Description
This light and healthy Zucchini Lasagna replaces traditional pasta with thinly sliced zucchini noodles, layered with a savory ground turkey and cheese mixture, and baked to perfection. A great low-carb alternative that doesn’t sacrifice flavor, perfect for a family-friendly dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Zucchini Noodles
- 5 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick noodles
- Salt, for zucchini noodles
Meat and Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 1 lb ground turkey (93/7 lean)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce (jarred)
Cheese Mixture
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 cups shredded lite mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Prep Zucchini and Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch thick noodles and salt them liberally. Let the slices sit for 10 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to prevent sogginess.
- Brown Meat and Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the diced onion until softened and translucent. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Stir in the minced garlic last and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Make Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, fat-free cottage cheese, grated Parmesan, large egg, salt, black pepper, dried oregano, and fresh chopped basil. Stir in the cooked turkey and onion mixture until well blended.
- Layer Lasagna: Spread ½ cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Begin layering by adding a layer of zucchini noodles, spread another ½ cup of marinara sauce over the noodles, dollop and spread half of the cheese and turkey mixture, then sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat these layers again with the remaining ingredients.
- Bake and Broil: Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese on top is browned and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let the lasagna cool for 15 minutes. Drain any excess liquid before slicing and serving to maintain the best texture.
Notes
- Slicing the zucchini into consistent ¼-inch noodles helps achieve even baking and a good texture.
- Salting and drying the zucchini noodles is essential to remove excess water to keep the lasagna from becoming watery.
- Ground turkey can be substituted with lean ground chicken or beef based on preference.
- If fresh basil is unavailable, you can increase dried oregano by 1 teaspoon to boost herb flavor.
- Use part-skim cheeses to reduce fat content while keeping a creamy texture.
