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Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

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Zucchini Lasagna - gluten-free and grain-free
Wellness Mama » Blog » Recipes » Beef Recipes » Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

Are you grain free now, but sometimes wish you could indulge in a pasta dish without the insulin spike and “brick in the stomach” feeling? My husband had been requesting pasta for a long time, and I’ve been meaning to experiment with a good grain-free lasagna recipe. Thanks to reader Desiree for the inspiration!

I never liked pasta much, even when we ate grains, so, to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for this! I even used frozen zucchini that we had from last year’s garden, so I wasn’t sure the texture would be great… but to my surprise, it turned out excellent. In my (non-Italian) opinion, it was better than regular lasagna! Even if you aren’t grain-free, this is an easy way to get some extra vegetables in a meal, and it was definitely kid-approved!

Zucchini Lasagna - gluten-free and grain-free

Zucchini Lasagna Recipe (Gluten Free)

A gluten-free, veggie based version of the classic lasagna with zucchini instead of noodles. Delicious and healthy!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Calories 432kcal
Author Katie Wells

Servings

10 servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise into ¼ inch slices.
  • Place on well-oiled baking sheet and bake at 400°F for about 10-12 minutes or until the zucchini is just starting to brown and get tender. It isn’t necessary to peel the zucchini, but it might be a good idea if you are trying to hide the vegetables from any picky eaters!
  • While the zucchini is cooking, brown the meat in a large skillet.
  • Once the meat is cooked, add the pasta sauce to the skillet to warm if there is room. If not, add meat and pasta sauce to large pot.
  • Add spices to meat sauce and heat to a simmer.
  • In a medium size bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan, and half of the shredded  mozzarella cheese.
  • In large 9×13 glass baking dish start layering: meat sauce on the bottom, followed by zucchini slices, then ricotta mixture. This made 2 thick layers for me, but could be spread out into three layers if your dish is deep enough. Make sure the meat/sauce layer is on the top when done.
  • If you are making ahead, throw the dish in the freezer at this point, and it will be ready to bake when you need it.
  • When you have added all ingredients in layers, place the lasagna in oven at 350°F for 45-60 minutes or until egg/ricotta mixture is set and middle is not jiggly. It will firm up as it cools too.
  • Top with the remaining half of the mozzarella for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  • Serve immediately. I recommend a side of Italian music and a salad!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Zucchini Lasagna Recipe (Gluten Free)
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 432 Calories from Fat 178
% Daily Value*
Fat 19.8g30%
Saturated Fat 9.3g58%
Cholesterol 208mg69%
Sodium 861mg37%
Carbohydrates 28.3g9%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 14.4g16%
Protein 34.4g69%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

Adjust types and quantities of the spices to fit your family’s tastes.
This dish freezes beautifully, so make a double batch and freeze a pan for another night. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and don’t top with mozzarella until last 15 minutes of cooking. 

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

Desiree has another variation of this recipe that I’m looking forward to trying. I couldn’t this time because my zucchini was pre-sliced and frozen, but her recipe seems easier! Desiree shared her recipe:

It’s very easy! For a 9 x 13 pan: Mix 2 cups shredded zucchini or summer squash or riced cauliflower with 2 eggs and 2 cups shredded cheese. Then just use your favorite lasagna recipe, adding at least one egg to the ricotta mixture (I used 2) and in place of the noodles smoosh in a layer of the veggie/egg/cheese mixture. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 325 until just set (not wobbly when you shake the pan). It takes about an hour or so. Because it takes so long, I’d recommend making your top layer sauce and adding shredded cheese towards the end of cooking, otherwise it will be very dark. It holds up beautifully, no slippery noodles to collapse and tastes amazing!

Ever cooked Italian food without the grains? How did it turn out? Share your recipe below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

39 responses to “Zucchini Lasagna Recipe”

  1. Beth Walsh Avatar
    Beth Walsh

    5 stars
    What a nice surprise. My wife is ok with veggies but was nervous when I told her we were having this for dinner tonight.

    To my surprise, she is happily giving this recipe 2 thumbs up and proclaims the Zucchini lasagna “Good!”. I added black olives to the recipe as my Mom always mage her lasagna with olives. Also used 4 garlic cloves (perfect) and half an onion.

    Paired with an arugula salad with minced veggies including pepperoncini was also a hit.
    Thanks for a tasty recipe!

  2. Teresa Avatar

    5 stars
    I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious!!! My whole family loved it!

    1. Teresa Avatar

      5 stars
      I used my homemade sauce and reduced the eggs in half. Not sure why recipe calls for 8 eggs, but 4 seemed to work fine. One other tip I followed was to salt the slices of zucchini before baking and pat slices with paper towells if there seems to be any excess moisture. I also added parsley to the ricotta mixture. This was a great way to enjoy a grain free version of lasagna and take advantage of my homegrown tomaroes, zucchinis and herbs. Loved it!

  3. Terri Avatar

    Hi, just wondering why you use 8 eggs? I usually only put maybe 1-2 eggs per 16 Oz container of ricotta. I just picked 6 zucchini off my plants and was looking for a good recipe to try. This sounds delicious, just curious about the number of eggs. I haven’t tried the recipe yet, so I gave it a 5 based on the majority of ingredients used and how the recipe was worded. I would rather use only 4 eggs unless there’s a real important reason to use more.

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      I just use for extra protein and because zucchini tends to be a little more watery and the extra eggs help. Definitely can reduce though.

  4. Cynthia C. Avatar
    Cynthia C.

    5 stars
    Pre-cooking the zucchini was brilliant! I used a mandoline, substituted cream cheese for the ricotta,and sprinkled my meat sauce liberally with mini pepperoni. It was divine. Thank you for this low carb recipe!

  5. Kirstin Avatar
    Kirstin

    How long does it take to pre-cook the zucchini until “brown and tender”? I am going to try this recipe but I am nervous that I will ruin it and waste all the expensive organic ingredients!

  6. Disa Avatar

    5 stars
    Made it! Didn’t have the ricotta cheese but just put grated cheese instead. Easy to do and Absolutely the best thing ever! Thank you!

  7. Teeoh Avatar

    Curious. Have you ever made “dried/dehydrated” lasagna noodles from zucchini? I’m thinking it would reduce some of the sogginess. If I’m making sliced zucchini, I prefer to do a large batch at one time.
    I’ll be making one of these recipes this afternoon, and expect to love it. I recently found a zucchini pizza recipe that is wonderful (taste of home). I also have a paleo pasta sauce (slow cooker) that I’ll use instead.

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