Zucchini is a versatile, convenient and flexible product. Behind a humble, unsightly shell hides an ocean of usefulness. Young zucchini have the best flavor and are easy to digest.
More often than not, zucchini recipes are quick, easy and budget-friendly. Zucchini in cream sauce is no exception. Yes, the cost of heavy cream can bite a bit. But it is worth it, but to save and take less fat – I do not recommend it, they will separate in the process of baking and the sauce will be ruined.
Thanks to its neutral flavor, zucchini reveals new notes every time, depending on the ingredients used and variations in preparation. We will use a win-win combination of zucchini and garlic. Cream and cheese will give sweetness and saltiness, respectively, and thyme will add interesting accents to the flavor.
⏱ Cooking time — 45 minutes overall. Includes 20 minutes of preparation and cooking + 25 minutes unattended.
Ingredients
For 4 servings:
- 750 g (1,7 lb) zucchini (2-3 medium zucchini)
- 150 g (5,3 oz)cheese (any, to your taste)
- 300 ml (1,3 cups) heavy cream (33% fat)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- a pinch of thyme (~ 1/2 tsp.)
- a pinch of salt
🔪Method of preparation
Preheat the oven to 180 ℃ /360 ℉, top-bottom mode.
Wash 750 grams (1,7 lb) of zucchini and cut into slices slightly more than 1 cm thick.
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat it. After that, place the sliced zucchini and fry in batches, on both sides, until crispy.
Roasted zucchini put aside in a bowl.
There is no need to salt the zucchini now. Otherwise they will run out of juice and will not fry, but just start to stew or boil, and we don’t need that. We’ll salt them before we bake them.
While the zucchini is roasting, grate 150 grams (5,3 oz) of cheese on a coarse grater. Use whatever cheese you like.
Take 300 ml (1,3 cups) of 33% cream and add half of the grated cheese, sprinkle with a pinch of thyme and mix.
Chop 2 cloves of garlic finely with a knife or grate them on a fine grater. I use my favorite grater for this Microplane.
Add the garlic to the creamy-garlic sauce and stir the sauce again.
Place the zucchini overlapping each other in a baking dish (I used a 21*28 cm dish).
Salt the zucchini to taste. Consider the saltiness of the cheese used.
Salt the sauce also with a small pinch of salt and stir. Pour the sauce over the zucchini.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the zucchini.
Put the zucchini in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
Considering that zucchini can also be eaten raw, and we have already fried them – be guided by the cheese and sauce. When the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly, the dish is ready.
Zucchini in Creamy-Garlic Sauce with Cheese
Ingredients
- 750 g zucchini (2-3 medium zucchini)
- 150 g cheese (whatever you like)
- 300 ml heavy cream (33% fat)
- 2 cloves garlic
- pinch of thyme (~ 1/2 tsp.)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 ℃ /360 ℉, top-bottom mode.
- Slice the zucchini into little more than 1 cm thick slices.
- Heat a frying pan, add neutral vegetable oil and fry the zucchini in batches, until crispy on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Grate the cheese on a coarse grater. Add half of the cheese to the cream. Add a pinch of thyme and finely grated or minced garlic. Stir to combine.
- Place the zucchini overlapping each other in a baking dish. Salt the zucchini and sauce. Pour sauce over zucchini and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake the zucchini for 20-25 minutes, the benchmark for readiness is the melted cheese.
