Print

Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna

This is a picture of Low-Carb zucchini Lasagna. Recipe at beneficial-bento.com
Print Recipe

Replacing the noodles with zucchini strips is the best thing to happen to lasagna! This easy to make casserole is loaded with a rich, meaty, tomato sauce, and ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses. A low-carb dieter’s dream come true 😀

Ingredients

Scale

For meat sauce:

  • 1  can of tomato puree, 29 oz.
  • 1 can of tomato paste, 6 oz.
  • 2 cloves of minced (or pressed) garlic
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 tsp. basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

For ricotta filling:

  • 1  container of low fat ricotta cheese, 16 oz.
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp . salt
  • 1/2 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/4 tsp . pepper or to taste

Other ingredients:

  • one large zucchini, or enough to equal about 1.5 pounds
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Use a wide vegetable peeler to peel long strips of zucchini that are similar in length to lasagna noodles. This is a great way to use those large zucchini that grow in the garden!
  2. Place the zucchini strips in a large bowl or dish, and sprinkle them with salt on both sides. This will draw out the moisture so they won’t make the lasagna too watery when it cooks, and it softens the zucchini so it has more of a noodle texture. Let them sit while you prepare the meat sauce.
  3. Make the meat sauce:
  4. In a big skillet or wide pan, brown the ground beef and the minced garlic on medium high heat.
  5. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, and a can of water ( from the tomato paste) or 3/4 cup of water.
  6. Add the spices and salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer while you make the ricotta filling.
  8. Ricotta filling:
  9. In a bowl, add ricotta cheese, eggs, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Mix well until ingredients are combined.
  10. Take the meat sauce off the heat.
  11. Assemble the lasagna:
  12. Rinse the salt off the zucchini strips and pat dry.
  13. Then lay down a layer of zucchini strips, overlapping them slightly.
  14. Next, add a few spoonfuls of sauce.
  15. After that, drop a few globs of ricotta filling, and sprinkle with mozzarella ( however much you like).
  16. Top with more zucchini, sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella, ending with a layer of sauce and a sprinkle of mozzarella on top.
  17. Cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook about 10 minutes more until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
  18. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes before eating, or a little longer. It gets more firm and easier to cut if allowed to cool a bit.

Notes

   If you want, you can put together the casserole and freeze it to bake at a future date if you pre-cook the zucchini a little bit before assembling the casserole. You can do this by covering the zucchini strips with water in a microwave-safe dish and cooking on high for 1 or 2 minutes. Drain and pat the zucchini dry, assemble the casserole, seal tightly with foil and freeze.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.beneficial-bento.com/2015/09/low-carb-zucchini-lasagna.html