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Zucchini Lasagna with Ground Beef

Zucchini lasagna with ground beef swaps noodles for tender roasted zucchini planks layered with a thick meat sauce and a creamy ricotta layer. Bake it until the mozzarella top is golden and deeply browned, with visible sauce at the cut edge for a hearty slice.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
resting 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini
  • 4 large zucchini Sliced into thin planks for the lasagna layers.
  • 1 tsp salt For sweating.
Beef Sauce
  • 2 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion Diced.
  • 4 clove garlic Minced.
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds Optional.
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt Salt and pepper to taste.
  • 0.25 pepper Salt and pepper to taste.
Ricotta Layer
  • 2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 0.33 cup parmesan Grated (use 1/3 cup).
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 0.25 salt Salt and pepper.
  • 0.25 pepper Salt and pepper.
Mozzarella Top
  • 3 cup mozzarella Shredded, divided.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep zucchini
  1. Salt the zucchini planks and let them rest for 20 minutes to draw out moisture; keep them in a single layer so the liquid sweats evenly.
  2. Pat the zucchini very dry, then roast on a sheet pan at 425°F for 12 minutes to prevent a watery lasagna.
Make the beef sauce
  1. Brown the ground beef with the diced onion in a cast iron skillet until the beef is no longer pink.
  2. Drain excess fat, then add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes, then simmer for 15 minutes until thick.
  4. Season the beef sauce with salt and pepper to taste and set it aside while you assemble.
Mix ricotta layer
  1. Mix ricotta with the egg, grated parmesan, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
Assemble and bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 dish.
  2. Assemble the lasagna by spreading beef sauce on the bottom, layering zucchini planks, adding ricotta, then beef sauce and mozzarella.
  3. Repeat the layers, then end with beef sauce and mozzarella on top for a browned finish.
  4. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 40 minutes.
  5. Uncover and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until the mozzarella is golden and the top is deeply browned.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the lasagna for 15 minutes before serving so the layers hold together when sliced.

Notes

Roast-sweating the zucchini is the key to avoiding a watery bake—patting dry matters as much as the 425°F roasting time. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; reheat individual portions in the oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because zucchini can release water when thawed. If you want a dairy-light version, swap part-skim or reduced-fat ricotta and use a reduced-fat mozzarella blend.