In the molecule of the title compound, C11H13N3O4, all non-H atoms are nearly coplanar with the largest deviation from the mean plane being 0.152 (2) Å. A strong intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond closes a six-membered ring. In the crystal, molecules are linked by π–π interactions [intercentroid distance = 3.724 (2) Å], forming stacks parallel to thecaxis.

The reaction of 5-methyl-7-nitro-1H-indole-2-carbohydrazide with ethyl aceto­acetate yielded the title mol­ecule, C16H18N4O5, in which the indole ring is almost planar, with the greatest deviation from the mean plane being 0.006 (2) Å. The nine atoms of the indole ring are almost perpendicular to the mean plane through the ethyl acetate group, as indicated by the dihedral angle of 87.02 (4)° between them. In the crystal, centrosymmetric supra­molecular dimers are formed via N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and eight-membered amide {⋯HNCO}2 synthons. These are consolidated into a three-dimensional architecture by C—H⋯O contacts, and by π–π inter­actions between six-membered rings [inter-centroid distance = 3.499 (2) Å].