Zucchini Noodle Vegetable Lasagna

Gluten-free zucchini noodle vegetable lasagna. A way to enjoy lasagna without the pasta! Whether you’re trying to cut back on carbs or simply trying to sneak more veggies in your food, this is a way to pack your meatless dinner full of nutrients. 

This recipe is just a *bit* more complicated than my usual recipes, but let me explain. It’s still totally doable!

I’ve long wanted to make a zucchini noodle lasagna. Not like “zoodles” which are spiralized zucchini noodles (used in this zucchini and quinoa salad) but zucchini trying to pass as lasagna noodles.

The trick is getting the zucchini to be a bit crisp, and not soggy.

Because of this, and the fact that the rest of the vegetables are sautéed,  it is a meal that requires a couple more steps than I usually like.

But I’ll try to break it down for you as much as possible!

So, let’s start with the zucchini noodles. Unless you have a mandolin, which many people don’t like to use, just do your best at cutting them evenly and thinly.

1/8 inch slices if you can, but it’s better for them to be even than to be thin.

Otherwise some may burn (see picture below).

To remove some excess moisture, sprinkle those zucchini slices with salt and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Use paper towels to dab away extra water and salt, then LIGHTLY spray with olive oil (if you have spray cans, they help not to over-do it here).

Then bake for about 15 minutes at 450 until crisp. I also add a few minutes of broil time to the end of this but you have to remember to watch very carefully for burning!

ALSO – if you want to skip this pre-baking step, the lasagna will still be edible (though maybe slightly chewier). But the salt step is important!

Meanwhile, let’s make the rest of the vegetables!

The beauty of this dish is that besides the zucchini, you can use whatever other veggies you want. I sauteed mushrooms, bell pepper, spinach and onion.

You could also use yellow squash, broccoli, or even carrots.

Whatever you use, sauté until tender. Then you’ll mix in a jar (or 3 cups homemade) of marinara sauce. That’ll be one of the layers.

So we have zucchini slices, sauce and vegetables, and the third layer will be a mixture of ricotta and mozzarella cheeses with a couple eggs.

Then it’s a very similar layering process to my ziti recipe.

A little bit of sauce to coat the bottom of the pan, then half of the zucchini noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half of the sauce, then repeat. (Or cut it in thirds to make more layers.)

It’s okay if your zucchini slices don’t take up the whole pan (I went with the more layers option so the zucchini didn’t go as far).

I alternated where I put the slices on each layer so that every bite would have some zucchini.

(This picture below if before the final layer of sauce and shredded cheese.)

See all those beautiful vegetable layers!

The work is worth it – it’s packed with things that are good for you (plus some cheese, because obviously).