Zucchini lasagna is a fresh take on a classic comfort food dish. It’s loaded with veggies, but still has the rich flavors and scrumptious texture of a traditional lasagna. Top it off with some grated parmesan cheese and basil leaves, and you’ll have the perfect weeknight meal for the whole family.
Lasagna is comfort food that hits straight home. But for me, I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more vegetables and create healthier spins on classic recipes. Enter, this zucchini lasagna! It’s still got that hearty, cheesy lasagna flavor, but it’s a little lighter and veggie-forward.
I’m a big fan of transforming zucchini into almost anything, from zucchini noodles to zucchini bread. And this zucchini lasagna is similar to my zucchini noodle spaghetti bolognese, but in casserole form that works so well for family dinners (or meal prepping for the week). Oh, and did I mention you can freeze it? It’s a definite win for easy, weeknight dinners!
Zucchini Lasagna Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients for zucchini lasagna are pretty basic: zucchini, ground beef, pasta sauce, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, basil, and parsley. But there are a few small details to watch out for when it comes to texture and consistency. Let’s take a look:
- Small vs. large zucchini: Either size will work, just make sure you have about 2 pounds of zucchini which is about 5 small zucchini or 3 large zucchini.
- Part-skim vs. whole milk ricotta: Whole milk ricotta has a richer, creamier texture while part-skim will save you some calories and fat. Both work great, it’s up to you.
- Mozzarella vs. parmesan: I suggest using both! In this recipe, I mix the ricotta and parmesan together and grate the mozzarella on top. I love the variety of cheeses.
Helpful tip: The beauty of lasagna is that you can pack it with any thinly sliced vegetable such as mushrooms, spinach, onions, or eggplant. You can even slice pumpkin or sweet potato as alternating slices with the zucchini. The possibilities are endless!
How to Make Zucchini Less Watery
You may recall from my zucchini noodles post that zucchini is 95% water. That means when you cook it, it will naturally become watery. But if you’re looking to have a little less juice in your lasagna, I do have a few tips:
- Slice your zucchini into thinner slices: Thinner slices mean fewer zucchini, thus less water.
- Salt your zucchini slices: Salt helps to draw water out of the zucchini! Once salted, let them sit for 15 minutes before blotting dry (and removing some of that salt) with a paper towel.
- Grill to reduce the moisture: Grill the zucchini slices for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
Personally, I don’t mind if my zucchini is a bit more watery. I just scoop out a portion of lasagna with a spatula with holes, which drains any water. But feel free to use the method that works best for you.
Lastly, note that this recipe also uses more zucchini than other zucchini lasagnas, as the slices are layered on top of each other. So it will come out a bit more watery than expected. I personally love biting into the chunks of zucchini, so my motto is the more the better!
How to Cut Zucchini for Lasagna
You can use a mandoline, peeler, or vegetable sheet cutter. But because many people don’t own a vegetable sheet cutter, I’m showing you how to cut your zucchini using a mandolin or a peeler today. I prefer a mandolin because it allows me to control the thickness of my zucchini. Plus, I find it to be faster and easier than a peeler.
How To Make Zucchini Lasagna
Slice the zucchini lengthwise. If you’d like to make your lasagna less watery, use one of the tips above.
Make the bolognese sauce. In a large pan, cook the ground beef until it’s perfectly browned. Then, stir in the pasta sauce.
Make the ricotta mix. Stir together the ricotta cheese, parmesan, egg, and some salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
Add the first set of layers. First, spread some pasta sauce onto the bottom of the casserole dish. Second, layer zucchini slices on top. Third, add half of the bolognese sauce. Lastly, evenly spread half of the ricotta mixture, with sprinkles of grated mozzarella, parsley, and basil on top.
Repeat these layers one more time. Feel free to press down on your zucchini in the second layer to get it nice and flat. Then top the last zucchini layer with extra herbs and grated mozzarella.
Bake the lasagna. Cook it for about 40 minutes, then let it broil for 5 minutes to get a nice golden brown top. Garnish with whole basil leaves and serve!
Storage Tips
- To store for the week: Once the lasagna has cooled, place it in an airtight container. It will keep for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
- Freeze for later: This is one of my favorite freezer-friendly meals! I recommend pre-slicing the lasagna before storing individual portions in a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months.
More Zucchini Recipes
If you still have an abundance of zucchini, these zucchini recipes are the best of the best!
- Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread
- Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats
- Zucchini and Prosciutto Egg Muffins
- Baked Zucchini Fries
- Zucchini Noodle Caprese
I’m confident that this zucchini lasagna will instantly become a dinner favorite. Once you make it, let me know how it turned out in the comment box below!
Description
Video
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 24 ounces pasta sauce
- 15 ounce ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded parmesan regianno
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
- small handful fresh parsley and basil , chopped
Instructions
- Slice zucchini. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices, as thin or thick as you'd like. Set aside.
- Make bolognese. Add the ground beef to a large pan over medium-high heat. Finely break down the ground beef with a spatula and pan-fry until browned and no longer pink. Then, pour the pasta sauce on top (remember to reserve 1/2 cup) and stir together, then remove from heat.
- Make ricotta mix. In a medium bowl, make the ricotta mix by stirring together the ricotta cheese, parmesan, egg, salt and pepper.
- Add the first layers. Spread 1/2 cup of pasta sauce onto the bottom of your 9×13-inch casserole dish. Then add your zucchini slices on top of the pasta sauce. They can overlap or you can place them side-by-side.
- Add the secondary layers. Top the zucchini with 1/2 of the bolognese sauce, and evenly spread 1/2 the ricotta mix on top of that. Then, add 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and basil.
- Repeat these layers one more time.
- Finish the topping. Top the lasagna with a final layer of zucchini slices, a sprinkle of chopped parsley and basil, and 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Bake. Place the lasagna in the oven and cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Broil for a couple of minutes to get a nice golden top. Garnish with whole basil leaves and serve.
Lisa’s Tips
- I used store-bought pasta sauce (I love Rao’s) but if you’d like to make your bolognese from scratch, you can follow my bolognese recipe.
- This is the mandoline I love…and don’t forget to use cut resistant gloves as well. Your fingers will thank you!
- The casserole dish is 9×13 for those looking for exact measurements.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted September 2019, but updated to include new information.
This was utterly amazing. As someone who doesn’t like pasta this was a great alternative. I decided to do it the complicated way and made homemade hidden veggie sauce but it elevated it to another level. After cutting the zucchini I added salt to it and let it sit while I made the sauce and everything else and mine was not watery at all!
I made two and one is going in the freezer so let’s hope it holds well in the freezer !!❤️
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Glad the salt method worked out perfectly! Enjoy, Melissa.
I love lasagna, and I’ve had a lot of different types. I love this one! Full of flavor and healthier than most. My go to for Lasagna!
Hi Sandra – I’m so glad you’re loving this zucchini lasagna recipe!
Years ago (in the 70’s), I used zucchini to make lasagna & used the same ingredients. I had no specific recipe, I flew by the seat of my pants . I like it, my children liked it, but hubby missed the noodle. Today, he is concerned about his health, so, I plan on making your version this week.
Hi Peggy – I hope this recipe is reminiscent of the one you used to make way back when. Enjoy!
If I cut the recipe in half, will using a whole egg still work ok?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much for the recipe. Can I use 1/2 pasta sheets and 1/2 Zucchini slices for this recipe?
Thanks again!
Glenn
It’s zucchini season where I am, and this was the perfect recipe to use some up!
Mine was a bit more watery because I used tofu instead of ground beef, but like Lisa, I just use a slotted spatula to remove my portion.
Will definitely be making this again! Very flavourful and a great way to get more veggies in
Glad this recipe is coming in handy for prime zucchini season, Megan! It’s the perfect summer dinner to make this August.
This is a great recipe!! I made a couple of modifications. First, I accidentally added mozzarella into the cheese mixture, but it was so gooey and delicious, I’ll do in next time, too. Second, I added about a cup more sauce, just because I like sauce on my pasta dishes. This will be a regular go-to for us.
Happy to hear you’re loving this zucchini lasagna, Lisa!
Can we slice the noodles a few days ahead and how should I store them?
Hi Sherry – no, I don’t recommend slicing them ahead for this recipe.
My husband never loved Lasagna until now. He loves this. It is easy to make and extremely delicious. If I do not have ricotta cheese, I drain cottage cheese and use it.
Even my grandchildren cannot get enough of this, and it is actually good for them!
Thanks.
Happy to hear this zucchini lasagna changed his mind, Marilyn!
A delicious recipie. Perfect with green beans. The sauce is flavorful, the meat is hearty, and the zucchini is delicious. The only note I have is to invest in a mandolin because I used a peeler and the zucchini was a little thinner than I would have wished
Hi Gabrielle – Happy to hear you loved this zucchini lasgna! And yes, I highly recommend using a mandoline for this recipe to make slicing the zucchini a breeze.
Can I assemble the day before I bake it??
Hi Karen – yes, that should be fine. Just make sure to cover it in plastic wrap. Enjoy!
The taste was fantastic! But we had to eat it and soup dishes because it was so watery, Even after following the recipe. Maybe it depends on the zucchini? I thought about coatng the zucchini slices and flour next time but then that defeats the whole purpose of having a low carb meal.
What did I do wrong?
Hi Sue – even with the preparation methods I highlight, zucchini naturally contains a lot of water. So I just recommend scooping it up out of the dish with a slotted spatula, to allow any excess liquid to stay in the pan. That’s what I do. :) Enjoy!
Do I need to bake before freezing or can I freeze uncooked? Thank you
Hi Lucy – It’s best to freeze this after it’s cooked.
I made this but haven’t baked it yet? How many days would this be good for before I freeze it. Dinner plans go cancelled so that’s why I haven’t baked it yet.
Hi Pat – I’d recommend baking it right away, then just re-heating when your guests arrive. Hope you all enjoy it!
Great lasagna recipe. My family said no more pasta only zucchini. Salting the zucchini and waiting then blotting all the water out made for perfect dish. Love the flavor. I made two 9×9 and froze one for future.
Happy to hear both you and your family enjoyed this zucchini lasagna recipe, Melinda!
Really good. I drained the meat and used paper towels to dry the zucchini. I put a lot of zucchini. It was very good. So glad I tried it. :)
Wonderful! Glad your lasagna turned out great, Brenda.
I cannot believe how great this turned out! My bff and I are doing a KETO diet together and we’re sharing recipes. This is the best dish I’ve made since we started this little journey. I didn’t have fresh grated Parmesan so I used the kind in the bottle and it still turned out great! Thanks!!!!
Glad your zucchini lasagna turned out perfectly, Leslie! This recipe is a great addition for a keto diet.
Looks so so so delicious!!😁. I am looking forward to trying it.
Enjoy, Carolyn!
Delicious recipe! Make it often and is always a hit. I started making it because my daughter has celiac disease. Needs little tweaking for her. She requests it often. Thank you!
Happy to hear your daughter can enjoy this delicious zucchini lasagna, Lisa!
Yikes I covered mine. It produced tons of liquid.
Yes, you definitely don’t want to cover this dish when baking. Now you know for next time. :)
This recipe is so simple and easy to make! Love it so delicious! We just started a garden a few years ago and always get an over abundance of zucchini so had been looking for some recipes to use. Thank you for this fabulous one!!!
What a great way to make use of your zucchini garden! Can’t wait for you to make this again come summer, Kathy.
This turned out great and hubby loved it. I had a hard time gauging how much salt to put in the ricotta mixture as it can’t be taste tested raw. Would love a salt measurement to go by. Luckily I was able to eyeball it okay.
Glad you both enjoyed this zucchini lasagna, Liz! I’ll be sure to make note of the salt amount.
Liz, I usually taste test the ricotta before adding the egg. I use between 1/2 and 3/4 tsp of salt — depends on the saltiness of the grated parmesan.
I’ve made it twice. Super good recipe! Here are my changes: I don’t do the third top zucchini layer, just the bottom two just with more. I want a cheesy, saucy top! And I do half ground beef, and half hot Italian sausage. So good!!!
I love the addition of Italian sausage in the mix! Otherwise, glad you’re enjoying this zucchini lasagna recipe, Max.
This has been an absolute hit in our house! Even my daughter who doesn’t like zucchini will devour this. Although it says “not watery”, it actually is a bit watery. I was able to lessen that a bit this time by letting my zucchini slices sit between layers of paper towels to absorb some of the water in them while making the other parts and it definitely made a difference. This is one of my favorite recipes to share with others!
It will naturally be a bit watery due to the water content of zucchini, but there are definitely ways to reduce it (I have a few ideas written in the post). Enjoy, Jess!
This was so yummy! Will definatly make again. Made it exactly except I saw different recipe that put the zucchini slices on paper towels, lightly salted them, let them sit for 10 mins, then patted them dry. I did that and mine wasn’t watery at all. 🙂
Thanks for that unique tip! Glad you enjoyed this zucchini lasagna recipe!
I was a little sceptical, not of your delicious recipe but rather my cooking skills. Happy to say that this lasagna was a delight to make & eat. It’s a real lasagna experience. Will be making it many more times in the future. Thank you for sharing!
Wonderful! I’m so thrilled you loved the recipe, Anne.
I was just wondering I was going to make it this weekend but do you cover it when you put it in the oven or do you leave it uncovered it looks delicious thank you
Hi Janis – you can leave this uncovered while it bakes in the oven. Enjoy!
In the first part where it tells you to slice the zucchini, it say’s to pre- heat oven to 400° I didn’t have the correct tool so my zucchini is a mishmash of sizes and thickness. I will let your u know how they came out after we eat. It looks delicious if not a little mess. Be right back!
Should this be covered when Baking?
Hi Joleen – no, you don’t need to cover it.
This was delicious. Only reason for 4 stars is that yes, it is a bit watery. I sauteed onion & garlic first, then added ground Italian sausage & ground beef. Also used Vittorio brand marinara.
Great (and delicious) way to enjoy lasagna in a light way! Also a great way to use the abundant zucchini that grow every summer!
Hi Gia – I’m happy to hear you loved this zucchini lasagna!
Absolutely fabulous, I think I liked it better than pasta lasagna!,
Wonderful! Happy to hear you’re loving this zucchini lasagna, Cheri.
I’ve done this lasagna several times and I’m never tired of it. Just follow the instructions about the zucchini carefully so you don’t end up with a watery lasagna, it’s really good! And if you like so much the zucchini as me you can serve some zucchini noodles aside the lasagna haha just for fun.
Happy to hear you’ve enjoyed this zucchini lasagna so many times already, Ana!
I have made this several times. It is amazingly good. The texture is great and it doesn’t get too water like some other veggie lasagne I have made. It’s a winner!
Hi LaVae – Thrilled to hear you’re loving this zucchini lasagna!
Excellent
This lasagna was absolutely delicious. I did slice the zucchini thinner and sprinkled it with a little salt to reduce the liquid, and it worked perfectly.
Happy to hear your zucchini lasagna turned out perfectly, Gina!
Can I prepare zucchini lasagna one day & bake the next!
Hi Barbara – You can always make the bolognese sauce and ricotta mixture ahead of time, and store them separately. Then just assemble before baking. Enjoy!
Yes, I did that for meal prep this week. It came out delicious! I did add a little bread crumb to my ricotta mix to soak up any extra liquid but if you are low carb I’m sure there are substitutes for bread crumbs that would work. We just wanted a healthier week night option. We also did slice thin, salt, and grill the zucchini before assembly. Makes enough for 4 people (2 nights of dinner this week for two of us).
This was so delicious and really very easy. Thank you for sharing. I will definitely make this again
Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this zucchini lasagna!
I love this zucchini recipe, and I love zucchini, so eager to try all the recipes.
It was super delicious, and I had a good batch to freeze, and look forward to tasting it again.
I never followed any water elimination protocol, but Instead added thinner potato slices thinking that the water would be absorbed, and also fulfill my man who LOVES potatoes.
Also I was able to use all veggies from my garden, which is an xtra bonus.
What a great idea to toss in a layer of potato slices in this lasagna!
Can I make this lasagna ahead and bake couple hours or next day
I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR ZUCCHINI FRITTERS. THANK YOU FOR THE LOVELY RECIPE. I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE THIS LASAGNE IN MY AIR FRYER. WOULD YOU BE SO KIND TO LET ME KNOW THE TEMPERATURE I NEED TO USE AND FOR HOW MANY MINUTES PLEASE. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL. ALL YOUR RECIPES ARE FANTASTIC!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this zucchini lasagna, Angela!
I guess we’re not going to get a temperature out of her…. I’m going for 315 (low side to be safe), then convect broil on the bottom rack.
In the first part where it tells you to slice the zucchini, it say’s to pre- heat oven to 400° Cook time is 40 to 45 minutes and under the broiler to brown, I don’t remember how long but I’m sure not more than a few minutes, that’s at the end of the recipe.
It tasted good although it was watery despite following instructions on how to prevent it. My question is how big of a piece of the lasagna are the nutritional facts good for?
This recipe makes 12 servings, so I would divide the slices into 12 squares and go from there.
I am a student starting my last year of college and can confirm that Lisa’s recipes have saved me throughout my degree. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while juggling many assignment is not easy, but recipes like this Zucchini lasagna make it very easy and enjoyable. I love making it on Sundays and eating throughout the first half of the week. It’s comforting to know that once I arrive home I can enjoy a hot meal that brings me back to my childhood but in a healthier way. For the first time ever I made my family this recipe to say goodbye bf school and safe to say they enjoyed it just as much as I do every time I cook it. It makes me very happy to say that from now on, we’ll have this lasagna together in the distance every Monday. Food and Downshiftology certainly has brought us even closer ;)
Thanks Isabel for the lovely review! Happy to hear this zucchini lasagna and many other Downshiftology recipes have benefited your life in so many ways.
Can this recipe be frozen?
Yes, it can!
Really good lasagna! Easy and delicious. Ours was watery though. Even so, it was still delicious and still worthy of making time and time again.
Glad you enjoyed this zucchini lasagna! I have a few tips written in the post to prevent your lasagna from being too watery.
This zuchini lasagna is absolutely amazing. My husband and I loved it. And we are going to love the leftovers.
I am gluten intolerant and have never liked lasagna. Zuchini lasagna is such an unexpected treat.
We used 1 lb. of beef and 1 lb of italian sausage, which I though gave it wonderful flavor. We an’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thank you.
Thrilled to hear you and your hubby are loving this zucchini lasagna, Shelly!
I made this for dinner last night. We loved it! I already had all of the ingredients and it was so easy to make! I’ll definitely make it again.
Thrilled to hear you loved this zucchini lasagna Diane!
I am making this tomorrow. So excited to use my home grown veggies!
Getting ready to make this dish, and I’ll be using ground turkey.
Would it work to use 1 lb. instead of 2?
Also, do I need to rinse the salted zucchini and then dry, or is blotting them enough?
Thank you!
Love it, thanks!
Happy to hear you’re loving this zucchini lasagna, Beverly!
I LOVED THIS!! MY HUSBAND- NOT SO MUCH- more for me!! Will absolutely make it again-healthy, flavorful,easy and delicious!!
My Australian Shepard,who is the pickiest eater EVER, loved it too. Not saying it should be dog food, I have fed him everything including Farmer’s Dog and NomNom- he will not touch it-Occasionally he will eat a few bites of deli roast beef. But he wanted as much of this as I would give him and that never happens!
More zucchini lasagna for you to enjoy, Sandra!