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 Recipe (Gluten Free)
Servings
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs ground beef (and/or Italian sausage)
- 48 oz pasta sauce
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 16 oz cottage cheese (I recommend Good Culture brand because it is grass fed and delicious)
- 1 lb mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 8 eggs
- 3-4 medium zucchini (thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 1 TBSP basil
- 1 TBSP oregano
- 2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 TBSP garlic powder
- 1 TBSP onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
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 9x13 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
Notes
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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!
Can I freeze the cottage cheese alfredo sause
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!
I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious!!! My whole family loved it!
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!
Mine usually takes 12-15 mins
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!
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.
I haven’t, but that is a great idea! Please share how it works if you give it a try!
Wow! 8 eggs? I’m trying it but it seems odd. Do you cover it?