Just about everyone these days has tried spiralizing, the act of taking a long zucchini and turning it into soft curly noodles, or zoodles as they're often called. But did you know that you can turn zucchini into other kinds of noodles as well? And that zucchini takes the place of lasagna noodles perfectly? It's true, and the recipe that follows proves it.
Long, thin slices of zucchini are simply swapped in for lasagna noodles in a traditional meat and cheese lasagna. As they cook, they become soft and delicious, delivering all the taste of lasagna you love without any of the carbs and few of the calories. It's nutrition and yumminess at their very best!
Zucchini Lasagna with Ground Beef
Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups spaghetti sauce
4 zucchinis, sliced into long slices about 1/4" thick
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
2. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the ground beef, breaking it up as you do. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes until no longer pink.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the beef and stir. Cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and set aside.
5. Spoon an even layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish.
6. Lay several slices of zucchini over the sauce, covering the bottom of the dish.
7. Place half of the beef mixture over the zucchini slices.
8. Spread 1 cup of ricotta cheese over the beef mixture, and spoon some spaghetti sauce over top.
9. Lay more zucchini slices over the ricotta cheese, making sure to cover all of the cheese. Spoon more spaghetti sauce over top of the zucchini.
10. Layer remaining half of beef over the zucchini slices and sauce. Spoon remaining cup of ricotta cheese over top, spread evenly, and drizzle with more spaghetti sauce.
11. Place the last slices of zucchini over the ricotta cheese and sauce, and spread spaghetti sauce liberally over top.
12. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the surface of the lasagna.
13. Place casserole into the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until zucchini is soft, the entire casserole is hot and bubbling throughout, and the cheese on top has melted and is beginning to brown.
