Zucchini Lasagna

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!

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Wilt fresh spinach in batches in the same skillet. If using thawed spinach, squeeze liquid well. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
4. 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.
5. Dry zucchini: Thoroughly pat zucchini slices dry with paper towels as you transfer them to another dish or baking tray.
6. 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.
7. 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.

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!

Other Pasta Recipes to Try

• Instant Pot lasagna
• One pot lasagna
• High protein baked ziti
• Chicken lasagna roll ups

More Zucchini Recipes

• Zucchini tomato bake 
• Zucchini casserole
• Chicken parmesan zucchini skillet

Check out this list of 45 healthy zucchini recipes for even more ideas!

4.96 from 64 votes

Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

By: Olena Osipov

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.

Prep: 40 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Resting Time: 20 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

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Equipment

• Baking dish
• Mandoline

Video

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 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

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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.

🎉 Last step! If you made this recipe, please leave a review and let us know what you think!

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

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 318kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 860mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @ifoodreal or tag #ifoodreal!