Zucchini Lasagna

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Thin strips of zucchini replace pasta in this fresh and flavorful Zucchini Lasagna. This low-carb, keto-friendly lasagna is noodle-free but loaded with all the great flavor of classic lasagna.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Resting Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: zucchini lasagna

Servings:

Calories: 397kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Equipment

Ingredients

4 zucchini even-sized, about 2.5+ pounds total weight
Fine ground sea salt as needed to salt the zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup diced yellow onion
1 pound lean ground turkey Italian sausage or plant based ground sausage (like Impossible brand) for vegetarian
24 ounces marinara sauce (no sugar added for Keto) divided
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese or a vegetarian, plant-based hard cheese, divided
2 ¼ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 large egg
¼ cup sliced fresh basil plus additional for garnish

Instructions

Prep the Zucchini

Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the zucchini into ⅛-inch thick slices (you'll need at least 24 slices for 8 per layer) and place them on a double layer of paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of each piece of zucchini lightly with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, blot the zucchini well with paper towels to remove the accumulated moisture. Transfer the zucchini to two bare, large rimmed baking sheets.
With an oven rack one position above center, set the oven to BROIL. Transfer the zucchini to the oven and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to dry it out a bit (no need to flip), watching closely so it doesn't burn. Remove it from the oven and set it aside. Broil in batches, if needed.
Move the oven rack to the center position and set the oven to 375 degrees F.

Make the Meat Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it down with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through.
Measure out and reserve ¾ cup of the marinara and pour the remainder into the skillet with the sausage mixture. Stir to combine well then remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.

Prepare the Ricotta Mixture

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, ½ cup parmesan, egg, and basil.

Assemble the Zucchini Lasagna

Spread just enough of the meat sauce over the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish to lightly coat the bottom..
Add a single layer of zucchini strips (across the 9-inch side of the pan) on top of the sauce. They can be touching but should not overlap. (I fit 8 slices).
Spoon half of the remaining meat sauce over the zucchini and top it with small dollops of half of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle ¾ cup of the mozzarella over the top.
Repeat these layers one more time. Zucchini, meat sauce, ricotta, mozzarella.
Top the lasagna with a final layer of zucchini strips and pour the reserved ¾ cup marinara over the top, spreading it out in a layer. Top with the remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.

Bake and Serve

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Broil for a couple of minutes to get a slightly golden top, if desired.
Let the lasagna rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Garnish with basil, if desired, and serve.

Notes

Nutrition information was calculated using lean ground turkey Italian sausage (like Jennie-O) and no sugar added marinara sauce. To reduce the sodium, look for a low sodium marinara.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers and use within 3 to 4 days.

Reheat gently in the microwave, just until warmed through or cover and bake at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition