Last updated on April 19, 2021
Who doesn’t love lasagna.. Seriously. It’s a top-shelf comfort food, no doubt. When trying to lighten things up cauliflower and zucchini become the Swiss Army knives of faking rice and pasta and the starchy carby friends we tend to lessen in our recipes.
One of the challenges with zucchini is all the water that resides in those rascals. Zucchini noodles, whether they be in spaghetti-ish form or as a flat noodle can turn the best culinary efforts into an unsatisfying soupy shit-show which only makes you want to grab a mediocre Stouffer’s frozen lasagna with a mess of garlic bread and go to 2k calorie comfort food city, which ironically, is near Guy’s Flavortown I am told.
Anywhozers… there’s a way to avoid that pitfall. Some will say to salt the zucchini and let them sit for a while. Sure, that will get you partly there, but taking the extra 30 minutes to par-cook the sliced zuch’s in the oven will yield a much better product and a supremely more satisfying final dish. Sure, it’s a little work but it is a full-on game changer.
So, without further ado, here’s my take on zucchini lasagna.
Turkey Zucchini Lasagna
Equipment
- Mandolin
Ingredients
- 5 Medium Zucchini
- 1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
- 32 oz 93/7 Ground Turkey
- 16 oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
- 2 Cups Part Skim Shredded Mozzerella Cheese
- 1 tbsp Italian Herb Mix – Dried Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Parsley
- 2 tsp Fennel Seed
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flake or more if you like it spicy!
Instructions
“Noodle” Prep
- Set your oven to 275
- Cut the ends off the zucchini
- Set your mandolin to process 3/16 inch slices and CAREFULLY slice the zucchini into strips
- Season on both sides with salt and pepper and the Italian herb mix
- Place on a rack on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. You want the zucchini to mostly dehydrate but you don't want jerky
Cheese Prep
- Mix the ricotta with salt pepper, garlic and the Italian herb mix
Meat Sauce Prep
- While the zucchini dehydrates, brown the turkey and season well with salt, pepper, garlic, and the Italian herb mix
- Once the turkey is browned, drain and mix with the spaghetti sauce
Assemble the Lasagna
- Bump the oven temp up to 375
- Spray a 9×13 cooking dish with cooking spray
- Layer your ingredients as follows: Meat and sauce, Ricotta, Shredded mozzarella, Zucchini
- Repeat one more time
- Leave enough meat/sauce to cover and then top with shredded mozzarella
Bake
- Cover a sheet pan with foil
- Place the baking dish on the sheet pan
- Take another piece of foil and spray the shiny side with cooking spray
- Place it on top of the baking dish
- Place it all in the oven for 40 minutes, removing the foil after 30.
- After 40 minutes, if the lasagna is bubbling and the mozzarella on top is melted and browning you are good to go.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
