Go Back

Zucchini Lattice Lasagna

Zucchini lattice lasagna with a woven green-and-yellow zucchini top and a bubbling meat-and-marinara filling. This Italian-American lasagna layers ricotta and mozzarella, then bakes until the lattice is golden and holds its geometric pattern.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

3 medium green zucchini
  • 3 zucchini (green) sliced lengthwise into very thin planks for lattice
2 medium yellow squash
  • 2 squash (yellow) sliced lengthwise into very thin planks for lattice
Meat Sauce
  • 1.5 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 24 oz marinara sauce (jarred) 1 jar
  • 1 onion small, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Ricotta Layer
  • 2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 0.25 cup parmesan, grated
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley finely chopped; amount may vary (use as desired), plus salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cup mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
  • 1 olive oil for brushing lattice
  • 1 extra parmesan for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x13 baking dish
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meat sauce
  1. In a Dutch oven, brown the ground beef (or Italian sausage) with the diced onion until the meat is cooked through. Drain excess fat, then stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Add marinara sauce and Italian seasoning, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.
Mix the ricotta layer
  1. In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, grated parmesan, chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper until smooth and evenly mixed. Set aside while you prep the baking dish and zucchini planks.
Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set it aside.
Assemble the lasagna base
  1. Spread a layer of meat sauce across the bottom of the greased baking dish. Add a layer of extra zucchini planks or lasagna noodles, then spoon on the ricotta mixture.
  2. Top the ricotta with more meat sauce, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the surface. Keep the top layer slightly covered so the lattice can be woven tightly.
Weave the zucchini lattice
  1. Lay alternating zucchini and yellow squash strips over the top in a tight lattice pattern, weaving them under and over each other. Continue until the entire surface is covered with a geometric weave.
  2. Brush the lattice with olive oil so the strips brown nicely, then sprinkle with parmesan. Make sure parmesan reaches the edges of the lattice for even color.
Bake and rest
  1. Bake at 375°F for 40–50 minutes until the lattice is golden and the filling bubbles around the edges. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
  2. Rest for 15 minutes before slicing so the lattice pattern sets and stays intact. Slice and serve warm.

Notes

For clean, tight lattice lines, slice zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into very thin, flexible planks and weave them before any moisture pools. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days; reheat covered in the oven at 325°F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the lattice zucchini can soften when thawed. For a lighter option, swap half the meat for extra-lean ground turkey and use part-skim mozzarella.