Description
Enjoy a comforting and delicious lasagna without the carbs! This noodle-free recipe uses thinly sliced zucchini instead of pasta, layered with rich meat sauce and creamy cheese. It’s a perfect weeknight meal that satisfies your lasagna cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the chopped onion until the beef is no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the zucchini. You can lightly grill or bake the zucchini slices for a few minutes to remove some moisture, or use them raw.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, beaten egg, grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
- Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange a layer of zucchini slices over the sauce.
- Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the zucchini.
- Sprinkle about a third of the mozzarella cheese over the ricotta.
- Repeat the layers: meat sauce, zucchini, the remaining ricotta mixture, and another third of the mozzarella cheese.
- Top with the remaining meat sauce and the rest of the mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the zucchini is tender.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce.
- If you prefer a milder zucchini flavor, you can salt the sliced zucchini and let it sit for 20 minutes, then pat it dry before using.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers to the meat sauce.
- This dish can be assembled ahead of time and baked when ready.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: Approximately 350-450 kcal (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Sugar: Approximately 8-12g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Sodium: Approximately 800-1200mg (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Fat: Approximately 20-30g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Saturated Fat: Approximately 10-15g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Unsaturated Fat: Approximately 10-15g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Trans Fat: Less than 1g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 15-20g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Fiber: Approximately 3-5g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Protein: Approximately 25-35g (this is an estimate and can vary)
- Cholesterol: Approximately 80-120mg (this is an estimate and can vary)