Zucchini Lasagna

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut zucchini into long 1/8 inch thick planks using a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife, reserving any slightly thicker slices for the bottom layer of your lasagna.

Step 2

Sprinkle each zucchini plank with salt and let them sit for 10 minutes to release water while you prepare the cheese layer.

Step 3

To prepare cheese layer, combine ricotta, shredded mozzarella, minced garlic, Italian herb seasoning, eggs, black pepper, and 1 tsp sea salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. ***

Step 4

Dab zucchini slices dry with a clean cloth or paper towels. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets (I used and lightly mist zucchini with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes to help dehydrate them slightly. (This is an important step if you don’t want extra juicy lasagna!)

Step 5

Remove zucchini from oven and set aside.

Step 6

In a large skillet, break apart ground Italian sausage with a spatula and cook until browned. (I did not have any extra oil in my pan, but if you do, you’ll want to strain it off.)

Step 7

Add jarred sauce and tomato paste to the browned Italian sausage and stir together to combine. The tomato paste helps thicken the sauce, which is very important for this recipe if you want to avoid a watery lasagna.

Step 8

Spoon a few spoonfuls of the finished sauce into the 9x13” baking dish and spread around to cover the bottom. On top of the sauce, begin adding layers of zucchini, overlapping strips halfway to form a barrier to keep layers separate (just as you would with noodles!)

Step 9

Then, add a layer of cheese mixture, another layer of zucchini, another layer of cheese, and a layer of sauce— repeating this order until your lasagna pan is full. Sprinkle more cheese on top, if desired. ****

Step 10

Bake for 35-40 minutes, broiling for 3 min at the very end to lightly brown the cheese on top. Let your lasagna cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parsley or basil if you have some on hand. Enjoy!