Easy Healthy Zucchini Lasagna Recipe for Weeknight Dinners

When you have an abundance of zucchini, one of my favorite recipes to whip up is a zucchini lasagna. It’s a fresh take on the classic comfort recipe that’s loaded with veggies and it’s still got that fresh, rich flavor and scrumptious texture just the same as the classic, but it won’t weigh you down.

Why You’ll Love This

This zucchini lasagna recipe makes for a great weeknight meal to feed a large family. Or if you’re a party of one or two, like me, you’ll have delicious leftovers that you can freeze and enjoy for weeks to come.

Ingredients

• four large zucchini
• salt
• two pounds of ground beef
• 24-ounce jar of pasta sauce (reserve a half a cup)
• one cup of fresh Parmigiano-Rigiano cheese
• about one and a half cups of fresh mozzarella
• 15 ounces of ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim)
• one egg
• pepper
• a small handful of fresh basil
• parsley
• fresh whole basil leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the ends off your zucchini.
3. Please, please use a cut-resistant glove.
4. Run your zucchini down the mandolin.
5. Slice each zucchini into perfect slices.
6. If you don’t have a mandolin, use a vegetable peeler or the straight blade on a julienne peeler as well.
7. Place the blade on the end of the zucchini and pull it across.
8. To remove some of the water: Place your zucchini on a large plate or baking tray.
9. Sprinkle it with a good amount of salt.
10. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
11. Blot the zucchini dry with a paper towel to remove that moisture.
12. Make sure to wipe off some of that excess salt as well.
13. Alternatively, grill the zucchini for one to two minutes on each side.
14. Once you’ve grilled both sides, place the zucchini on a paper towel to blot dry.
15. Add two pounds of ground beef to a large saute pan on medium-high heat.
16. Use a spatula to break down the meat.
17. Cook it until it’s browned and no longer pink.
18. Add almost all of a 24-ounce jar of pasta sauce to the meat, but reserve a half a cup.
19. Stir the sauce and meat together until it’s well combined.
20. Turn off the heat.
21. Grate one cup of fresh Parmigiano-Rigiano cheese.
22. Grate about one and a half cups of fresh mozzarella.
23. In a large mixing bowl, add 15 ounces of ricotta cheese.
24. Add one egg and some salt and pepper.
25. Give that a stir to mix everything together.
26. Add your grated Parmigiano and stir it again.
27. Roughly chop a small handful of fresh basil and parsley.
28. On the bottom, add that half a cup of pasta sauce that you reserved.
29. Use a large spoon to spread it around.
30. Add the zucchini.
31. Add half of what’s in your saute pan.
32. Use your spatula to spread it out into a thin layer and pat it down.
33. Add half of the ricotta mixture by just dolloping little bits.
34. Use the back of your spoon to spread this around as well.
35. Add about a half a cup of grated mozzarella on top.
36. Sprinkle one-third of the herbs.
37. Repeat this whole process again.
38. Once the second layer of zucchini is completely laid out, flatten it a bit with your hands.
39. Add the second layer of meat sauce.
40. Add the rest of the ricotta.
41. Add another half a cup of mozzarella.
42. Add another sprinkling of herbs.
43. Add the zucchini for the top layer.
44. Give it one last, smush down to flatten.
45. Add the last of your herbs and mozzarella.
46. Place the zucchini lasagna in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes.
47. Turn on the top broiler for about five minutes at the end.

Cooking Tips

• The more zucchini you use, the more likely your lasagna will be a bit watery as zucchini is 95% water.
• Slicing your zucchini thin is the first method to make zucchini less watery.
• If you use a mandolin, you can adjust the thickness of your slices as well to be as thick or thin as you’d like.
• As you get towards the end of the zucchini, do keep your fingers up as much as possible.
• Using a vegetable peeler is not as fast or easy as the mandolin, but it definitely works if this is what you’ve got.
• The salt draws the moisture out of the zucchini, which you can see beating on top.
• If you grill it for one to two minutes on each side, you’ll remove much of the moisture and thus have a less watery zucchini lasagna.
• Use a spatula to break down the meat as you want lots of small little pieces rather than large chunks.
• I do recommend freshly grated cheese rather than pre-grated if you can find it.
• I’m personally not a fan of the anti-kaking agents in pre-grated cheese and the flavor is much fresher and tastes more authentic when you grate the cheese yourself.
• Fresh mozzarella is creamier and softer than processed grated mozzarella’s, which I love.
• Whole milk ricotta is richer and creamier and part skim will save you a few calories, so it’s completely up to you.
• These bold herbs bring that traditional Italian flavor to the recipe.
• Spreading the reserved pasta sauce on the bottom just ensures nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
• You can overlap the zucchini by about half or just lay them side by side if you’d like to use less.
• Once the second layer of zucchini is completely laid out, I do flatten it a bit with my hands just to make sure it’s fitting nice and tight in the pan.
• It should be bubbling and smell amazing when it’s done.

Serving Suggestions

• Before serving, add fresh whole basil leaves for a beautiful presentation.
• After you’ve sliced a piece with a sharp knife, I recommend scooping it out with a slotted spatula, so any residual liquid stays in the pan.

This zucchini lasagna is hearty, flavorful, and definitely a family favorite, so I hope you enjoy it as well.