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The Best Zucchini Lasagna

The Best Zucchini Lasagna

A delicious and healthy twist on lasagna using zucchini instead of pasta, perfect for veggie lovers.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • baking sheets
  • 9x13-inch Baking Dish

Ingredients
  

For the meat sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon salt-free dried Italian seasoning
  • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt plus more as needed
  • 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 (24- to 28-ounce) jar or can tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup water

For the zucchini

  • 1.5 pounds medium or large zucchini (2 to 3), sliced lengthwise ⅛-inch thick
  • olive oil for the baking sheet
  • 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt

For the ricotta filling and assembly

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1.5 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about ½ cup), divided
  • 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese (about 2 ½ cups), divided

Instructions
 

Make the sauce

  • Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 450°F. Lightly coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 finely diced medium yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
  • Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 (24- to 28-ounce) jar tomato passata and bring to a simmer. Add ½ cup water to the jar or can and swirl to loosen any remaining tomato. Pour the tomato water into the pot.
  • Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors meld, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, roast the zucchini.

Make the zucchini

  • Toss 1 ½ pounds sliced medium zucchini with 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt. Arrange in a tight, single layer without overlapping on the baking sheets. Let sit for 10 minutes, then pat the top dry with paper towels.
  • Roast until the zucchini slices appear dry around the edges, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean lint-free kitchen towel or double layer of paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.

Assemble and bake the lasagna

  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Stir 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese, 1 large egg, ¾ ounce of the grated Parmesan cheese (about ¼ cup), ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper together in a medium bowl.
  • Evenly spread about ¾ cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pat the zucchini noodles dry again to remove any remaining moisture. Arrange one-third of the zucchini slices (about 10) in an even layer on top of the sauce.
  • Dollop and spread about 2 cups of the meat sauce over the zucchini. Dollop and spread ¾ cup of the ricotta mixture over the meat sauce. Evenly sprinkle with 4 ounces of the shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup).
  • Repeat layering zucchini, meat sauce, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Top with the remaining zucchini. Stir any remaining meat sauce and ricotta mixture together and spread evenly over the zucchini to completely cover. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 ounces mozzarella (½ cup) and ¾ ounce Parmesan (¼ cup).
  • Bake uncovered on the upper rack until the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes to let the lasagna set before serving.

Notes

The meat sauce and ricotta mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate in separate airtight containers. The lasagna can be assembled up to 1 day ahead before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 800IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Comfort Food, Healthy Lasagna, low-carb, Meal Prep, Vegetarian Dish, Zucchini Lasagna
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