This high protein Zucchini Lasagna packs 34g of protein and only 318 calories per slice! A healthy, low carb comfort food dinner the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This zucchini lasagna recipe has been on iFoodReal for over 10 years. Before cottage cheese became all the hype, I was already making this zucchini lasagna higher in protein and lower in fat.
It’s perfect for family dinners and I turn back to it every zucchini season. Here is why you’ll love it too:
- High in protein: With 34 grams of protein per slice, this zucchini lasagna is a satisfying meal that keeps you full for hours. You can also make my zucchini lasagna rolls instead.
- Low carb: My traditional cottage cheese lasagna is more carb loaded. Here we swapped pasta for zucchini and used lean ground turkey to keep it under 320 calories without sacrificing that classic comfort food feel.
- It has cottage cheese: By blending cottage cheese, you get a creamy, ricotta-like texture with a much higher protein-to-fat ratio.
- Kid-approved: Just like my chicken zucchini casserole, it’s so flavorful that even “zucchini-hating” kids and picky eaters will ask for seconds!
Reader’s Review
I made it with both zucchini and yellow squash, ground turkey, and cottage cheese. Everyone loved it!
Patsy
Ingredients for Zucchini Lasagna
Here are the healthier ingredients you will need for this zucchini lasagna recipe! Find exact measurements below in the recipe card.
- Zucchini: Look for straight green zucchini or yellow squash. If you have patty pan squash, slice it and layer to overlap. These act as our low-carb “pasta” sheets. By salting them, we ensure the lasagna stays firm and holds all that high-protein goodness together.
- Lean ground turkey: I recommend 93% or 99% lean ground turkey. It’s a massive protein source that keeps the saturated fat low compared to traditional ground beef. You can also use ground chicken.
- Cottage cheese: My favorite high-protein swap! It replaces ricotta to lower the calories while significantly boosting the protein. But you can use ricotta cheese which yields more authentic lasagna flavor.
- Egg: A simple way to add 6g of protein while helping bind the cheese layer so your slices stay neat.
- Spinach: Either a box of fresh spinach or frozen spinach that needs to be thawed. Adds fiber and micronutrients without adding bulk.
- Tomato sauce: Low sodium plain tomato sauce from a can or crushed tomatoes. Marinara sauce may be used, but omit other spices.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese: These provide that classic melty cheese layer and extra protein. I recommend freshly shredded for the best melt!
- Spices: Dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. You can also use Italian seasoning instead and add red pepper flakes for heat.
- Quinoa: A “superfood” addition that helps absorb any excess moisture while adding a touch of plant-based protein and fiber.
How to Make Zucchini Lasagna
Traditional flavors and a crowd pleasing meal starts right here! It’s all about the layers for this vegetable zucchini lasagna.
- Prep zucchini: Use a mandoline to slice zucchini into 1/8-inch sheets. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 30 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Cook meat sauce: Brown ground meat in a skillet for about 5 minutes. Stir in spices, tomato sauce, and sweetener; simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside.
- Wilt fresh spinach in batches in the same skillet. If using thawed spinach, squeeze liquid well. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
- Make soft cheese mixture: Combine cottage cheese with egg and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and puree with an immersion blender until smooth consistency. It makes a huge difference.
- Dry zucchini: Thoroughly pat zucchini slices dry with paper towels as you transfer them to another dish or baking tray.
- Assemble layers: In 9×13-inch baking dish, add a few tablespoons of tomato meat sauce, spread with a spoon and sprinkle with quinoa. Place layer of zucchini overlapping a bit. Spread 1/3 of tomato meat sauce, then 1/3 of ricotta mixture, sprinkle with 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/3 of spinach. Repeat until ingredients are used.
- Bake: Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake at 375 degrees F covered with aluminum foil or silicone lid for first 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing to allow the lasagna to set.
How To Make Zucchini Lasagna Less Watery
- Salt: Place sliced zucchini in a single layer and sprinkle with salt, repeating with remaining zucchini. Set aside for 30 minutes. Salt will pull away moisture from zucchini making less watery casserole.
- Paper towels: Line large baking sheet with double layer of paper towels. Right before assembly, we pat dry each zucchini layer with paper towels transferring to another dish. You want to absorb moisture between each zucchini layer as much as possible.
- The quinoa hack: Quinoa sprinkled on the bottom of the pan will help absorb extra liquid during cooking. Don’t worry about liquid while baking. Once squash lasagna rests for about 20 minutes you will see there will be much less liquid left.
- Grill: You can grill sliced zucchini before assembling to help remove water and “dry them”. To do so, cut them a bit thicker.
But overall, I personally think, it’s OK to have more juices at the bottom of the dish. It makes for extra delicious sauce that doesn’t make a veggie lasagna soggy like it would traditional lasagna. So I think it’s even better to have more sauce at the bottom!
More Expert Tips
- Mandoline slicer: While you can use a knife, a mandoline ensures even 1/8-inch thickness so every layer cooks at the same rate. Safety first: Always wear a cut-resistant glove!
- Protein-packed cheese layer: For the best texture, puree your cottage cheese with an immersion blender before mixing it with the egg. It becomes indistinguishable from ricotta but with much better macros!
- Large garden zucchini: Scoop out the seeds of oversized garden zucchini before slicing to avoid the extra-watery center.
- Turkey baster hack: If you still see liquid in the corners after baking, don’t panic. Use a turkey baster to suction it out before the 20-minute resting period.
How to Store
Store: Leftover zucchini lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. It is already baked, settled and lost all its extra moisture. Just place in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Freeze? I don’t recommend it. Zucchini is 95% water, and freezing breaks down its cell structure. When thawed, it often turns mushy and releases all its liquid at once. It’s much better enjoyed fresh or kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you try, please let me know in the comments!
Yes. To make ahead, assemble and refrigerate tightly covered with plastic for up to 24 hours. Before baking you can remove extra water accumulated at the bottom of the dish with a turkey baster. Let ceramic or glass dish warm up on the counter for about 15 minutes before baking.
No! Keeping the skin on helps the “noodles” hold their shape and provides extra fiber. Only consider peeling if you are using a very large garden zucchini with a thick, bitter skin.
You can use a sharp chef’s knife to slice them as thin as possible, or a wide vegetable peeler to create thinner “ribbons.” If using ribbons, you may need to double-layer them to create a sturdy base.
Other Pasta Recipes to Try
More Zucchini Recipes
Check out this list of 45 healthy zucchini recipes for even more ideas!
Zucchini Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 5 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8" thick slices
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for frying
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, + more for zucchini
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar, honey or maple syrup
- 2 x 14 ounces cans tomato sauce, low sodium
- 11 ounces box fresh baby spinach, or 1 package frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed
- 15 ounces tub cottage cheese, or ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons quinoa, uncooked
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
Prep zucchini slices:
- Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/8" thick slices. Line large baking sheet with double layer of paper towels.
- Place sliced zucchini in a single layer and sprinkle with salt, repeating with remaining zucchini. Set aside for 30 minutes. Salt will pull away moisture from zucchini making less watery zucchini lasagna.
Make meat sauce, cheese and spinach fillings:
- In the meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium-high heat, swirl oil to coat and add ground meat. Cook for 5 minutes, constantly breaking into small pieces and stirring. Add 1 tsp oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
- Add tomato sauce and maple syrup; stir, bring to a boil and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Return skillet to medium heat, add spinach in batches as it starts to wilt, stirring in between. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
- In a medium bowl, add ricotta cheese, egg and 1/2 tsp oregano. If using cheese with large curds, puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Set aside.
Assemble lasagna:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Now it’s finally time to assemble zucchini lasagna.
- Pat dry each zucchini layer with paper towels transferring to another dish. You want to absorb moisture between each zucchini layer as much as possible. Using your hands squeeze as much liquid as possible from spinach and set side.
- In 9" x 13" baking dish, add a few tablespoons of tomato meat sauce, spread with a spoon and sprinkle with quinoa. Place sliced zucchini overlapping a bit to create a single layer. Spread 1/3 of tomato meat sauce, then 1/3 of ricotta cheese mixture, sprinkled with 1/4 of mozzarella and 1/3 of spinach.
- Repeat until you run out of ingredients finishing with a layer of zucchini, topped with a bit of meat sauce, then sprinkled with remaining mozzarella and all of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake covered with aluminum foil or silicone lid for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Cut into 8 slices and serve hot.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight glass container for up to 5 days. I would be hesitant to freeze it as squash consists of 95% water & isn’t a good vegetable to freeze and thaw. You can try!
- Make ahead: Assemble and refrigerate tightly covered with plastic for up to 24 hours. Before baking you can remove extra water accumulated at the bottom of the dish with a turkey baster. Let ceramic or glass dish warm up on the counter for about 15 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is there anything I can substitute quinoa with? It seems I’m intolerant to quinoa (my stomach can’t seem to digest it!) and can’t consume it for that reason.
Sure. You can skip it all together or use breadcrumbs or oats. It’s there just to soak up the extra juices.
Loved this recipe. It was easy to follow, the video was awesome and tasted delicious! Thanks Olena!
Awesome to eat and you are so welcome, Natalie.
Olena — forgot to add to my last review. Feel free to amend it. The zucchini was better than eggplant lasagna I’ve made b/c it is a bit “el dente”, which gives the recipe just the right texture; it’s a closer and better replacement in texture for lasagna noodles.
I see. Makes sense.:)
Thanks for another great, low carb recipe Olena! I of course had to mess with it to reduce carbs further. I used ground flax seed for the thickening agent (replacing the quinoa), and replaced honey with Truvia. I also added sauteed onion and mushroom in with the spinach for additional veggie count and flavor.
My whole family loved it – rare. This is going in my every day recipe book for reuse, as it’s a great all-in-one dish.
So happy to hear, Mary Ann.:)
I absolutely love this recipe! I would really like to be able to make it ahead for a larger family dinner. Olena have you or anyone else tried freezing it yet?
Don’t!!!:) It is gonna be a watery mess. Make it ahead and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Would love to see the #’s on this one before I decide to make it.
In the recipe card.
This dish was amazing – I had a lot of zucchini and love low carb, so gave it a try-AWESOME!!! Delicious!!! Also, had never used quinoa before. I will definitely make this again.
That is so awesome to hear. It is a restaurant quality meal.
Excellent flavor. Very satisfying!!
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bonnie!
I have to be honest in saying I miss having pasta sometimes, but this lasagna turned out excellent!
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe, Alice!
I enjoyed the lasagna. It was soupy even though I had squeezed the heck out of the zuc. The flavor was quite good.
Side note: I use a mire pax in my cooking a lot. It is an easy way to sneak in some veggies. I added my left over zuc. In my more pax of onion, carrots, and celery in a meat sauce tonight.