When zucchini season hits, there is always produce abound and we’re looking for ways to use up all of the harvest. This zucchini and kale lasagna is a great healthy option and spin on a classic dish.
We love cooking with zucchini and have quite a few recipes to use it in, but finding something comforting and still healthy is always a win. Typically, if we’re looking to make a comforting dish with zucchini, we bet your mind goes to Zoodles (zucchini noodles). And yes, you could bust out a spiralizer and make some beautiful spiral noodles but we thought it would be fun to do something different – and a bit easier!
Enter lasagna! Since lasagna gets baked, the zucchini as noodles don’t have to be cut super thin and it works out perfectly. Simply use your zucchini slices as if they were noodles and lay them flat in the baking dish.
In addition to using two power vegetables – kale and lasagna – the recipe includes ground turkey, instead of ground beef. Another layer of healthy deliciousness!
What ingredients do you need for this healthy lasagna?
- Ground turkey
- Garlic salt
- Onion salt
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ricotta cheese
- Egg
- Parmesan
- Zucchini
- Mozzarella
- Marinara sauce
- Kale
If you have a ton of zucchini to use, here are a few more great recipes to try:
- Zucchini Cheddar Bread
- Zucchini waffles
- Zucchini au gratin
- Chickpea and Zucchini Veggie Burgers
- Zucchini Banana Nutella Swirl Loaf
- A whole roundup of ideas!
Zucchini and Kale Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground turkey extra lean
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Ricotta Cheese low moisture, part skim
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Parmesan shredded
- 4 Zucchini Medium-Large , sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 2 cups Mozzarella shredded, low moisture, part skim
- 2 cups Marinara sauce
- 2 cups Kale cut into large pieces
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition
Jess says
I’ve made this a few times already. I switch out parmiggiano for Italian blend sometimes and it works out great! Also I’ve only used Rao’s Arrabiata sauce instead of marinara because I like spicy and it comes out REALLY well with a lot of flavor and a nice kick ! It isn’t too spicy for the people who don’t like really spicy things so it works out well! Thanks for sharing!
Sweetphi says
Oooooh I love those modifications, I can’t wait to try this with arrabiata! Thank you so much for your lovely comment!
Jess says
I also just add fresh chopped basil to my ricotta mixture and Italian seasoning (or freeze-dried basil) to my turkey meat. I just did another batch now and used smoked sea salt in lieu of all the salt, plus I grated fresh smoked mozzarella… KILLER! I’ve made this recipe differently many times now and always comes out great! Also, this pairs AMAZINGLY with a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo! Just do it!
Jess says
One more comment; I don’t use garlic salt or onion salt, I use organic garlic and onion powder and use himalyan ink salt or smoked sea salt to my own taste.
Jess says
Sorry lol I forgot to add that I also changed out kale for spinach (and added more spinach than 2 cups) these last two times and again, always a hit! Thanks again!
Ess says
Thank you so much for sharing! I just made it and excited to try tomorrow. Can this be frozen if there are leftovers?
Sweetphi says
Oh great question!! Yes, I would recommend draining any liquid, freezing, and then when it thaws again there might be a little more liquid, but taste wise it’ll be delish!
Ess says
Thank you so much! This recipe was a hit!
Ms. Jennifer says
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.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your comment, I’m so happy to hear you like this recipe, I love this one too 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum says
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!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for featuring this and letting me know, the roundup looked awesome!
Carrie says
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.
Sweetphi says
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 🙂
Phi
Kristin says
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?
Sweetphi says
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.
Kelly says
Hi – I want nice thick, wide lasagna zoodles like yours! What did you use to slice zucchini? Thanks! It looks amazing!
Sweetphi says
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!
Leigha @ The Yooper Girl says
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 🙂 so excited to find another Midwest blogger! I’m from the Upper Peninsula. Have you ever been up here? 🙂
Sweetphi says
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?
Leigha says
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! 🙂
Sweetphi says
I always hear commercials on the radio about Escanaba…definitely thinking I need to check it out one day! Thanks for commenting again 🙂
Michelle Twin Mum says
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
Monet says
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?
andrea rentea says
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!
Sweetphi says
Thank you for the lovely comment, if you have several zucchinis, I’d definitely suggest making this dish 🙂
Karis says
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.
Sweetphi says
Thank you for that nice comment about the photos, really appreciate it 🙂 That eggplant noodle dish sounds really great!
chelsabea8 says
Phi! This looks incredible. I cannot wait to make it. Seriously, seriously delicious!
Sweetphi says
Awe, thanks girl, really appreciate the comment 🙂