Who Needs Noodles? Not This Zucchini Lasagna Recipe!

Zucchini Lasagna

Carb-lover and staunch believer in all things in moderation, I was highly skeptical about no-noodle lasagna. Thus, it is without exaggeration that I tell you, this pasta-free Zucchini Lasagna is positively fantastic!

Why You’ll Love This Easy Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

• Lasagna Lightened Up. I love classic lasagna (I do have a pulse), but it feels heavy during the summer months. When it comes to keeping dinner on the lighter side while making sure it is plenty satisfying, this low carb zucchini lasagna is the move!
• It’s Not Watery (Pinkie Promise!). The biggest struggle with making zucchini lasagna is to keep it from becoming watery. Fortunately, I have accumulated a lot of knowledge in this area, courtesy of other zucchini carb-swap recipes I’ve developed, like Zucchini Ravioli and Zucchini Enchiladas.
• Totally Delish. This zucchini lasagna has a hearty tomato meat sauce, plenty of cheese, and those tender zucchini “noodles,” which are a surprisingly good pasta stand-in. While some lightened up recipes taste like disappointment, there are zero regrets with zucchini lasagna!

How to Make Zucchini Lasagna

The Ingredients

• Zucchini. You can swap the zucchini for summer squash if that’s what you have on hand. Or, use a mix.
• Ground Beef. Ground beef makes the lasagna heartier and adds a delicious meaty flavor, but ground bison, turkey, or chicken would also work well.
• Marinara. I opted to use jarred marinara-style pasta sauce to help make this recipe quick and easy. Choose any sauce you enjoy.
• Cottage Cheese. I made this as a zucchini lasagna without ricotta, but you can swap the cottage cheese for part skim ricotta cheese if you prefer.
• Frozen Spinach. If you have fresh spinach on hand that you’d like to use instead, you can swap it here. Sauté it on the stove first to draw out the extra moisture, then add to the recipe as directed.
• Parmesan. This lasagna would not be complete without the addition of salty, crowd-pleasing Parmesan cheese.
• Egg. Helps bind the lasagna layers together and makes the cheese layer extra creamy.
• Mozzarella. A melty, dreamy mozzarella cheese lid is a hallmark of any good lasagna.
• Fresh Basil. A finishing touch of fresh basil perfectly complements the flavors in the lasagna.

The Directions

1. Broil. Trim and slice the zucchini. Cook with oil, salt, and pepper on the grill or under the broiler. Pat dry.

2. Brown the Beef. Cook the beef with salt and oregano. Stir in the garlic.

3. Make It Saucy. Stir in the sauce.

4. Combine. Add the cottage cheese, Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and spinach to a bowl.

5. Mix. Stir until combined.

6. Start Assembling. In a casserole dish coated with nonstick spray, spread half of the sauce on the bottom. Top the sauce with half of the zucchini.

7. Keep Layering. Add all of the cheese mixture.

8. More Layers. Add another layer of zucchini and sauce on top.

9. Bake It. Finish with the mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake zucchini lasagna at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Top the lasagna with fresh basil. Let rest, then ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Make It Meatless. If you prefer your zucchini lasagna vegetarian, use zucchini noodles in place of the eggplant in this Eggplant Lasagna or Vegetable Lasagna. Prepare the zucchini according to the salting/blotting method outlined in the recipe below.
• Keto Zucchini Lasagna. Use full-fat cottage cheese or ricotta and make sure the pasta sauce doesn’t have any added sugar.
• Make Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna. Replace half of the zucchini with thinly sliced eggplant.

What to Serve with Zucchini Lasagna

• Salad. Arugula Salad is the perfect simple side dish for any lasagna recipe.
• Bread. Sop up the last bits from your plate with Rosemary Olive Oil Bread or No Knead Focaccia.
• Vegetables. Up the veggie factor in your meal by pairing your zucchini lasagna with Roasted Broccolini or Air Fryer Cauliflower.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Precook the Zucchini. In order to keep the zucchini lasagna from becoming watery, you must draw out the water by broiling or grilling the zucchini first. You can also experiment with drawing water out of the zucchini by salting the slices, letting them sit for 10 minutes, then patting them dry, instead of broiling or grilling it, though I found the results were mixed.
• Get a Head Start. Up to 1 day in advance, trim and slice the zucchini as directed. Prepare the meat sauce layer and the cottage cheese layer. Refrigerate separately until you’re ready to layer the lasagna.
• Don’t Add More Layers. You may notice that this recipe has fewer layers compared to traditional lasagnas. This is because as you pile on the zucchini, you increase the likelihood of the zucchini lasagna being watery. Two layers will give you cheesy, saucy lasagna that isn’t soggy or watery.
• Skip the Freezing. Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as the zucchini will become very watery and mushy once thawed.

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Zucchini Lasagna

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No noodles needed! This zucchini lasagna has a hearty meat sauce, creamy spinach filling, and plenty of cheese—and it's not watery at all.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 servings

Calories 401kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 3 medium/large zucchini about 2 pounds
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
• 1 pound lean ground beef or ground bison
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (24-ounce) can prepared marinara-style pasta sauce (I like DeLallo or Rao's)
• 1 (16-ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese or part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach thawed with excess water squeezed out
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or a blend of mozzarella and provolone
• ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

• Cook the zucchini: Trim off the ends of the zucchini (no need to peel). Slice lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planks (a mandolin is the best way to do this). You should have about 6 to 8 slices per zucchini. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat the slices evenly.
  
• GRILL METHOD: Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium. Lightly coat the grill with canola oil, then grill the zucchini until cooked and lightly brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. BROIL METHOD: Place the top oven rack about 5 inches from the upper heat element. Set the oven to broil. Divide the zucchini between two baking sheets, laying the slices in a single layer so they are not touching. (Do not line the baking sheet pans with parchment, as the paper will burn.) Broil the first sheet pan for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the zucchini slices are lightly browned. Repeat with the second sheet pan. Once the zucchini is broiled or grilled, let cool slightly, then gently pat dry to remove excess moisture. Turn the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and oregano. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and let cook 30 seconds.
  
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta sauce and stir to combine.
  
• In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan, egg, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, mixing well.
  
• Stir in the spinach, using a fork to break it up and distribute it as evenly with the cottage cheese mixture as possible.
  
• Coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread half of the sauce onto the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Arrange half of the zucchini slices over the top, overlapping them slightly as needed.
  
• Top the zucchini slices with all of the cheese mixture.
  
• Top with the remaining zucchini, then the remaining sauce.
  
• Sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan. Bake the zucchini lasagna for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the lasagna is hot and bubbly. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh basil. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.
  

Video

Notes

• TO STORE: Refrigerate lasagna in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. 
• TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 6) | Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Potassium: 1111mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 6510IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 405mg | Iron: 5mg

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