Mom's Zucchini Lasagna (not watery!)
When your garden (or neighbor) blesses you with more zucchini than you know what to do with, this is the recipe to pull out. Mom's Zucchini Lasagna (non-watery!) is hearty, comforting, and doesn’t turn into a soggy mess. This zucchini lasagna skips the noodles, keeps all the cozy vibes, and works whether you’re eating low-carb or just trying to use up the bounty of your garden.
Equipment
- Large skillet or sauté' pan for cooking the meat sauce
- Meat chopper optional
- Colander to drain meat
- Cutting board to prep veggies
- Sharp knife to cut veggies
- Vegetable Peeler or Mandolin To make zucchini noodles
- Paper towels to blot excess moisture from zucchini noodles
- Mixing Bowl for ricotta filling
- Measuring cups and spoons for measuring ingredients
- 9x13 baking pan for baking lasagna
- Spatula or wooden spoon For stirring the sauce or spreading the layers
- Aluminum foil (optional) for tenting lasagna if needed if burning
- Lasagna Server
Ingredients
Mom’s Zucchini Lasagna (Non-Watery!)
Red Sauce:
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 can 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
Zucchini Noodles
- 3 medium zucchini
- Salt for sweating
Ricotta Cheese Filling
- 1 lb whole milk ricotta 16 oz container
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (50g) shredded Parmesan
- ½ cup (50g) shredded mozzarella
- ½ tsp black pepper
For Layering and Topping
- 1 1/2 cups (150g) shredded mozzarella
Instructions
Step 1. Make the meat sauce:
- In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Add ground beef and 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Brown the beef, breaking it up into crumbles. Drain off the fat in a colander, then return to the skillet.1 tsp avocado oil, 2 lbs ground beef, 2 tsp sea salt
- Add onion and garlic, and sauté until softened (about 2–3 minutes). Stir in the oregano, thyme, basil, tomato paste, and tomato sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Set aside.1 white onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 can 6 oz tomato paste, 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
Step 2. Prep the zucchini “noodles”:
- Wash and trim the ends of the zucchini. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, slice thin ribbons starting ¼ inch in from the end (discarding skin and seedy core). Lay the strips out on a paper towel-lined surface. Sprinkle generously with salt and let sit for 10 minutes to sweat. Blot with additional paper towels to remove moisture.3 medium zucchini, Salt
- This step is critical if you want to avoid a watery lasagna.
Step 3. Make the Ricotta cheese filling:
- In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, mozzarella, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and uniform.1 lb whole milk ricotta, 1 large egg, ½ cup (50g) shredded Parmesan, ½ cup (50g) shredded mozzarella, ½ tsp black pepper
Step 4. Assemble the lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9x13” (23x33cm) baking dish.
- Gather your red meat sauce, zucchini "noodles", ricotta cheese filling, and additional mozzarella cheese.
- Layer 1 1/2 -2 cups of the red meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Add 2 layers of zucchini noodles over the top. Layer 1/2 of the ricotta filling over the noodles, and smooth to the edges. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella.1 1/2 cups (150g) shredded mozzarella
- Repeat this entire layering process again as pictured below, but top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese to finish off the lasagna.
Step 5. Bake the Zucchini Lasagna
- Bake lasagna uncovered for 50 minutes. If top becomes too brown, cover with foil and complete bake time. If you a more browned top to the cheese, broil at 350°F for 5-8 minutes to brown the top. Watch very closely to avoid burning! Remove when finished and allow to cool.
- Let lasagna rest 15 minutes before slicing.
- Yields 8-10 servings
Notes
How to Store:
- Refrigerator- Store leftovers in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- Freezer: Cool completely, then freeze in portions or whole. To reheat from frozen: thaw in fridge overnight and bake at 350°F (175°C) covered with foil for 30–50 minutes, until hot. Serve! Keeps well in freezer for up to 3 months.