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GET IT NOWI originally created this zucchini lasagna because I wanted a low carb alternative to the pasta version… and then I loved it so much that I think I’d actually choose this over the traditional one anyway! Since I first made it in 2018, I look forward to it every year for zucchini season. It’s meaty, it’s saucy, it’s cheesy, and you just feel good after eating it. Somehow, the squash makes this classic taste even better. Make my zucchini lasagna recipe with me and enjoy all the flavor, without the heavy feeling!
Why You Need My Zucchini Lasagna Recipe
- Cheesy comfort food – Like my eggplant lasagna or spaghetti squash lasagna, this zucchini lasagna layers tender veggie noodles, a creamy parmesan ricotta blend, and a hearty meat sauce, all topped with melty mozzarella. It’s a family favorite even the kids will love!
- Healthier than traditional lasagna – Forget the pasta, swap it with sheets of roasted zucchini! There’s so much flavor going on here that you won’t miss it one bit. Meanwhile, this meal is naturally low carb, keto-friendly, gluten-free, and just simply packed with protein and veggies.
- Saucy, not watery – A watery dish is a common issue with zucchini casseroles, since summer squash holds so much water. You won’t have this issue with my method (don’t miss my tips below).
- Perfect for meal prep – One of the reasons I love zucchini lasagna is it’s the perfect meal prep recipe! You can make it ahead when you know you have a busy day on deck.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my zucchini lasagna recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Zucchini Lasagna Noodles:
- Zucchini – Thicker zucchini works best, since it gives you nice, wide slices for the noodle layer. But honestly, any size will do—just grab a few more if yours are on the smaller side. You can actually make this with yellow squash, too.
- Olive Oil – For roasting the zucchini, and I also use it to cook the meat sauce. Avocado oil also works.
- Sea Salt
Meat Sauce:
- Garlic – Fresh garlic gives the best flavor, but if you’re in a hurry, 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic will work.
- Meat – I usually go for 85/15 grass-fed ground beef, but you can use 80/20 ground chuck or 90/10 lean ground beef, too. You might need to drain it if you use 80/20. You can also switch things up with ground turkey or chicken to lighten it up.
- Marinara Sauce – I use my sugar-free marinara sauce when I can, but love this brand for a shortcut. Any kind you’ve got is fine. You can even switch it up with pesto sauce—I’ve tried it before and it’s delicious, but these days I prefer the classic marinara or another tomato sauce.
VARIATION: Add veggies to the meat, or make a vegetarian version!
For a meatless zucchini lasagna, you can swap out the ground beef for a mix of sautéed diced onions, sliced mushrooms, and drained frozen spinach. You can also just skip the meat layer and make my zucchini parmesan. Or keep the meat but just sauté these veggies first, then cook the beef.
Cheese Filling:
- Ricotta Cheese – I recommend using full-fat ricotta for the best creamy texture, but skim or 2% will work, too.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use grated parmesan, not shredded. It mixes in so much better.
- Egg – Most egg substitutes don’t work great here, but if you need one, aquafaba is probably your best bet.
How To Make Zucchini Lasagna
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Slice the zucchini. Use a mandoline to slice the zucchini into thin sheets, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Roast the zucchini. Arrange the zucchini slices in a single layer on an extra large baking sheet (this one is the perfect size, and it never sticks, but you can line with parchment paper if you like). Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Roast until soft and mostly dry.
- Cook the meat sauce. Heat the olive oil in cast iron braiser, Dutch oven, or large skillet, and saute the garlic until fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Stir in the marinara sauce and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the cheese filling. In a small to medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, and egg.
- Assemble the zucchini lasagna. Arrange a layer of zucchini slices on the bottom of baking dish and top with half of the meat sauce. Dollop with the ricotta mixture (use half), then spread. Top with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers, with mozzarella last.
- Bake until melty. Since the layers are already cooked, this doesn’t take long. Just bake until the cheese on top of the zucchini lasagna is melted and golden. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
My Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend a mandoline. You can use a sharp knife if you don’t have one, but it’s hard to get uniform slices that are thin enough. I had an older model in my picture above, but now I love my new mandoline because it has grippy feet and I don’t have to hold it upright.
- Go light on the olive oil. You want the zucchini sheets to dry out during roasting to keep the lasagna from getting too wet. If there is too much oil, the water doesn’t escape as well. I like to brush on a thin layer rather than drizzling.
- Roast in a single layer, and pat dry if needed. In case you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with avoiding a watery dish! Make sure your zucchini slices don’t overlap on the baking sheet, as this will trap moisture. When they are done, pat them with paper towels just in case.
- Don’t salt the beef. This might seem odd, but I don’t salt the beef, because the marinara and cheeses provide enough. If you add salt to the meat itself, your zucchini lasagna will be too salty.
- When adding the ricotta/parmesan mixture, dollop it in small pieces. It can be tricky to spread, so I find that smaller dollops make it easier. If you dump it all in one spot, it’s harder to spread evenly. The mixture does go into the ground beef below a little as you spread, which is okay.
- Broil if you want more golden cheese. My zucchini lasagna often browns enough without this step, but it can vary. Just oop it under the broiler for a few minutes if you want it darker.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It will last the longest if you place it in an airtight container, but when I have a lot left, I just cover the baking dish with foil.
- Meal prep: Get ahead by roasting the zucchini noodles, making the meat sauce, and/or mixing up the ricotta cheese layer in advance. You can also assemble the whole dish and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze it before baking. While you’re prepping, you might as well slice some extra zucchini sheets to use for my zucchini salad, too!
- Reheat: Reheat the zucchini lasagna in the oven at 350 degrees F, or pop individual portions in the microwave.
- Freeze: You can freeze this dish before or after baking. Just wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. No need to thaw before reheating, but it’ll warm much up faster if you thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Saucy Zucchini Recipes
If you like my zucchini lasagna recipe, check out more of my easy zucchini recipes with saucy marinara:
Tools I Use For This Recipe
- Mandoline – This is my go-to for getting those thin, uniform zucchini slices. It makes the job so much easier and quicker.
- XL Sheet Pan – It’s big enough to fit all the zucchini in a single layer, plus it’s durable and I love the coating.
- Cast Iron Braiser – Mine is large with tall sides, so nothing spills over. Plus, it’s gorgeous and perfect for serving other dishes, too.
- Casserole Dish – My favorite for most of my casseroles. It’s not only durable but really pretty, making it perfect for serving right at the table.
Zucchini Lasagna (Easy, Healthy Recipe)
You'll love my easy zucchini lasagna recipe with tender zucchini, creamy filling, hearty meat sauce, and melty cheese. Healthy and low carb!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Roasted Zucchini:
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line an extra large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Use a mandoline to slice zucchini lengthwise into thin sheets, about 1/4 inch thick.
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Arrange the zucchini on the lined baking sheet, in a single layer. Brush both sides with olive oil (use about 2 tablespoons), then sprinkle both sides lightly with sea salt.
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Roast the zucchini slices in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until soft and mostly dry.
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When done, remove the zucchini from the oven but leave it on at 400. Pat the zucchini with paper towels to soak up any extra water or oil.
Meat Sauce:
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Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a saute pan or cast iron braiser on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add the ground beef. Cook for about 10 minutes, until browned. Stir in the marinara sauce and remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt/pepper if needed.
Cheese Filling:
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Meanwhile, stir together the ricotta and parmesan cheeses. Stir in the egg.
Assembly:
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Arrange a layer of zucchini slices at the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Top with half of the meat sauce. Dollop small pieces of the ricotta cheese mixture, (using half of the total amount), then spread. Finally top with half of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat the layers a second time, with shredded mozzarella last on top.
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Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and golden. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/12 of the casserole dish (1/12 of entire recipe)
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Zucchini Lasagna
Gratitude Moment
I loved this zucchini lasagna so much that I made a YouTube video out of it! You can watch it on the recipe card above, or see it on my channel here. This picture is from that shoot, and my kitchen was so dark and yellow that I had to use a white backdrop.
This was a few years ago and I definitely wasn’t as comfortable on camera, lol. It’s always a work in progress, but I’m humbled to be learning. I hope you love the recipe anyway. 🙂
What kinds of recipe videos do you want to see me make next? Let me know in the comments below!
121 Comments
Cyndi
0This was awesome and pretty easy to make. Thanks.
Lois
0Yummy I grilled my zucchini on a mesh screen instead of baking it fantastic
Ken Peel
0I made this tonight with everything coming from our farm. Turned out great!
Cherri
0If I make ahead and refrigerate, how long do I cook it tomorrow??
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cherri, If you take it straight from the fridge, it will take about 20 minutes to reheat, or an extra 5-10 minutes if you didn’t do the last baking step the day before.
Barbie
0Excellent dish! I declare I couldn’t tell there were no noodles in this dish! This was my first time preparing with zucchini. I’m really pleased that the dish turned out delicious and flavorful. I’m eating for lunch this week. Next time I’ll use more zucchini’s but overall the dish turned out awesome! I’ll definitely fix again. Thanks so much!
Kristin
0Didn’t have a mandolina, just a knife, and our son handed us a HUGE zucchini the other day, so I thought I’d try this. Cut out the middle with all the seeds, and used my knife to slice up the rest. Of course my zucchini wasn’t ideal and “pretty” but hey, it still worked! Yum.
Deb
0I’ll be trying this fabulous recipe in a couple of days….instead of using my mandolin, I’m trying out my new “sheet slicer” Kitchenaid attachment! Looks like it’ll make easy work of the zucchini slicing. Can’t wait to try your awesome recipe! Thank you!
Pele Recely
0I love this recipe so much!
Beth
0This was amazing! Just finished dinner and I liked this so much better than the lasagna I used to make — my husband was a fan too. Definitely adding this to my tried and loved list of recipes! Thank you so much for this and all of your amazing recipes!
Benton
0This is really good. When I volunteer to fix dinner, my wife now asks for it. It’s in the regular rotation.
Maria
0All the fam loved this plate, really was delicious.
Tracy F
0Really, really good! Thanks for all you do!
Maria
0We really enjoyed this lasagna. The roasting of the zucchini truly makes all the difference. Used homemade ricotta and rather than making marinara, I used spaghetti sauce I canned last year. Will absolutely be in our meal rotation. Thank you, Maya.
J Russell
0I have made this three times in the past month. I made it for my husband and myself, then I made it for keto and non-keto eaters for dinner, and finally for a special birthday celebration. Each time I made it according to the recipe. Everyone loved it! I will say the third time I made it I didn’t have a mandolin, so it was very difficult but we managed. This is my favorite Keto recipe Thank you!
Kate
0I made this recipe and tweaked it a bit. I added a pinch of nutmeg to the ricotta mixture and sprinkled some spinach in between the layers. I also used ground pork as that was all I had in fridge. I really liked the idea of pre-cooking the zucchini and it gave it so much more flavour. One of my new favourite recipes 🙂
Kathy
0Can I assemble the dish then freeze it to bake on a later date? Was going to take it to a party today, but when I got back I was informed that it’s been postponed 2 weeks.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Kathy, yes you can! See the storage instructions section in the post for how to do that.
Lisa T
0Very easy and very good. Everyone that has had it, loved it.
Benton
0Made this last night for dinner and we’ll have it again. Roasting the zucchini to reduce the moisture is definitely the trick and it doesn’t add much time since you need to brown the meat anyway. Next time, I think I’ll try slicing the zuc thinner and place it in two layers. Thank you for this.
Candy
0I’ve been making a similar recipe to this but I use my George Foreman grill to cook the zucchini. I don’t add any oil or salt cooking it on the grill and it turns out perfectly – no excess liquids to make the casserole watery. I’ve also used yellow squash and eggplant and a combination of all three. I also like it with cooked, crumbled Italian sausage.
Gloria Purosky
0Delicious. I made it for my son’s birthday and everyone loved it. I am an Italian-American and have been missing my pasta. This is a winner. When I made lasagna with pasta, I made my own pasta from scratch. I usually added zucchini to the layers. Roasting the zucchini before layering made the big difference. This is going into my favorites recipes.