Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Three Cheeses

This zucchini lasagna swaps the noodles for thin planks of zucchini that get salted and roasted before they go into the dish. You still get beef and onion marinara, a ricotta and parmesan layer, and a lid of browned mozzarella, all baked in a 9×13 pan that serves 8. It suits anyone who wants a full pan of lasagna without boiling pasta, and anyone with a garden that keeps handing over zucchini.

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What goes into zucchini lasagna

• 4 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise thin, salted and roasted 10 minutes
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 24 oz marinara
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella

Why the zucchini gets salted and roasted first

Zucchini is mostly water. Layer it raw and that water leaks out in the oven, pools under the cheese and thins the sauce until every slice slumps on the plate. The recipe puts it plainly: skip this step and you get lasagna soup.

Salting draws moisture to the surface of each plank, and the 10 minutes of roasting drives a good share of it off before assembly. When the planks come out they should look a little limp and slightly dry on top, with no puddles around them. If you see beads of liquid on the pan, blot the planks with a paper towel before layering. Slicing thin matters too. Thick planks hold more water in the center and take longer to soften, while thin ones bend into the corners of the dish like real noodles.

Keep the meat sauce thick

The beef is browned with the onion and garlic before the marinara goes in, which means the sauce starts with cooked, flavorful meat instead of raw beef steaming in tomato. Let the beef take on some real color in the pan. A sauce that looks spoonable and hearty, not runny, gives the layers something to grip. Since the zucchini will still release a little liquid during baking, a thicker sauce leaves room for it.

How to layer and bake it

• Heat the oven to 375F.
• Brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic, then stir in the marinara.
• Stir the ricotta, egg and parmesan together for the ricotta mixture, holding back a little parmesan for the top.
• In the 9×13 baking dish, layer zucchini, ricotta mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella. Repeat until you have three full layers, keeping some mozzarella aside.
• Finish the top with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan.
• Bake 35 minutes. Rest 15 minutes, then cut.

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If you would rather skip layering noodles altogether, our crockpot lazy lasagna uses frozen cheese ravioli and cooks on LOW for 4 hours.

Still have zucchini left after this lasagna? Turn them into buffalo zucchini bites for game day.

The 15 minute rest is part of the recipe

It is tempting to cut into the pan the moment the cheese stops bubbling. Wait the full 15 minutes. During that rest the egg in the ricotta finishes setting, the mozzarella firms slightly and the sauce settles between the zucchini layers. Cut too soon and the squares slide apart; cut after the rest and they lift out with clean edges, which is how this pan holds its shape on the plate.

A sharp knife and a flat spatula help. Score the whole pan into 8 pieces first, then lift each one out from a corner.

Serving it and saving the leftovers

A square of zucchini lasagna is a full plate on its own, with beef, three cheeses and a vegetable already inside. If you want something on the side, a crisp green salad or a plate of sliced tomatoes keeps things light against the rich layers. Garlic bread works too if your table is not avoiding bread.

Let leftovers cool, then cover the dish or move the pieces to a lidded container and refrigerate. Cold zucchini lasagna is easier to cut than warm, so if you want neat portions for lunches, slice it after it has chilled. Reheat individual pieces until hot all the way through; a few extra minutes are better than a cold center, since the ricotta layer is dense.

If zucchini is piling up on your counter, our zucchini cannelloni with ham and mushrooms rolls the same kind of planks around a filling, and the zucchini mozzarella tomato gratin is a lighter bake for a weeknight. For snacking, try the crispy parmesan zucchini slices or a batch of crispy zucchini fritters .

Zucchini lasagna questions

How do I slice zucchini lengthwise thin without a mandoline?

Trim the ends, then cut a thin strip off one long side so the zucchini lies flat on the board. Use a long sharp knife and slice parallel to that flat side, keeping the planks as even as you can so they roast at the same speed.

What does the egg do in the ricotta?

It binds the ricotta and parmesan so the cheese layer sets in the oven instead of oozing out when you cut. That is a big part of why the slices stand up after the rest.

Why is my zucchini lasagna still a bit watery?

Usually the planks were cut thick, skipped the salt, or came off the pan still wet. A thin meat sauce adds to it. Blot the roasted zucchini, let the sauce cook down, and give the baked pan its full 15 minute rest before cutting.

How many people does one pan feed?

The 9×13 dish serves 8, which works out to two rows of four squares.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us