🍝 Zucchini Lasagna with Italian Sausage & Ground Turkey
Prep: 25 min | Bake: 40–45 min
Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
Zucchini “Noodles”
- 4–5 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into thin strips
- 1 tsp salt (for sweating)
Meat Sauce
- ½ lb Italian sausage (mild or hot, casings removed)
- ½ lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Cheese Layer
- 1½ cups ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp dried parsley or basil
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Topping
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the Zucchini (No Soggy Lasagna!)
- Lay zucchini slices on paper towels.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Let sit 15–20 minutes, then pat dry really well.
(Optional extra step: roast zucchini at 400°F for 8–10 min to remove even more moisture.)
2️⃣ Make the Meat Sauce
- In a large skillet, brown sausage and turkey over medium heat. Drain excess fat.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in marinara, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer 10 minutes.
3️⃣ Mix the Ricotta Layer
In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan, herbs, and black pepper.
4️⃣ Assemble
- Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- In a greased 9×13 dish:
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce
- Add zucchini strips (overlapping)
- Spread ricotta mixture
- Add meat sauce
- Sprinkle mozzarella
- Repeat layers 2–3 times, finishing with mozzarella on top.
5️⃣ Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes
- Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing (key for clean layers)
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Extra protein: Use cottage cheese instead of ricotta
- Spicier: Hot Italian sausage + extra red pepper flakes
- Low-carb/keto: Check marinara for added sugars
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance
🧊 Storage
- Fridge: 4 days
- Freezer: up to 2 months (freeze before baking for best texture)
If you want, I can:
- Convert this to a crockpot version
- Adjust macros for meal prep
- Or give you a white-sauce zucchini lasagna
