This zucchini lasagna recipe features tender zucchini “noodles” layered with rich meat sauce and creamy cheese. Deceptively low-carb, I use a special trick to guarantee it’s NEVER watery!
Want more creative lasagna recipes? Try my lasagna with cottage cheese, keto lasagna, and seafood lasagna next.
Contrary to popular belief, you can make a veggie-based lasagna with the same taste and textures as traditional lasagna.
Inspired by my eggplant lasagna, this recipe uses zucchini slices to recreate the lasagna noodles. Then, it’s layered with a rich, savory meat sauce and, of course, plenty of cheese. It’s so good, it’s my favorite way to sneak veggies into my family’s dinner.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- A healthy dinner option. This dish is naturally gluten-free, packed with greens, lean ground beef, and an ample amount of cheese without being excessive.
- The perfect weeknight dinner. Slice the zucchini, build the meat sauce, layer it up, and let it bake in the oven. It’s that simple.
- The zucchini is NOT watery. With a few simple hacks, your zucchini noodles will be tender and not watery.
- Adults and kids will love it. It’s not every day I find a veggie-heavy recipe that kids will eat, but I’ve tried and tested this recipe on a few, and they love it every time!
Ingredients needed
- Zucchini. Thinly sliced. When choosing a zucchini to use for lasagna, choose one that is firm and ripe, with no bumps or bruises on the flesh.
- Salt. Sprinkled over the sliced zucchini to draw out excess moisture.
- Olive oil. To cook up the meat sauce mixture.
- Ground beef. I used lean ground beef to make this lasagna healthier, but you can use a slightly fattier cut, like 80/20 ground beef. Avoid using very fatty beef, as it will create pools of oil in the bottom of the baking dish once the lasagna is baked.
- Tomato sauce. Homemade pomodoro sauce or sugo to make the lasagna even more flavorful and delicious.
- Italian seasoning. A must for all Italian-inspired dishes.
- Ricotta cheese. Full-fat ricotta cheese. Low-fat and fat-free ricotta cheese can also work, but they tend to have a higher water content. If you don’t have ricotta cheese, cottage cheese can be used. If you do use the latter, blend it until it is mostly smooth.
- Frozen spinach. It’s optional but adds an extra dose of veggies to the lasagna! Be sure to squeeze out any extra moisture to prevent the lasagna from being watery.
- Egg. To thicken the creamy filling.
- Cheddar cheese. Any flavorful shredded cheese will work. You are welcome to also double up on the mozzarella cheese.
- Mozzarella cheese– Adds an extra layer of cheese and also lightly sprinkle over the top.
How to make zucchini lasagna
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep the lasagna. Slice the zucchini into ⅛-inch thick slices and lay on a plate. Sprinkle with salt. After 15 minutes, pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2- Make the meat sauce. Oil a large skillet over medium heat. Cook ground beef for 5 minutes until no longer pink. Add the red sauce and herbs and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3- Mix the fillings. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, cheddar, thawed spinach, and egg.
Step 4- Assemble. Spread ½ cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a layer of zucchini strips, then ½ cup of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle ½ cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been used and top with remaining mozzarella.
Step 5- Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, removing the foil after 30 minutes.
Step 6- Cool and serve. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
How to avoid watery lasagna
After making this lasagna hundreds of times, I’ve perfected the recipe to ensure the lasagna is NEVER watery. However, you must follow these foolproof tips-
- Salt the zucchini. Sprinkling the zucchini with salt before using it in the lasagna will draw out excess moisture. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes!
- Slice the zucchini thinly. The thinner the slices of zucchini, the less chance it has to hold any moisture.
- Avoid using reduced-fat ricotta cheese. Reduced-fat dairy products compensate for the lack of fat with extra water.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use a mandolin. While it’s definitely optional, I try to use a mandolin when I have one since it helps guarantee even, thin zucchini slices.
- Make it in advance. You can make your lasagna up to 3 days in advance! Simply let the meat sauce cool to room temperature, then assemble the lasagna, cover it with foil, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
- Cover it with aluminum foil. If you notice the cheese is browning before the center is fully cooked, cover the lasagna with foil and continue baking.
Variations
- Swap the meat. I love ground beef, but you can use any type of ground meat, like ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even plant-based meat.
- Add flavor. I think this lasagna is super flavorful as is, but you can add all sorts of extra ingredients, like freshly ground black pepper, minced garlic, caramelized onions, or sautéed mushrooms.
- Garnish the lasagna with fresh basil and parmesan cheese for a little extra touch.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week. First, ensure the lasagna has been cooled to room temperature to prevent sweating.
To freeze: Place the lasagna in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Reheating: Either microwave for 1-2 minutes or reheat in a preheated oven until warm and the cheese is bubbling.
More zucchini recipes to try
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
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Thinly slice the zucchini into 1/8th inch thick slices (I like to use a mandolin). Lay onto a flat kitchen surface and sprinkle with the salt, to draw out extra moisture. After 15 minutes, pat dry with a towel.
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In a non-stick pan, add the olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the tomato sauce and Italian herbs and cook for 5 minutes, before removing from the heat.
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In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, shredded tasty cheese, thawed spinach, and egg.
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Assemble the zucchini lasagna. Spread half a cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Add a single layer of the zucchini, before adding ½ cup of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese on top of it. Repeat the process until all the ingredients have been used up. Top with any remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, removing the foil after 30 minutes.
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Remove the lasagna from the oven and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
TO STORE: Store cooled leftover lasagna in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
TO FREEZE: Place the cooled lasagna in a shallow container and freeze for up to 6 months.
TO REHEAT: Microwave for 1-2 minutes or reheat in a preheated oven until warm and the cheese is bubbling.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 20gFat: 19gSodium: 473mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 2gVitamin A: 3296IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 284mgIron: 2mgNET CARBS: 3g
Originally published September 2021, updated and republished April 2024
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