Description
Layered zucchini lasagna combines classic Italian comfort with low-carb innovation. Tender vegetable slices replace traditional pasta, creating a lighter, healthier meal without sacrificing rich, savory flavors you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (340 grams / 12 oz) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (100 grams / 3.5 oz) parmesan cheese, grated
- 15 ounces (425 grams / 15 oz) ricotta cheese
- 3 cups (710 milliliters / 24 fl oz) marinara sauce
- 9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced into strips
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh basil, chopped (to taste)
- Black pepper, freshly ground (to taste)
Instructions
- Zucchini Preparation: Salt and drain zucchini strips on paper towels for 15 minutes to eliminate excess moisture, ensuring a robust and non-watery lasagna texture.
- Dish Preparation: Grease a 13×9-inch glass baking dish with olive oil and garlic, then layer oven-ready lasagna noodles to create a foundational base, covering the entire surface completely.
- First Flavor Layer: Spread marinara sauce evenly across noodles, then strategically place ricotta cheese dollops, creating pockets of creamy richness throughout the initial layer.
- Cheese Integration: Generously distribute Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses over ricotta, providing a multi-dimensional dairy profile, then carefully arrange zucchini strips across the cheese landscape.
- Herbal Enhancement: Sprinkle fresh basil leaves and cracked black pepper to elevate the aromatic complexity, then repeat the layering sequence twice to build depth and intricate flavor dimensions.
- Baking Process: Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, allowing ingredients to harmonize and cook thoroughly, melding flavors and textures.
- Finishing Touch: Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until the surface transforms into a golden, effervescent masterpiece with crisp, caramelized edges, then rest for 15 minutes to stabilize structural integrity before serving.
Notes
- Moisture Management: Salt zucchini strips generously and let them sit with paper towels to prevent excess water, ensuring a perfectly textured lasagna without sogginess.
- Flavor Layering: Build depth by spreading marinara sauce evenly and creating small ricotta cheese pockets for a rich, creamy taste experience.
- Cheese Combination: Mix Parmesan and mozzarella for a complex, melty cheese profile that enhances overall dish complexity and creates a golden, bubbling top.
- Resting Period: Allow lasagna to sit for 15 minutes after baking to help layers set, making it easier to slice and maintain structural integrity when serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg