This Easy Zucchini Lasagna is a healthier take on lasagna with thin slices of squash and zucchini in it's layers. It has added health benefits without sacrificing any flavor.
This is by far the most delicious lasagna I've ever made! From the homemade sauce to the freshly cooked ground beef, this recipe is filling and will leave your belly full and happy! I idd add the zucchini layer to help add some lightness to it's density. I love lasagna, but it often leaves me feeling like I need to eat a salad or something after. While you don't need to with this recipe, a perfect accompaniment would truly be a ceasar salad with this delicious lighter take on lasagna.
Feel free to sub for cottage cheese or even goat cheese. I haven't tried either to be honest yet, but they both are pretty similar in its texture and density when you assemble layers.
Even though I highly recommend you trying this lasagna with my Marinara recipe (I'm telling you it kicks up the flavor about 10 notches), feel free to use jarred. My marinara sauce only takes 15 minutes to make if you have the time. Though I understand sometiems you just want to dump a jar and be done with it! I don't blame you.
You can also use any kind of squash you'd like. I used both classic zucchini and yellow squash. It's what I had. Use what you have!
You can easily omit this all together for a meatless meal. You can also sub with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter meal. Since both chicken and turkey can get drier easier, use more oil. Add the oil over the meat and mix it in as you cook and as needed. I also suggest dicing half an onion and throwing it in with the meat for some extra flavor and moisture. If you wanna go the extra mile, you can grate any left over zucchini and toss it in the pan. This is especially useful for super dry turkey! How sustainable are we.. You're now using any left over zuccini and using the other half of the onion this recipe calls for!
This recipe is eco friendly in its flexibility and cutting waste. Use the onions that you have. Same with zucchini or squash. Typically, any recipes that omit meat are immediately going to be more eco friendly with how animal farming omits much more emissions/waste and they use way more resources: electricity, land (soil), and water. With the added zucchini, it fills up space for you to easily omit the ground beef. The recipe is actually easier without the ground beef! Removes a step and saves time.
Get out a large to medium pan for the beef. No need to add oil, the beef has plenty of it! It's kind of like bacon, if you add oil you'll over saturate it.
If making marinara, get out a medium to large pan.
Get out an 8x8 glass or metal pan for the lasagna.
Cook ground beef (add the 2 pinches of salt and 2 pinches of pepper right after you add the beef) While you make marinara sauce. If you're not making the marinara, just skip and stick to making the beef. Add the beef to the pan frozen or fridge temp. Stir occaisionally scraping and mashing up the meat with your spatula till completely cooked. As mentioned, do this intermitently as you make the marinara as the beef won't need to much of your attention.
To make marinara sauce, follow the link here! I suggest opening up in a separate tab on a laptop for the ease of going back and forth from this Zucchini Lasagna and the Marinara recipe.
Cut your 1-2 zucchinis in half. Then slice them into thin strips. Doesn’t have to be perfectly even, but aim for as even as possible. No need to toss them if you don’t make the pieces perfect sizes either, just piece them together like a puzzle!
(If you’re meat is still cooking and you don’t need to make marinara sauce you can let the beef cook while you start this step!) Reference the photo below for thickness. Probably about a 1/4inch to an 1/8 inch thick.
Mix together your cheese layer ingredients in a small to medium sized bowl.
Cheese layer mixture ingredients:
15oz container of Ricotta
1 teaspoon Salt
4 cracks Pepper
1 tablespoon dried Parsley
1/2 c Shredded mozzarella
Now we layer! Add your ingredients into the 8x8 glass or metal pan layer by layer in this order: sauce, noodles, cheese, zucchini, meat. The sauce creates a little barrier that protects the bottom from burning. Then noodles to create our base, then cheese mixture, then zucchini and meat… Repeat! It’s easier to spread sauce and cheese on firmer layers like the noodles and zucchini which is another reason for the sequence! Oh and no need to grease the pan!
Top with more mozzarella. Use shredded or sometimes I like to also add mozzarella rounds or slices to mix it up and get a real cheesy top going. I used 4 round mozzarella slices about 3 in in diameter and about 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella. We like a good cheese pull!
Bake at 375 for 35 to 40 mins
When finished you want the edges to be bubbling and top to be slightly browned. Throw it back in for an extra minute or so if you want extra browning. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into it to allow the cheesy top and layers to set. When you cut into it, it will be very hot still so just be aware! I honestly used a cake cutter and server. That worked well. Or use a bread knife for cutting and a spatula for lifting, that works great too! Eat up and enjoy!!
Here's the ever so delicious 15 Minute Marinara Sauce
If you're looking for more delicious dinners I suggest my Trout Tacos
My Ham Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are also a winner you can add to your dinner list this week!
I love cooking in glassware that's oven safe so I can not only store it in this container, but also toss it back in the oven if I want to reheat left overs or freeze for a later dinner. My 8x8 glassware comes with a lid, so extra points there if you have one of those. Just be sure to of course remove the lid before reheating.
You can easily microwave for 1 minute per serving give or take (serving: 4in x 4in square. If you're reheating the entire lasagna from frozen I suggest putting it in the oven at 350 F for an hour to an hour and a half.
Thank you so much for choosing one of my recipes to cook today! I hope you enjoy the cooking process. I love to hear any and all recipe suggestions. Please reach out to me for any questions or comments! :)
Have a wonderful day!
Hanna
hannabeeeatin@gmail.com