Jillene’s Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna

I don’t know about you, but I love zucchini! It’s delicious on it’s own, fried up in a pan with a little olive oil and garlic, and I’ve recently found out it goes well in chili! I follow a low-carb, keto, food plan and the last time I got a craving for lasagna… zucchini came to the rescue. Here’s my recipe for Zucchini Lasagna, which has all the delicious flavors of lasagna, without the guilt.

You’ll need…

1 lb ground beef
2-3 medium or large zucchinis
1 large diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
1 egg
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup mozzarella or Italian blend shredded cheese
15 oz. canned tomato sauce OR half a jar of marinara/spaghetti sauce of your choice
Parsley
Garlic powder or fresh garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by sautéing your onion and bell pepper with a little olive oil in a deep frying pan. Once veggies are soft, add ground beef and cook until done. While beef is cooking, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a slicer to slice your zucchini lengthwise (if you don’t have a slicer, slice it as even as you can). No need to peel zucchini. Lay the zucchini slices evenly on parchment paper on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. You’ll want to “dry” the zucchini in the oven for 10-15 minutes on each side to prevent excess moisture in the lasagna. You’ll know the zucchini is ready when they look a little ‘wrinkly’ and are starting to brown on the edges. When your beef is thoroughly cooked, drain, and then add your sauce. Simmer meat sauce until thickened (15-20 minutes). You’ll want the sauce to be pretty thick, again… to avoid excess moisture. While you’re waiting for zucchini in the oven and sauce to thicken, put 1 cup cottage cheese in a bowl, mix in 1 egg and a tablespoon or so of parsley and set aside.

When sauce is thick and zucchini is “dry,” it’s time to assemble your lasagna! In a baking pan, start with a layer of zucchini on the bottom. Then, add about half the meat sauce on top. On top of the meat, add a couple dollops of your cottage cheese/egg/parsley mix (or spread about half of it evenly – it’s up to you). Add the rest of your zucchini on top of the meat sauce/cottage cheese. Then, add the rest of the meat sauce on top of that, a few dollops of cottage cheese, and finally… top with mozzarella or Italian blend shredded cheese! Bake for about 45 minutes, or until cheese on top is golden brown. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think of the lasagna… or what else you love to make with zucchini! Email me at Jillene@magic98.com or connect with me on Facebook.