Entrees Italian

Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

Ground beef, marinara, zucchini ribbons, ricotta and mozzarella are layered into a lower-carb lasagna with a proper cheesy top.

Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

What It Is

Ground beef, marinara, zucchini ribbons, ricotta and mozzarella are layered into a lower-carb lasagna with a proper cheesy top.

Origin

This is my italian-leaning version, built around the ingredients and method that give the recipe its character.

Fun Fact

Zucchini contains a lot of water. Salting or lightly pre-cooking the ribbons can help prevent lasagna from becoming a very cheesy swimming lesson.

Prep
25 min
Cook
30 min
Temp
350°F (175°C)
Total
55 min
Servings
4 squares
(portion sizes are a suggestion, not a law)
Difficulty
easy
Gluten-Free Nut-Free High-Protein
Diet
Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, High-Protein
Away Mission
170 min walk
(or beam directly past it, if the transporter's working today)
#entrees #italian #spoon-and-scribble #zucchini-noodle-lasagna

Ingredients

  • 16 oz ground beef
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1 large zucchini
  • 10 oz ricotta cheese
  • 4 oz mozzarella, shredded

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brown the beef and prepare thin zucchini ribbons.
  2. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a baking dish, then layer zucchini, beef, ricotta and mozzarella.
  3. Repeat layers and finish with zucchini and cheese.
  4. Bake about 30 minutes until bubbling and the zucchini is tender. Rest 10 minutes before slicing.

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Notes

Taste before the final adjustment. A recipe should guide dinner, not bully it. If it needs a little more acid, sweetness, salt or heat, make the change in small steps instead of launching the whole spice rack into orbit.

Nutrition Facts
Per 1 square
Calories 760
Burning this off: several minutes of aggressively pretending to enjoy a work Zoom call.
% Daily Value*
Fat 40.0 g 53%
Saturated + Trans 22 g 110%**
Cholesterol 170 mg
Sodium 450 mg 20%
Carbohydrate 66.0 g
Fibre 1.0 g 4%
Sugars 64.0 g 64%
Protein 35.0 g
Potassium 670 mg 14%
Calcium 240 mg 18%
Iron 3.0 mg 17%
*5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot. Sodium levels calculated in a country with universal healthcare — and it's free, so don't worry about it too much.
**This dish means well. Some numbers above are having a bit of a moment. Delicious? Absolutely. A daily habit? Let's not. Eat it, enjoy it, then maybe take the stairs.

Substitutions

Use equivalent ingredients where needed for allergies or availability, but keep the main sweet/sour/salty/spicy balance intact. This is cooking, not a hostage negotiation.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Keep fresh garnishes separate where practical.

Freezing

Freeze cooked components in airtight meal-sized portions for up to 2–3 months where practical. Fresh vegetables, dairy sauces and crunchy toppings are usually better added after thawing.