Baked Tomatoes and Zucchini with
Cheddar Parmesan Panko Topping
Ingredients
• 2 cups large dice Vidalia onion
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh garlic
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated black
pepper
• 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs, divided
• 1 ½ cups fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese,
shredded and divided (we use Cracker
Barrel)
• 2 pounds fresh zucchini trimmed and
cut into quarter inch thick circles
• 1 ½ pounds fresh garden tomatoes
sliced into quarter inch thick circles
(we used Big Beef and Early Girls)
• ¼ cup fresh basil chopped (Don’t chop
until needed in recipe. Basil turns black
if chopped too soon.)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a medium sauté pan, place oil and bring heat to medium. Once hot, add
onions and sauté three minutes. Add garlic, butter and oregano and cook for
another two minutes.
3. Remove from heat and mix in salt, pepper, one cup of Panko, one cup of
Parmesan and one cup of cheddar cheese. Set aside.
4. Spray a 9×9-inch or an 8×10-inch pan or dish with pan spray.
5. Pour in the remaining half cup of Panko. (This step helps absorb the liquid that
the tomatoes and zucchini give off during baking.)
6. Layer the zucchini slices over each other in rows to cover the bottom.
7. Sprinkle the remaining half cup of Parmesan over the top.
8. Layer tomatoes over the zucchini and Parmesan in the same manner.
9. Cover the tops of the tomatoes with the remaining one cup of shredded
cheddar cheese.
10. Take the reserved topping and at this point, chop the fresh basil and mix into
the topping then spread the topping over the top of the tomatoes and cheese
and bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Depending on your oven, the dish may
take more or less than the 35 minutes. If getting too browned, cover with foil.
11. To test for doneness, poke the center with a fork to gauge the doneness of
the zucchini on the bottom layer. As long as the zucchini is tender and the top
browned, you are good to go.
12. Let sit ten minutes then cut into eight or more portions and serve as a side dish.
28
August 2019
INSIGHT