Zucchini Lasagna Recipe
Zucchini Lasagna is a healthy dinner idea that gets made with thinly sliced zucchini instead of lasagna noodles and it is a great way to use up any zucchini you have on hand. It is also an easy option for those who need a gluten-free or low-carb recipe.
Ingredients
- 2-3 large zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 carrot chopped fine (about 54g)
- 1 celery stalk chopped fine (about 54g)
- 1 small onion chopped fine (about 54g)
- 6 cloves garlic minced (about 15g)
- 120 ml red wine
- 400 g ground beef
- 300 g peeled tomato cut small (canned tomatoes or fresh)
- 300 ml beef broth
- 1/2 cup fresh basil cut fine
- thyme cut fine
- salt
- ground pepper
- 1.5 cups ricotta cheese drained
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
Instructions
Zucchini slices
- Preheat the oven to 176 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and use a mandolin slicer or sharp knife to slice the zucchini lengthwise, into very thin slices (using a mandolin slicer will give you the most consistent results). Aim for slices that are roughly 3mm thick.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, and arrange the zucchini strips in a single layer on the pan so that they are not overlapping each other.
- Sprinkle the slices lightly with salt and a drizzle of olive oil, then place the pans in the oven to bake for around 10 minutes. This will help to release excess moisture from the zucchini and help you lasagna to not be soggy.
Meat sauce
- In a pan, add a splash of olive oil and allow to heat up. Add in the finely chopped vegetables with the garlic on medium heat and start sautéing.
- A sediment will start to form at the bottom of the pan (take care not to burn the contents of the pan), add a 1/3 of the wine and cook it down. Continue until the wine is gone.
- Remove the contents of the pan and set it aside.
- Add in some more olive oil and add the ground beef on a medium heat. Start breaking the ground beef up to avoid lumps (do not excessively stir the beef as it is cooking, otherwise it will turn grey, rather let it gain some color whilst cooking).
- While the beef cooks and starts to form a sediment in the pot, add 1/4 of the beef broth and allow it to cook down.
- Add the vegetables back in and combine everything together.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes, the remaining beef broth and the herbs then allow everything to simmer on a low heat for about 10 min or until it starts to thicken. Stir in between to ensure it does not burn.
- Once it has started to thicken, allow it to cook together for a few minutes before removing the sauce from the heat.
Ricotta mixture
- Mix the egg and ricotta cheese until smooth.
- Add the other cheeses and fold through.
- Add the remaining ingredients to taste and store in the fridge until needed.
Final assembly
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Spread some of your bechamel sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Add a layer of zucchini slices, spread some of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with mozzarella. Spoon on and spread the top with some of your bechamel sauce. Repeat until you have at least 3 layers of zucchini.
- Poke 9-12 toothpicks over the surface of your zucchini lasagna to keep the foil from sticking to the cheese and cover the top with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove the foil and broil for 3-4 minutes to create a golden cheesy top and rest for 15 minutes before slicing and garnish with basil or parsley, if desired, and serve.
Notes
Slice zucchini noodles: Use a mandolin slicer to get precise, thin noodle cuts with the zucchini. If you are experienced with a chef’s knife and feel comfortable, you can slice the zucchini noodles with a knife and remember to be very careful when doing this step.
Use your favorite marinara (homemade or store-bought): For this recipe, you can use the recipe provided that gets combined with the meat or this recipe for a homemade marinara sauce. You can also use your favorite store-bought marinara!
Tips for fresh flavor: Fresh herbs make all the difference! Layering lasagna with chopped fresh basil and even fresh oregano will give it a wonderful flavor and remember that dried herbs do not give as much flavor as fresh herbs.
Don’t love ricotta? Ricotta can be a bit heavy so you can remove the ricotta filling from this recipe and layer it with parmesan, mozzarella, marinara, and lots of fresh basil. It will taste just as delicious and it is a little less heavy as well.
Add protein – if you’d like to add a different protein to this dish, you can use cooked ground chicken, turkey, or ground beef. For a vegetarian option, you can use cooked lentils. Layer the protein of choice in with each layer and bake with the dish!