Zucchini Lasagna
Zucchini Lasagna
It’s that time of year when you’ve GOT to get rid of the abundant zucchini you planted with the best intentions earlier this summer. It’s delicious but boy does it grow out of control. Here’s a fabulous, family-friendly recipe that turns zucchini into a savory, aromatic, rich lasagna that doesn’t skimp on cheese and flavor. It’s fun to replace pasta with much more nutritious vegetables. The zucchini holds up nicely as a firm substitute. It would be delicious without the ground beef or you can always switch to ground turkey for a lower-fat option. Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does.
Zucchini Lasagna
- Zucchini Lasagna
- 2 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick (about 2 medium)
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can Ready-cut Italian stewed tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian-leaf parsley
- Cooking Spray
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- Cook zucchini until tender, drain on paper towels to absorb excess liquid and set aside.
- Cook ground beef, onions and garlic until meat is brown and vegetables are tender; drain fat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, oregano, water, salt and pepper, stirring to blend. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
- In small bowl slightly beat egg. Add ricotta cheese,1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and parsley; stir to blend.
- Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange one-third of meat mixture on bottom of dish. Layer one half of the zucchini slices over meat mixture. Spread one half of the ricotta cheese mixture over zucchini slices. Repeat with remaining ingredients ending with meat mixture. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded mozarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
insidekarenskitchen.com
If you love this recipe you’d like this earlier posted recipe: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
April
Hi Karen,
We made this for a family gathering and LOVED it!! Making it again tonight! Thanks for the healthy AND tasty recipes!
Karen
I have to agree with you that it is worth making over and over. A great way to get rid of the leftover zucchini!
Karen
Chelsea
Is this something I can make in advance to cook on another day without out it being too mushy?
Karen
I’ve not tried to make it ahead, but unlike pasta, zucchini has a tendency to water out so I’m not sure if it could be made ahead without getting too mushy. I’d steer you to the Spaghetti Squash Lasagna as I think this could be made and baked ahead and not lose too much flavor or texture quality. Thanks for checking in.
Melanie
How many servings does this make? I’m assuming enough for a small family of four, correct?
Karen
Yes, this is plenty for a family of four. I often feed a family of six with this. It’s not quite enough for a 9×13 size .