Baked Zucchini Noodles Casserole with Smoked Sausage

5 from 1 vote

Baked Zucchini Noodles Casserole with Smoked Sausage

In need of a delicious and healthy low carb meal? These baked zucchini noodles are cheesy, packed with veggies and the best organic Kiolbassa Smoked Meats turmeric and bell pepper beef sausage. This gluten free zoodles recipe is easy to make with minimal prep time. Cooking zucchini as a low carb pasta substitute is simple and very satisfying, add in flavorful smoked sausage, and you’re in for a delicious and healthy dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 616kcal

Author: Briana

Ingredients

For the zoodles:

3 medium zucchinis, spiralized
1 tablespoon kosher salt to draw out moisture from zucchinis (the salt will drain out with excess moisture, don't worry!)

For the casserole:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package Kiolbassa Smoked Meats organic turmeric and bell pepper beef sausages, cut into rounds (about 11.4 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 large bell pepper, diced (we used half a large red bell pepper, and half a large yellow bell pepper)
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste, added slowly)
8 ounces Colby jack cheese, freshly shredded

Instructions

Start by salting the zucchini noodles heavily. Don’t worry, much of the excess liquid will drain out, along with the salt as the zoodles sit. Allow the zoodles to sit while you work on the other parts of the dish for 30 minutes.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, followed by the sausage rounds. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned, working in batches if necessary. Once cooked, remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add butter to the pan, followed by garlic, dry seasonings and parsley. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion to the pan with a good pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Squeeze remaining liquid out of the zucchini noodles using a paper towel. Add the zoodles to the skillet, stirring to combine. Stir in about half of the shredded cheese to combine with the other ingredients, followed by your Kiolbassa sausage.
Top with remaining cheese for 10-15 minutes until melted. You can broil for a few minutes to get the cheese crispy at the end if you like (this is optional). Garnish with parsley, and dig in!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Shredding your cheese fresh will give you the best result for melting. If you use pre-shredded cheese just be aware that it won't quite melt as well.
Some good options for other cheeses to use instead of Colby jack would be: cheddar, Havarti, low-moisture, part skim mozzarella and provolone. Hard cheeses like parmesan won't melt quite as well. Neither will fresh mozzarella.
Please note that this recipe was developed specifically with Kiolbassa Smoked Meats Turmeric and Bell Pepper Organic Beef Sausages, and the nutritional values will reflect that.
Quick tip: Use kitchen shears to cut the zucchini noodles so they don’t get too long!
Zoodles oven method: If you prefer, you could always cook zucchini noodles in the oven instead of salting them. To do this, preheat the oven to 350°F and place the zoodles on a parchment lined baking sheet. You will still want to toss the zoodles in some salt, probably about 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt for this method. Spread them in an even, thin layer, spreading them out as much as possible. The cook time will vary depending on your oven and your preference, so keep this in mind. It should only take about 10-15 minutes to prepare the zoodles in the oven. After your “noodles” are cooked to your liking, make sure to dry them off with a paper towel.

Nutrition