This gluten-free and low-carb Turkey Zucchini Lasagna is made of layers of thinly sliced zucchini, an herby ricotta layer and a delicious and flavorful turkey meat sauce. It’s also packed with healthy veggies and freezer friendly!
For another great zucchini recipe idea, check out these Zucchini Burger Boats! You’ll love these Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats too.
Why this Recipe Works
- Instead of the white flour noodles of traditional lasagna, this recipe uses long slices of zucchini.
- By pre-salting the zucchini you draw out the excess liquid. No watery zucchini layers!
- Ground turkey, Italian seasoning and bubbly cheese make this every bit as delicious as the baked lasagnas you grew up eating. Maybe even better!
- Easy to assemble and pop in the freezer for convenient meal prep!
Loaded zucchini skins are a great swap out for their carb loaded namesake. You’ll love these!
Ingredient Notes
Zucchini. Slice the fresh zucchini with a mandolin lengthwise to create large “noodles”.
Marinara sauce. If using store bought, be sure to check the label to ensure no added sugars.
Mozzarella cheese. Or substitute for fresh grated Parmesan, Romano or a combination of your favorite Italian cheeses.
Ground turkey. Lean ground beef makes a delicious alternative if you prefer the taste!
Easy Instructions
First things first. Before making this lasagna you need to salt the zucchini.
Sprinkle kosher salt over the top of the zucchini slices. Top them with a slice of parchment paper and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the lasagna.
The salt helps draw the water out of the zucchini so it doesn’t get mushy as it bakes.
Next, make the sauce.
Cook onion, garlic and green peppers in a large pot. Add ground turkey and brown. Stir in the marinara sauce along with the fresh herbs.
Now, make the ricotta filling.
Saute the spinach and garlic, then add it to a mixing bowl with the remaining filling ingredients.
How to assemble zucchini lasagna:
Spread half of the meat sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange zucchini slices on top.
Spoon half the ricotta mixture over the zucchini. Then place the remaining meat sauce, zucchini and ricotta on top.
Finally, sprinkle the top of the lasagna with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
Tips and Tricks
- Use kosher salt for optimum results. The coarser grains are ideal for pulling moisture out of the zucchini.
- You can freeze this either before or after baking. Make sure to double wrap it in foil and freezer bags to maintain freshness.
- Garnish servings of lasagna with grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs! Serve with a green salad and Gluten Free Garlic Bread for a complete meal.
- Make sure you save room for dessert. No Bake Cheesecake Bars anyone?
Recipe FAQs
I recommend a mandolin for slicing zucchini here. A standard vegetable peeler works, too. Place the peeler at the top of the zucchini and run it downward to create long “noodles.” Make the strips as even as possible.
We LOVE Rao’s brand marinara. It has no added sugars but TONS of flavor. You can also make your own sauce with no added sugar using your favorite recipe.
Yes, I highly recommend this step. Without sprinkling the zucchini with salt it can get mushy and watery as it bakes in the sauce. Zucchini is high in water content, so drawing out some of the excess liquid helps tremendously!
I made this recipe in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Make sure it’s rimmed!
You can also use a disposable lasagna pan.
More No Sugar No Flour Meals
- Greek Chicken Kabobs
- Zucchini Casserole
- Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
- Roasted Radishes
- Baked Ranch Chicken
- Zucchini Rollups
Zucchini Lasagna
This gluten-free and low-carb Turkey Zucchini Lasagna is made of layers of thinly sliced zucchini, an herby ricotta layer and a delicious and flavorful turkey meat sauce. It’s also packed with healthy veggies, it’s freezer friendly and it’s not watery like some other zucchini recipes.
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini, sliced with a mandolin lengthwise
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
For the Filling
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place sliced zucchini on parchment paper and sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Place a second piece of parchment paper over the top of the salted zucchini. Let sit while you prepare the cheese filling.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- For the filling, saute spinach and garlic in large skillet over medium heat until the spinach has wilted. Remove from heat, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl. combine ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese, basil and parsley. Mix well, then fold in the spinach and garlic mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste (I do about 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper). Set aside.
- For the sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, green eppers and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add in ground turkey and cook and crumble until meat is no longer pink. Add marinara sauce, and fresh herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To assemble the lasagna, spread half the meat sauce onto the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Place the zucchini slices evenly, in a single layer over the meat sauce, spread half the ricotta mixture over the top then repeat with one more layer of meat sauce, zucchini, ricotta mixture and lastly sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes in a 375 degree F oven. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish with torn basil leaves, chopped parsley or grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salting the zucchini and allowing it time to dry helps remove some of the excess moisture, preventing your ravioli from being watery. You'll need about 15 slices of zucchini. You can use a mandolin or a standard vegetable peeler to thinly slice the zucchini into lasagna noodles. Carefully slice the zucchini the long way across the mandolin, or carefully slide your vegetable peeler the long way down the zucchini to create even strips.
- Be sure to choose a no added sugar marinara sauce. We love Rao's Marinara!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 329Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 576mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 29g
Juicy ground turkey, Italian flavors and a bubbly cheese topping. It doesn’t get any better than this low carb Zucchini Lasagna!
Donna
Monday 19th of September 2022
Very Good! Thank you for a satisfying and yummy recipe! My husband said, "please don't forget this recipe so you can make it again!" :-)