Name: Zucchini Lasagna
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground Meat (Beef, Turkey or Venison); 1 lb Italian Sausage; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1/2 Large Onion (Diced); 1 Large Carrot (Peeled and Diced); 2-3 Ribs of Celery (Diced); 3 Cloves of Garlic (Minced or Pressed); 1 15 oz Crushed Tomatoes; 1 6 oz Tomato Paste; 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar; 1 tsp of the following (Salt, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano); 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper; 3-4 Medium Size Zucchini (Sliced about 1/8" thick length wise); 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese; 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (Chopped)

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This zucchini lasagna is a great adaptation of the classic Italian dish. Thinly sliced zucchini makes for the perfect noodle substitute and then layered with ground meat and sausage bolognese sauce, which will give you that comforting dish feeling without all the heavy carbs.

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A spatula scooping out a slice of zucchini lasagna with ground meat and tomato sauce.

While I love just about everything Italian such as bread, pasta, and of course pizza, we can find ourselves sometimes eating a tad too many carbs. Don't get me wrong, I love carbs! However, sometimes we just want something a little lighter that still offers that same comfort feeling you get from a good pasta dish.

That is where zucchini lasagna comes in! It has all the great flavors from a meat bolognese sauce then layered between thin slices of zucchini. It really is the perfect balance between healthy and comfort food.

Tips for Making Zucchini Lasagna

1. Slice the zucchini about ⅛" thick. Zucchini is full of water so this dish will naturally be a tad on the watery side. Slicing them around ⅛" thick will ensure they don't get too soggy.

2. Reduce down all the liquid in the bolognese. When you bake the lasagna it will naturally have some liquid from the zucchini. It's important to make sure your sauce is nice and thick with no standing liquid. The zucchini is unable to absorb the excess liquid like a pasta would. If you are unable to reduce all the liquid, just drain before assembling the layers or scoop using a slotted spoon.

3. Use crushed tomatoes. Diced tomatoes have a lot of liquid so I recommend using crushed tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes have a creamier texture which will help reduce the liquid in this dish.

Here is what you will need:

Ingredients

For the bolognese meat sauce:

1lb Ground Meat (beef, venison, and turkey are all great choices)
1lb Italian Sausage
2 Tbl Olive Oil
½ Large Onion
1 Large Carrot - Diced
2-3 Ribs of Celery - Diced
3 Garlic
1 - 15oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 - 6oz Can Tomato Paste
2 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon of the following:'
- Salt
- Dried Basil
- Dried Oregano
½ teaspoon Pepper

For the Layers

3-4 Medium Zucchini - Diced ⅛ thickness with a mandolin slicer
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ Cup Fresh Parsley - Chopped

Instructions

1. Chop all the veggies, garlic, parsley, and slice the zucchini.

A pile of freshly cut veggies. Carrots, Onions and celery.

I recommend a thickness of ⅛" for the zucchini. If it is too thin they can get really soggy when baked.

I prefer to use my mandolin slicer to get the perfect slices of zucchini. You can set your thickness and each one comes out perfectly uniform.

Zucchini being sliced with a mandoline slicer.

A pile of of freshly sliced zucchini on a wood cutting board.

2. Start off by heating a cast iron or other skillet and once warm, add the olive oil.

3. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the carrots and celery and continue to sauté until soft. About another 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

4. Once all the veggies are soft, add in the ground meat and sausage and cook until browned. Around 10 minutes. Drain off all excess grease before moving forward.

5. Add in the canned tomatoes, seasoning, and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and allow all the liquid to reduce down. Pour off any excess and prepare to layer the pan.

Ground meat and sausage being cooked in a large cast iron skillet.

6. In a 9x13 pan assemble the first layer of zucchini by laying them along the short width of the pan. Make sure each slice slightly overlaps each other.