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This Zucchini Lasagna recipe is a great low-carb lasagna casserole made with zucchini instead of pasta for a healthier option. Filling, easy to make, so tasty, and keto-friendly. It makes for a delicious lunch or dinner recipe and is perfect for those who meal prep.
You may also love my chicken parmesan casserole or this vegan zucchini lasagna.
This dish was such a huge success at my dinner table. My kids loved this so much and their exact words were “Mom this is so much better than normal lasagna”! Of course, as a mother trying to please 5 kids, I was so elated.
This guilt-free Zucchini Lasagna recipe is super easy to make and super delicious. It is made with lean ground beef and a thick tomato base. A recipe the whole family will enjoy. A delightful twist to the traditional lasagna recipe that’s healthy and always comforting.
If you are into recipes with zucchini, then you should try my Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna Boats or my Zucchini Pizza Bites!
Recipe Highlight
- Keto friendly. This tasty lasagna is cheesy, and high in fat and protein – great for those who are on a low-carb and keto diet.
- A deliciously rich lasagna. Perfectly seasoned ground beef in a thick and rich tomato base, all topped with melty mozzarella – it’s so satisfying.
- Easy weeknight meal. Easy to prep with a handful of pantry staples, then just slam in the oven – done!
- A healthier lasagna. The zucchini is a healthier – yet still hearty – substitute for pasta and I’ve used lean ground beef, which tastes great and doesn’t make the lasagna greasy.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Medium Zucchini
- Lean Ground Beef
- Olive Oil
- Sweet Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Tomato Sauce
- Italian Seasoning
- Smoked Paprika
- Cheese: Mozzarella and Parmesan.
Full measurements are listed further down below.
How to make zucchini lasagna
Preheat your oven to 375F.
Step 1: Slice the zucchini into thin slices or cut them lengthways into 1/4-inch thick strips.
Step 2: In a large nonstick pan, cook the onions and garlic then add in the ground beef followed by the tomato sauce. Season with paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Add one layer (double up if zucchini is sliced thin) of zucchini slices to a 9-inch oval baking dish (or similar). Top with meat sauce.
Step 4: Top with meat sauce, then a layer of shredded mozzarella
Step 5: Repeat the layering until you have the last layer of sliced zucchini.
Step 6: Top the last year with shredded cheese and parmesan and then Bake for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Recipe notes and tips
- You need medium zucchini or 2 large sizes will work.
- Choose zucchini that is pretty firm and not too soft. Ripe zucchini should feel slightly more flexible than a cucumber, but not much. Steer clear of soft zucchinis because the softness indicates they will be inedible soon.
- Cook your ground beef until the meat is no longer pink.
- You can use a mandoline, peeler, or sharp knife to slice the zucchini.
- If you slice the zucchini pretty thin like I did in the video you can double up on the layers. You will need 1 zucchini slices per layer. Or, you can use a mandolin slicer and slice the zucchini slices about 1/4 inch thick.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into it and serving.
Common Questions
Covering lasagna is only necessary to prevent the cheese at the top from over-browning too fast before the lasagna cooking through. You can cover it for half of the time when you first place in the oven and uncover it for the remaining 20 minutes to allow the cheese to brown. I didn’t cover this zucchini lasagna while it was baking because I place it in the middle rack and kept an eye on it.
The great thing about lasagna is that you can load in any thin vegetables. Vegetables such as Mushrooms, Spinach, Bell peppers, peas, Eggplant, and Sweet potatoes.
Zucchini contain a lot of water and when cooked it emits water and this you may feel like your lasagna is watery. I personally don’t mind this. But to prevent the lasagna from being too watery, I recommend you salt the zucchini slices a bit and let most of the water drain off it and then blot it dry with a paper towel.
How to get the water out of Zucchini Lasagna
If the bits of water that drain out of the zucchini lasagna bother you and would rather have less water in your lasagna, after slicing the zucchini, sprinkle with some salt and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the water from the zucchini to bleed out and then drain. Use a paper towel to blot dry and remove excess water.
It is not necessary to rinse your salted and drained zucchini. This is because you don’t need a lot of salt, to begin with when you salt the zucchini slices. Only a few sprinkles. Once you blot them dry you will be removing most of it. If you are salting the zucchini slices, be mindful of how much salt you will be adding to the meat sauce.
I personally skip salting because I feel it makes the lasagna somewhat juicier but some don’t like this.
Some Substitutes
- Zucchini: I used mostly green zucchini. You can use a combo of green and yellow. As I mentioned earlier, you can add in other veggies, just make sure you slice them thinly so they cook evenly.
- Cheese: Feel free to use low fat or any other fat-free cheese
- Meat: I used lean ground beef. You can sub with ground turkey or keep it meatless and add more veggies.
Storing recommendations
Let the Zucchini Lasagna cool completely then cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate. It will last 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
This freezes well! Assemble the zucchini lasagna as stated above, then cover it with foil or plastic wrap well. Place the dish in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
More low carb recipes
- Zucchini Pizza Bites
- Zucchini Enchilada Roll-Ups
- Baked Zoodle Egg Nests
- Burrito Zucchini Boats
- Shrimp Scampi Zoodles
- Zucchini Lasagna Boats
Also, if you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
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Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 Medium Zucchini, or 2 large
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 medium Sweet Onion, diced
- 4-5 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- 2 Cups Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 1½ Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add in ground beef and continue to cook until it's no longer pink about 5 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, and smoked paprika. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes until the sauce reduces by half, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini. Cut the ends, then slice them on lengthways into 1/4 inch thick strips.
- Add one layer of zucchini slices to a 9-inch oval baking dish (or similar). Top with meat sauce, then a layer of shredded mozzarella.
- Repeat the process, finishing with the cheese layer. Sprinkle with ground parmesan cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- Small to medium zucchini work here.
- Choose a zucchini that is pretty firm and not too soft. Ripe zucchini should feel slightly more flexible than a cucumber, but not much. Steer clear of soft zucchinis because the softness indicates they will be inedible soon.
- Ideally, avoid pre-shredded mozzarella as it tends not to melt that well.
- Cook your ground beef until the meat is no longer pink,
- You can use a mandoline, peeler, or sharp knife to slice the zucchini.
- You want your zucchini slices about 1/4 inch thick.
- Garnish with fresh parsley, for a pop of herbal freshness.
- Allow the lasagna to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing into it and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my gosh, this was delicious! The only thing I did differently was to add a little red pepper. Will definitely make this again!
Awesome. Glad you loved it
I really love this recipe. My bf and I love lasagna and we wanted something healthy and we decided to make this. Surprisingly we couldn’t even tell it was not actual pasta but veggies! We loved it so much we didn’t miss the pasta. Simply delicious and so easy! We ate this day a week! Ha!
Thanks for your feedback!