Replace Noodles With Zucchini To Make This Deliciously Healthy Zucchini Lasagna

I’m not on any specific diet, but I’m always looking for little ways to make meals healthier. Using zucchini in place of noodles is a great option for folks on diets or who are gluten-free (like my wife). The zucchini removes some of the carbs from this dish but it does not remove the flavor! If you’ve ever had a zucchini dish like this then you know what I’m talking about! Be sure not to skip the first step of grilling the zucchini strips as they can be very watery and this might ruin the whole dish if left un-grilled. Otherwise, just follow these steps and enjoy an amazing, low-carb meal.

Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
Makes: 8 servings

Deliciously Healthy Zucchini Lasagna Ingredients

• 5 medium zucchini (2 lb.)
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. 85% lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (15oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (packed, 1oz) chopped fresh basil
• 1⅓ cup no sugar added marinara sauce
• 8oz part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Deliciously Healthy Zucchini Lasagna Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the zucchini lengthwise, into ¼-inch-thick strips, getting 6 slices out of each zucchini. Spray the zucchini slices with olive oil coking spray and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Grill the slices, in batches, 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden and firm – not browned and crisp. Spread on clean kitchen towels to soak up more moisture.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add the meat, the minced garlic, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until meat is browned, 5-7 minutes. Drain into a colander, then mix in a bowl with 1 cup marinara sauce.
3. In another bowl, with a fork, mix together the ricotta, eggs, basil, and the remaining salt and pepper.
4. Assemble the lasagna: Spread ⅓ cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish; Top the marinara sauce with a layer of zucchini, then a third of the ricotta mixture, a third of the meat mixture, and a third of the mozzarella cheese; Repeat, arranging the zucchini slices in the opposite direction: zucchini, ⅓ ricotta, ⅓ meat mixture, ⅓ mozzarella; Repeat one last time, adding one extra layer of zucchini: zucchini, ricotta, meat mixture, more zucchini, and mozzarella.
5. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. You can finish by broiling for 2 minutes on high to brown the cheese, if you wish.

Nutrition Per Serving

Serving size: ⅛ recipe Calories: 368.4 Total Fat: 25.7g Saturated fat: 11.8g Carbohydrates: 8.7g Sugars: 3.1g Sodium: 558.2g Fiber: 2.1g Protein: 26.1g