side images: on the left, chopped green onions sautéing in a pan; on the right, a pot of bubbling red tomato sauce with herbs. Both images show the process of cooking a homemade sauce.

STEP 2: Assemble the Dish

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Grease a 33×22 cm (13×9 inch) baking dish with a bit of olive oil.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom.

A glass baking dish contains a mixture of oil, spices, and shredded cheese, with sliced zucchini stacked in the background on a wooden surface.

STEP 3: Layer the Zucchini

Add a layer of zucchini slices, lightly salt them.
Spoon over ⅓ of the tomato sauce, then sprinkle ⅓ of the grated cheese.
Repeat this process for two more layers, finishing with cheese on top.