Zucchini Lasagna For One
This single serving zucchini lasagna is a low-carb dinner made from scratch, with thin slices of zucchini in place of the noodles. It's layered with a seasoned meat sauce and three cheeses, then baked until the top is golden.
Servings: 2 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 8 ounces ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt - plus ¼ teaspoon more for salting the zucchini to draw out the moisture
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ¾ cup tomato sauce - divided
- ¾ cup Ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese - divided
- ¾ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese - divided
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips. Lay them on a cutting board, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and let sit 10 minutes to draw out moisture. Start the meat sauce while the zucchini rests.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef, Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink.
- Stir in ½ cup of the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.
- Pat the salted zucchini strips dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, stir the ricotta together with 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of the remaining tomato sauce over the bottom of a greased 5x5-inch baking dish. Add a layer of zucchini strips.
- Spread the meat sauce over the zucchini, then the ricotta mixture, and ½ cup of the mozzarella.
- Top with a final layer of zucchini, the rest of the tomato sauce, the last ¼ cup of mozzarella, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of Parmesan.
- Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly browned.
- Let the lasagna rest 5 to 10 minutes before cutting so the layers set.
Notes
Slice the zucchini thin and even. A mandoline gives you uniform slices that cook at the same rate and layer flat. Hand-cut slices work too, just aim for consistent thickness so some pieces don't stay firm while others go soft.
Salt and dry the zucchini before layering. This is the step that keeps the lasagna from turning watery. Salt pulls moisture to the surface, then patting the slices dry takes it away before it can pool in the dish as it bakes.
Grill for even less moisture. Salting handles most of it, but if you want the layers drier, grill the salted slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side before assembling. This pulls out more water and adds a little char.
Match the dish to the layers you want. A 5-inch square dish gives you one layer of filling between the zucchini. For an extra layer, use an 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pan instead.
Let it rest before serving. Give the lasagna 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven before you cut into it. It firms up as it sits, so the slices hold together instead of sliding apart.
If doubling the recipe, double the ingredients and use a 6x8 inch baking dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 988mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 868IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 501mg | Iron: 4mg
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