The best Easy Zucchini Lasagna recipe! This healthy zucchini lasagna with meat is perfect for a lighter dinner! Cheesy, low carb & delicious- no noodles needed!
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Even if you aren’t Italian, I think we can all agree that lasagna is up there as one of the ultimate comfort dishes!
However, sometimes it’s nice to have the comfort while still being able to stick to your diet and get some extra veggies in.
While this zucchini lasagna doesn’t taste exactly like your traditional lasagna, it still has the delicious layers of tomato meat sauce, rich ricotta cheese mixture, and gooey mozzarella cheese!
I can’t wait for you to try and love this dish! Also, try our delicious Lasagna Soup!
If you are looking for more low carb dinners, try our Low Carb Chicken Parmesan or Keto Pizza!
Why We Love Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna
There is a lot to love about this low carb zucchini lasagna. It’s one of our favorite dinners because it’s:
- Low Carb: This zucchini lasagna recipe uses zucchini “noodles” instead of traditional lasagna noodles to make this a great option for a keto dinner (16g per serving)!
- Packed with Flavor: Even though it may be low carb, this zucchini lasagna still has the rich flavors of traditional lasagna.
- Loaded with Veggies: Not only does this recipe have 3 lbs of zucchini, but you can also add carrot matchsticks, mushrooms, or chopped spinach (and don’t forget the tomatoes in the meat sauce)!
Zucchini Lasagna Keto Ingredients
To make zucchini lasagna you’ll need:
- zucchini
- ground turkey
- onion, garlic
- tomato paste
- marinara sauce
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano
- fresh basil
- salt & pepper
For the ricotta cheese mixture you’ll need:
- ricotta cheese
- cottage cheese
- egg
- dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano
You’ll also need a mandoline slicer for making zucchini slices.
You can find substitutions for all of these ingredients below in the green shaded box.
How to Make Zucchini Lasagna
- Prep zucchini: Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise to about ⅛” thick using a mandolin slicer.
- Place zucchini slices on lightly sprayed baking racks (that are on rimmed baking sheets), sprinkle with salt, and allow the salt to pull moisture out for about 15 mins. Preheat oven to 375℉. Blot zucchini with paper towels. Bake the zucchini for 15-25 mins until they are beginning to brown.
- Make meat sauce: Preheat a skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then add the turkey, salt and pepper. Brown the turkey, breaking up the meat into small pieces. When the turkey is 75% cooked through, blot out some of the excess water in the pan with paper towels.
- Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, and dried spices to the turkey. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until onions are translucent. Stir in the marinara sauce, and simmer over low heat until thickened.
- Make ricotta mixture: In a medium bowl, add ricotta, cottage cheese, egg, and dried spices, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- Assemble: Grease a 9×13” baking dish. Place a very small amount of meat sauce at the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of zucchini noodles, and top with 1⁄3 of the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1⁄3 of the mozzarella and parmesan. Dot just under 1⁄3 of the meat sauce on top of the cheese. Add another layer of zucchini going the opposite direction as the previous layer.
- Repeat layers two more times. Top lasagna with the best looking zucchini, more meat sauce, and cheese.
- Bake: Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 mins. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 mins, or until lasagna is bubbling, and cheese is starting to brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 10 mins before slicing.
Substitutions for Keto Lasagna with Zucchini
Zucchini: We haven’t tried this with yellow squash, but I think it would work. Don’t use large zucchini as they will often be very seedy, look for small, thin zucchini.
Olive Oil: You can substitute avocado oil for olive oil.
Ground Turkey: You can substitue ground turkey with ground chicken or ground beef.
Onion & Garlic: Onion & garlic add flavor, we don’t recommend skipping.
Fresh Herbs: If you want to substitute fresh herbs in place of dried herbs, double the amount of fresh herbs to dried.
Marinara Sauce: We always make our own tomato sauce. It’s easy to make at home with this Healthy Crockpot Spaghetti Sauce recipe. This is our favorite jarred sauce.
Mozzarella Cheese: Pre-grated/shredded mozzarella cheese does not melt as well. Buying fresh mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese and grating it will give you the best melty texture!
Ricotta Cheese: We recommend using full fat ricotta cheese. I haven’t tried this recipe with low fat so I don’t know how it would turn out.
Cottage cheese: adds a nice salt and tang to the ricotta mixture. If you prefer, you can use just ricotta.
Egg: An egg helps the zucchini lasagna set, we don’t recommend substituting it.
If you want more delicious zucchini recipes, try one of these 50+ Healthy Zucchini Recipes!
Best Jarred Pasta Sauces
Making your own tomato sauce is SO easy and tastes so much better. Check out our Healthy Spaghetti Sauce recipe. If you’re in a pinch and want to use jarred sauce here are some of our favorites:
- Look for LOW or NO salt. Most jarred tomato sauces are loaded with sodium!
- Look for NO added sugar. Tomato sauce doesn’t need sugar, but many brands add it
- Yo Mama’s
- Organico Bello
How to Slice Zucchini for Lasagna
The best way to slice zucchini for lasagna is to use a mandolin! Gently slice zucchini longways to about 1/8 inch thick.
Tips for the Best Zucchini Lasagna
Here are our best tips for making Zucchini Lasagna!
- Look for medium size zucchini that do not have dents or brown spots.
- Store zucchini in an open bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Do not wash zucchini until you’re ready to use it! It will soak up the extra water and ruin the texture of the zucchini. Wash right before slicing.
- The thinner your zucchini noodles are, the more moisture you will be able to get out of them. If they are thicker than ¼” it will be very difficult to dry them out thoroughly.
- Zucchini will make your mandolin slicer (or knife and cutting board) very slippery. Be careful when slicing.
- Grate your own cheese. pre-grated/shredded cheese does not melt as well. Buying fresh mozzarella cheese and parmesan and grating it will give you the best melty texture!
- Cottage cheese adds a nice salt and tang to the ricotta mixture. If you prefer, you can use just ricotta cheese.
- If your cottage cheese is runny, place it on a mesh strainer and stir gently to remove excess moisture before mixing with the ricotta cheese.
- Try adding carrot matchsticks, mushrooms, or chopped spinach to your zucchini lasagna for extra veggies.
Zucchini Lasagna Recipe FAQ
Thinly slice the zucchini lengthwise to about ⅛” thick, no thicker than ¼”. Using a mandolin slicer is the easiest way to do this.
Lightly spray baking racks with non-stick cooking spray, and place on rimmed baking sheets. Place zucchini slices on baking racks, sprinkle with salt, and allow the salt to pull some of the moisture out for about 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375℉. Blot zucchini with paper towels. Bake the zucchini for 15-25 minutes until they feel dry and leathery, and are beginning to brown.
Yes! You can freeze unbaked prepared zucchini lasagna tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours and blot excess moisture before baking as directed.
Lightly spray baking racks with non-stick cooking spray, place on rimmed baking sheets. Place zucchini slices on baking racks, sprinkle with salt and allow the salt to pull some of the moisture out for about 15 minutes.
3-4 layers is usually best for lasagna, but you can add as many layers as you’d like!
How to Store Zucchini Keto Lasagna
Storing: This zucchini lasagna will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze unbaked prepared zucchini lasagna tightly wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, and blot excess moisture before baking as directed.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave, toaster oven, oven, or on the stove.
How to Serve Keto Zucchini Lasagna
This zucchini lasagna is a complete meal on its own, but you can also serve it with:
- garlic bread (not low carb or keto)
- Roasted Asparagus
- Grilled Vegetables In Foil
- Roasted broccoli
- with a side Caesar Salad or Italian Salad
Other healthy dinner recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Easy Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 3 lbs zucchini about 3 zucchini
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced – 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 24 ounces marinara sauce low or no salt added
- 12 ounces mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan cheese
Ricotta mixture
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces small curd cottage cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Optional garnish: Fresh basil , Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Thinly slice zucchini lengthwise to about ⅛” thick, no thicker than ¼”. Using a mandolin slicer is the easiest way to do this.
- Lightly spray baking racks with non-stick cooking spray, place on rimmed baking sheets. Place zucchini slices on baking racks, sprinkle with salt and allow the salt to pull some of the moisture out for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Blot zucchini with a paper towel. Bake zucchini for 15-25 minutes until they feel dry and leathery, and are beginning to brown.
- Make the sauce: Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then add the turkey and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Brown the turkey, breaking up the meat into small pieces. When the turkey is 75% cooked through, use tongs to hold a wad of clean paper towel and blot out some of the excess water in the pan from the turkey.
- Add onion, garlic, tomato paste, and dried spices to the turkey. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, simmer over low heat until thickened if your sauce is runny. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Make the ricotta mixture: In a medium bowl, add ricotta, cottage cheese, egg and dried spices, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- Assemble the lasagna: Grease a 9×13” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. *Save your prettiest slices of zucchini for the top layer, put aside a generous half cup of sauce, and a generous handful of mozzarella before starting. *
- Place a very small amount (about ¼ cup) of sauce in the bottom of the dish.
- Add a layer of zucchini noodles, and top with a third of the ricotta mixture.
- Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella and parmesan. Dot just under a third of the sauce on top of the cheese.
- Add another layer of noodles going the opposite direction as the previous layer. Repeat layers two more times.
- Top lasagna with reserved zucchini, sauce, and mozzarella.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until lasagna is bubbling, and cheese is starting to brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish if desired.
GJT says
What a great way to fill a need for Italian food that’s keto friendly! Turned out wonderful!! used a “Spicy” Marinara!
Melanie Smith-Cervera says
Do you think this would work with grilled zucchini?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m sorry but I haven’t tried it so I really don’t know!
Amy T says
Super delicious! Adding to our weekend rotation as with all lasagna it can be a bit involved. Used Rao’s Arrabbiata sauce which has a little spice. This was a helpful time saver.
Did not bake all the zucchini pieces to a leathery texture so it got a little runny. Will make sure next time they are thoroughly dried.
Thank you for an excellent recipe!
Jean says
what can I substitute for turkey to mke it vegetarian?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m sorry but I don’t know! I’ve only tested this with ground turkey and ground beef. Maybe beyond meat? Otherwise you can google a low carb vegetarian lasagna!
J. Bell says
I made this for dinner and it was delicious!! Everything came out just like the photos 🙂
Danielle says
Just made this for my family and my one year old ate it up and wanted more! Thanks for great recipes always!