Description
A healthy and delicious Zucchini Lasagna recipe that uses thin zucchini noodles instead of pasta, layered with a flavorful ground turkey and cheese mixture, marinara sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. This low-carb, lighter take on classic lasagna is baked to perfection and finished under the broiler for a golden, cheesy top.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 5 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick noodles
- Salt, for zucchini noodles
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Meat and Dairy
- 1 lb ground turkey (93/7 lean)
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded lite mozzarella cheese, divided
Pantry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce (jarred)
Instructions
- Prep Zucchini and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch thick noodles. Liberally salt the zucchini noodles and let them sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels to prevent sogginess in the lasagna.
- Brown Meat and Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the ground turkey to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks, usually about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, fat-free cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and chopped fresh basil. Mix well, then stir in the cooked turkey and onion mixture until fully incorporated.
- Layer Lasagna: Spread ½ cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer zucchini noodles over the sauce, then spread another ½ cup marinara sauce evenly on top. Add half of the ricotta and turkey cheese mixture, followed by 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat these layers with the remaining noodles, marinara sauce, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella cheese to form a second layer.
- Bake: Place the assembled lasagna in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 45 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the zucchini to soften.
- Broil Cheese Topping: After baking, switch the oven to broil and broil the lasagna for 5 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top. Keep a close eye to prevent burning.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes before serving to allow the lasagna to set and excess liquid to drain away. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Slicing zucchini into thin noodles and salting them helps reduce moisture to prevent a watery lasagna.
- Using lean ground turkey keeps this dish lighter than traditional beef lasagna.
- You can prepare the meat mixture and cheese mixture a day ahead to save time on baking day.
- Make sure to pat the zucchini noodles dry thoroughly after salting for best texture.
- Baking then broiling gives the dish a nicely browned cheesy crust.
- Letting the lasagna rest before serving helps it to firm up for easier slicing.
