The Best Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce Recipe 

This zucchini lasagna with meat sauce is a delicious healthy version of traditional lasagna that will give you the same comforting feelings without all the added carbs!  The combination of fresh zucchini, delicious tomato sauce, and healthy ground beef will not only give your entire family wonderful nutrition but also satisfy their belly’s. It has become my perfect solution for the abundance of the summer garden.

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If you know me then you know that I love gardening. Zucchini is one of the easiest fruits to grow. I grew them in abundance in the Desert Southwest, with extreme droughts and killer heat, and now I have successfully grown them in Western PA, with a lot milder temperatures, and more moisture. I always say if you are new to gardening and do not know where to start, then look no further than the zucchini! Throw a couple of seeds in a pot (yes, they will even grow in a pot), keep them watered and watch them grow!

There is nothing better than tasting fresh zucchini that you grew with your own hands. And those homegrown zucchini’s will make any zucchini recipe taste so much better, I promise!

Can zucchini lasagna be frozen?

Yes, zucchini lasagna freezes very well! During the summer months when I have so many zucchinis that I don’t know what to do with, I will make a couple of batches of this or my Easy Bake Zucchini Parmesan With Garlic Recipe and freeze them. I just make sure to store them in an airtight container.

Tips

Zucchini has a lot of water in it. You may want to slice your zucchini thin, sprinkle salt on it, and let it sit for 30 minutes to release the water. Then blot it with towels or paper towels to remove the water.  You might be able to, depending on your preference, skip the first tip in order to make the casserole faster. I did. But keep in mind this will give you a little more juice in your sauce. Which we prefer.  Either way I would roast the sliced zucchini. This will keep your zucchini noodles from becoming soggy!

Making Your Own Marinara Sauce

I have included how to whip up a quick marinara sauce for this recipe. Most of the time I like to make mine from scratch because I usually will have fresh ingredients on hand, and it tastes better. However, it is also delicious with a store bought marinara sauce and I have done this a few times in a pinch. For this reason I have included the alternative in case you find yourself with a little extra time to do the extra step, and would like to make a more from scratch meal. 

What You Will Need

11 X 7 baking dish (casserole dish)

Medium saucepan

Large bowl

Sharp knife

​Cookie sheet (to dry out the zucchini slices)

Aluminum foil (optional)

Large skillet

Immersion blender (if making homemade sauce)

Ingredients for Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

5 medium zucchinis

3 1/2 pounds ground beef (can be substituted with ground turkey or ground chicken)

2 cups Parmesan cheese shredded

2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded

15 ounces of ricotta cheese

36 ounces of marinara sauce (if not making it from scratch)

Salt to taste

Fresh basil (optional)

6 ounce can of sliced black olives

(Optional-if not using STORE BOUGHT) Ingredients for Making Your Own Pasta Sauce

​1 tsp of salt plus more for salting the zucchini

3 12oz cans of chopped tomato 

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon of butter

1 whole yellow onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Dash of black pepper (optional) 

Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce Recipe

Drawing out the Moisture From the Zucchini

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise into ¼ inch slices. Thin slices will cook faster than thick slices, so cook time may vary.

Place sliced zucchini on a large baking sheet.

Sprinkle salt on zucchini.

Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake zucchini for 20 to 25 minutes until soft.

This will also help to draw out excess moisture.

Making the Marinara Sauce

While the zucchini slices are baking, make the marinara sauce (if making from scratch, otherwise jump to making the meat sauce) and cook the ground meat.

Place butter in the sauce pan and heat on medium heat.

Sauté the onions and garlic, until almost translucent.

Add 3 cans of whole stewed tomatoes in a sauce pot.

Add Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Use an immersion blender to blend sauce thoroughly.

Simmer for about 5 minutes.

Making the Meat Sauce

Place the ground meat in a large skillet on medium heat.

Cook the ground beef completely.

Salt the ground beef to taste.

Add the pasta sauce to the ground beef.

Stir until it is thoroughly incorporated.

Add salt to taste.

Putting Together the Zucchini Casserole

Once the sliced zucchini has baked and is cool enough to handle, line the bottom of the casserole dish with a thin layer of homemade meat sauce. Then line the slices of zucchini going in the same direction.

Add a couple of spoonfuls of sauce to cover the zucchini, then place a couple of spoonfuls of ricotta cheese on top, spreading it across the sauce. 

Sprinkle some shredded parmesan on the ricotta filling.

Then, add the sliced black olives across the creamy ricotta cheese. 

Add another layer of zucchini, this time placing it in the opposite direction. For example, if your first layer was placed horizontally, then your next layer will be placed vertically, alternating there after, all while adding the meat sauce, then the cheeses, then the black olives.

Continue with this pattern until you are out of zucchini strips.

Make sure you save enough sauce to cover the last layer of zucchini noodles.

Then, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella to the top.

Baking the casserole

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. If not golden brown after the 30 minutes, then turn the broiler on and roast the dish for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has browned.

(You can place a piece of foil on the bottom rack to catch any of the casseroles’ drippings while it is baking.)

Place on a baking rack to cool.

Place fresh basil leaves on top and serve.

Enjoy!

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