Zucchini Lasagna

I’ve always loved lasagna, but this recipe makes it even better! The zucchini gives the dish a fresh new flavor and texture. Thinly sliced zucchini combined with meat sauce, Italian seasoning, and cheese for a dish rich in flavors of traditional lasagna but without all those carbs!

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 20

Cooling & Assembly Time: 20

Total Time: 1 50

Servings: servings

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Meiko Temple

Ingredients

Seasoning Blend

2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon red chili flakes

Zucchini Lasagna

Cooking spray
4 medium zucchini sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick pieces
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 cups mozzarella shredded

Meat Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 lb ground meat or ground meat alternative
7 cloves garlic minced
24 oz can plain tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Crumble

4 garlic cloves minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs I used a blend of Italian & panko
3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

Make Seasoning Blend: Add all seasonings to a bowl and stir until combined.
Prepare Zucchini: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and coat 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray. Arrange sliced zucchini in a single layer on a baking sheet without overlapping. Use 3 teaspoons of seasoning blend to sprinkle on top of zucchini on both sides. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10-12 minutes. Remove the zucchini slices from the baki pop ng sheet and place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
Make Meat Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. And onions and cook for 3 minutes or until onions are soft. Add ground meat and 3 teaspoons of the seasoning blend and cook until browned, approximately 6 minutes. Use a wooden spoon the break up the ground meat while it cooks.
Stir in garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, hot sauce, balsamic vinegar, and an additional 3 teaspoons of the seasoning blend and let simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.
Assemble Lasagna: Combine ricotta, egg, parmesan, and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning blend in a small bowl.
Lightly oil your baking pan. Start assembly by adding 3-4 spoonfuls of the loose sauce across the bottom of the 9-by-13-inch baking pan, then add ¼ of the zucchini slices in a single layer. Sprinkle over ¼ of the shredded mozzarella, followed by a layer of meat sauce (approximately 1 heaping cup)—next spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture in dollops across the pan. Repeat two more times by layering the zucchini slices, mozzarella, meat sauce, and ricotta mixture. Be sure to gently press down with each layer of zucchini.
Finally, top with the last layer of zucchini slices and then the last of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Make Garlic Crumble: Add garlic, bread crumbs, parmesan, remaining seasoning blend (approx. ½ teaspoon), and oil to a bowl and toss until fully combined. Sprinkle the garlic crumble across the top of the lasagna.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 50 minutes. The top should be golden brown and bubbly on the edges. Let the lasagna sit for 20-30 minutes before serving.