Zucchini recipes are all the rageย right now since it is the height of zucchini season, and not wanting to feel left out, I have two spectacular recipes for you guys this week. Today’s’ recipe for zucchini lasagna which is a truly delicious and super healthy take on a classic, and then tomorrow I’ll share peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini cookies bars…both recipes taste aaaaamazing, both recipes use beautiful zucchini, AND both recipes are naturally gluten free!
At the farmers market they were practically giving zucchini away (I got a huge bag full…for a dollar!) soย I was in desperate need of making a dish featuring zucchini.
Toย be honest, even though I have heard and seen tons of recipes using zucchini as noodles in beautiful spiraly shapes, and even though I own a spiralizer (I’ve never used it for zucchini noodles because it is in a cabinet somewhere that I’m not sure I can reach without assistance…yes, I know, my laziness kicking in…I even have a step stool for petes sake!) I didn’t feel like putting in all the effort to make pretty spirals but wanted to use them in place of noodles. Enter lasagna!
Since lasagna gets baked, the zucchini as noodles don’t have to be cut super thin and it works out perfectly!
I was so excited how it came out, I gave my husband a slice for lunch and eagerly asked him, ‘WHAT DID YOU THINK?’
His response was ‘if you blindfolded me and gave me a piece of this and a piece of traditional lasagna with noodles’ … I immediately shrieked ‘OMG REALLY?!’ And then he finished the sentence, lol ‘I would be able to tell it wasn’t noodles, but it was really REALLY good and I definitely want another piece.’
So there you have it folks, a delicious healthy take on lasagna.
Have you ever cooked with zucchini instead of noodles?
- 4 Medium-Large Zucchini, sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices
- 2 Cups Kale, cut into large pieces
- 2 Cups Mozzarella, shredded, low moisture, part skim
- 2 Cups Marinara sauce
- 1½ Cups Ricotta Cheese, low moisture, part skim
- 1 egg
- 1 lb Ground turkey, extra lean
- ½ Cup Parmesan, shredded
- 1 tbs salt
- 1 tsp each garlic salt, onion salt,
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Spray the bottom of a baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a pan cook ground turkey, 1 tsp salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and pepper until turkey is cooked through, set aside.
- In a bowl combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, and remaining salt, stir until well combined, set aside.
- Lay a layer of sliced zucchini on bottom of pan. Then lay a layer of kale on top of zucchini.
- Next spoon the ground turkey on top of the kale. Then spread the ricotta mixture.
- Spoon half the marinara sauce over the ricotta, and sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Lay another layer of kale down, then a layer of zucchini slices.
- Pour remaining marinara sauce over the zucchini slices and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Bake for 45 minutes until cheese is melted and lasagna is bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 min or overnight (it is better the next day after everything 'sets' and then microwaved). Slice into 8 slices and serve.
- Note: If you enjoy it right away, there may be a bit of liquid at the bottom of the dish. I simply pour it off, or let it sit and set before serving - this dish makes for great leftovers!
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Phi! This looks incredible. I cannot wait to make it. Seriously, seriously delicious!
Awe, thanks girl, really appreciate the comment ๐
Great job with the lasagna photos! It’s not easy to photograph. I’ve never tried zucchini in place of noodles but this past weekend I had eggplant (sliced on a mandoline) in place of noodles. The food tour guide told us afterwards and the majority in our group were fooled. It really did taste like pasta.
Thank you for that nice comment about the photos, really appreciate it ๐ That eggplant noodle dish sounds really great!
Never have I used Zucchini instead of Noodles, what a creative idea. I have several zucchinis that will be made into your casserole. Thank you for this great recipe!
Thank you for the lovely comment, if you have several zucchinis, I’d definitely suggest making this dish ๐
This looks and sounds amazing? I wonder if you could do a combo (part zucchini and part noodle) to get the best of both worlds?
What a fabulous idea, I never used anything in place of pasta sheets but I bet courgette (as we call it here) works a treat. Mich x
Oh man, I have so much zucchini from my garden right now I don’t know what to do! I could make this, to start ๐ so excited to find another Midwest blogger! I’m from the Upper Peninsula. Have you ever been up here? ๐
If you have a lot of zucchini…I’d definitely definitely suggest making this lasagna, it’s so yummy! I have only been in the UP when I was little but have been dying to go back, any suggestions on places I should put on my list to visit?
Pictured Rocks is beautiful! Really anywhere you go you can find something unique. The whole Marquette area is great. I’m in the Escanaba area, so be sure to let me know if you are ever up this way! ๐
I always hear commercials on the radio about Escanaba…definitely thinking I need to check it out one day! Thanks for commenting again ๐
Hi – I want nice thick, wide lasagna zoodles like yours! What did you use to slice zucchini? Thanks! It looks amazing!
Hi – thanks for the comment! I actually just used a knife and cut the zucchini into the thickness for this recipe, I didn’t want the zoodles to be too thin (otherwise they kind of break and turn mushy) and I’ve found the best way is to just slice them with a knife!
Hey! So, I’ve made other zucchini dishes and I know how watery they can be. this was much too watery for me. Probably the combination of the marinara and the zucchini noodles. I think it might be a better idea to slice the zucchini and then strain the water out of them for a while, the way you would with eggplant. What do you think? Would that work?
Hi there, thank you for your comment. And great suggestion, yes, you could certainly slice the zucchini and strain the water out of them for a while, the way you would with eggplant.
For me what has always worked best with this dish is making it a day ahead of time, it seems to ‘set’ really well and then I can easily slice it and if there is any additional water I can easily drain it off because the dish isn’t hot anymore and it’s easy to handle.
I was really excited to make this and did so last night. My only complaint is the 1 Tbsp of salt along with 1 tsp each of garlic salt and onion salt made the dish way too salty. I think next time I make this, I’m going to tweak this recipe a little bit and add just 1 tsp of salt to the ricotta mixture, and add oregano and basil in the ground turkey instead of the garlic and onion salts. This definitely has potential to also be a good vegetarian and gluten-free dish.
Thank you so much for coming back and commenting after you made this.
I do have to say I’m very surprised that you say it was too salty, I haven’t heard that or experienced that with this dish. The ground turkey and ricotta mixture have no seasoning and are very bland, so I always feel they need the salts to bring out the flavoring. I will make a note on the recipe that if you don’t like salty food one might consider halving the seasonings.
Thank you again for the comment ๐
Phi
Hi Phi, I just wanted to let you know I featured this recipe in my Low Carb Gluten-free Zucchini Recipes roundup. I hope you’ll get some visits coming your way!
Thank you so much for featuring this and letting me know, the roundup looked awesome!
This receipe is amazing because I like trying new things with my family and staying healthy because today kids are truely overweight can’t play sports in school. My son had to stop playing football because he had to get in shape eat healthy because of his height pressure was going against his heart. Thank God Im a concerned parent hes doing better now. Thank God for You for your support hes in the 11th grade going to the 12th grade.
Thank you so much for your comment, I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe, I love this one too ๐