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Home » Recipes » Main Courses » Meat Lover’s Zucchini Lasagna: Big Dish of Low-Carb Heaven

Meat Lover’s Zucchini Lasagna: Big Dish of Low-Carb Heaven

Published January 19, 2015. Last updated July 26, 2022 by Judy Purcell 20 Comments

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Meat Lover's Zucchini Lasagna is low-carb and gluten-free, but full of all the flavor you long for in a great lasagna.

Oh, the cheese—that golden brown, melted goodness laminating the saucy, meaty pan of comfort and joy. Vegetable? Wait, no pasta? Nope.

Not a pasta dish; it’s Meat Lover’s Zucchini Lasagna.

A low-carb lasagna loaded with meat and cheese. Meat Lover's Zucchini Lasagna has all the flavor without the pasta.

Why meat lovers? Because vegetable noodles are crazy enough, right?! According to my husband, no less than two pounds of meat would be acceptable.

Although, for the less carnivorous, it would be fabulous as a vegetarian dish without the meat.

Zucchini stands in for layers of pasta tucked between layers of cheese and meat for amazing low carb comfort food.

A complete meal in one baking dish.

So you’ve spent the last hour (or more) making lasagna, and now you realize you should probably toss a salad.

Not a big deal because you have a few minutes while it bakes, but what if the vegetables were already in there and it truly was a one-dish meal?

Like any lasagna, the layering comes together pretty fast once the prep is done. But then, there’s that prep, which is why I like that it’s a complete meal by the time it’s all layered and baked.

This way, you save the salad and the effort.

lasagna in a baking dish cooling on a cutting board

Naturally gluten-free zucchini “noodles” make healthy choices easier.

Swapping the zucchini for the noodles means enjoying the flavors you love while breaking away from the carb overload common with lasagna.

No, we are not on a low-carb diet. We don’t diet at all. As I explain on my Food Philosophy page, healthy eating is a lifestyle of (daily) good food choices, not food fads.

We always try to incorporate more vegetables in our meals deliciously, and this recipe hits the mark.

zucchini sliced for lasagna in a pan with sauce

How to slice zucchini for lasagna

Zucchini is remarkably easy to slice when you stand it up as you would slice kernels from an ear of corn. It’s easy enough to slice, but it does require a little prep before layering.

High in water content, fresh zucchini must be salted to draw out moisture, so the lasagna isn’t too sloppy, which is easy to do while prepping the other ingredients.

Once it goes into the oven, you’ll have time to light a few candles and pour some wine—savoring your time as much as the meal itself.

lasagna ready for the oven

More Savory Zucchini Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Italian-Style Stuffed Zucchini
  • Parmesan & Herb Zucchini Sticks
  • Basil Pesto & Zucchini Noodles
  • Alfredo Sauce for Zucchini Noodles
  • Zucchini Sticks with Marinara
  • Vegetable Tian
A serving of Meat Lover's Zucchini Lasagna makes a complete meal in one dish. Deliciously low-carb and gluten-free.
Meat Lover's Zucchini Lasagna fresh from the oven! You'll love this low-carb casserole that has all the flavor and none of the pasta. Gluten-free.
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Meat Lover’s Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini stands in for layers of pasta, tucked in between layers of cheese and meat for amazing low carb comfort food.
Prep Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Judy Purcell
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Ingredients

  • 1 small garlic bulb roasted
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 pounds zucchini (1 1/2 x 8-inch)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage browned and crumbled
  • 1 pound hot Italian sausage browned and crumbled
  • 16 ounces sliced mushrooms
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese  (about 1 lb)
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 
  • 32 ounces spaghetti sauce (any favorite, thicker is better)
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Instructions

  • Roast garlic by cutting the top of the bulb off, exposing the tops of the garlic cloves (reserve trimmed garlic tips — about 1 teaspoon, minced);
  • place bulb in a small oven safe dish, drizzle enough oil over garlic bulb to coat the top and surface; roast in oven at 375° for 30-40 minutes until garlic is fragrant, lightly browned, and soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool until easy to handle.
  • To remove the roasted garlic from the bulb, squeeze the bulb at the bottom releasing the cloves out the cut end — cloves should pop right out. Coarsely chop and mix with the mushrooms, once cooked. Reserve any remaining oil from the roasted garlic to grease the baking pan.
  • Trim ends from squash, then slice a sliver off one side to create a flat side. Stand squash up on a cutting surface like an ear of corn and carefully slice the squash lengthwise along the flat side into 1/8″ slices, running a knife just inside the original trimmed edge to create flat, wide “noodles”.
  • Lay out squash on a paper towel lined pan, sprinkle with salt, and let set 30 minutes to sweat. Once garlic is roasted, increase oven temperature to 400°F. Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Once browned, mix the two types of sausage together and set aside. Using the fat from the sausage (add oil if needed), cook the mushrooms and garlic over medium heat until the mushrooms are wilted and release their moisture.
  • Transfer mushrooms to a paper towel lined bowl and toss with roasted garlic. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Rinse zucchini and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange zucchini on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
  • Mix the ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and nutmeg until well blended. Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan and 2 cups of the mozzarella.
  • Lightly grease a 9×13 pan and layer with 2/3 cup sauce, zucchini, half the sausage, half the mushroom and roasted garlic, 1/2 the basil, 1 cup mozzarella, and all the ricotta mixture.
  • Continue to layer with 2/3 cup sauce, remaining zucchini, sausage, mushrooms and roasted garlic. Top with 1 1/2 cup sauce, 2 cups mozzarella, and remaining basil
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

This lasagna will release more liquid than lasagna made with pasta. Serve with crusty French bread to soak up every drop.

Nutrition

Calories: 813kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Cholesterol: 200mg | Sodium: 2128mg | Potassium: 1278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1770IU | Vitamin C: 34.5mg | Calcium: 674mg | Iron: 4.1mg
Learn how to make this and all recipes even easier!Check out our Monthly Meal Prep System!

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Filed Under: Gluten Free, Italian, Lower Carb Favorites, Main Courses, Recipes Tagged With: comfort food, lasagna, Zucchini

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    Rating




  1. David Flatt says

    November 8, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe! I made a few adjustments, but it worked because the basic recipe ie just really good! Thank you Savouring Today!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      November 9, 2018 at 6:22 am

      You’re welcome! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know how it worked for you — that makes my day! I would love to know your adjustments, it’s often helpful to those looking at the recipe too. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  2. April J Harris says

    August 10, 2017 at 5:53 am

    5 stars
    What a wonderful recipe, Judy! I love how you’ve combined all the classic lasagna flavours with healthier zucchini instead of noodles. I know my family will love this. Thank you for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul. Pinning and sharing around. Hope you are having a lovely week!

    Reply
  3. Pati says

    April 26, 2015 at 9:19 am

    5 stars
    My husband loves lasagna! We have also embraced alternatives to pasta by spiraling zucchini with that going over well. This will be perfect for this rainy and cold spring day.

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      May 6, 2015 at 3:06 pm

      I know, right?! Love the vegetable swap for the pasta. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Mandy says

    January 27, 2015 at 7:17 am

    So pleased to hear I am not the only non diet person – moderation I say.
    What a fabulous lasagna Judy – great idea using zucchini instead of lasagne sheets. We used to get the biggest and most wonderful zucchini when we lived in Mauritius – now I can only find the small ones.
    Have a happy day.
    🙂 Mandy xo

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 27, 2015 at 4:43 pm

      Thanks Mandy, it is a fab lasagna. Happy day to you too!

      Reply
  5. Raymund says

    January 23, 2015 at 3:14 am

    5 stars
    Wow look at that delicious thing! I want to have some big slice now 🙂

    Reply
  6. John@Kitchen Riffs says

    January 20, 2015 at 10:39 am

    Good dish! I love a pasta lasagna, but I’ve played with veggie versions too. Zucchini (and yellow squash) work really, really well. Love the idea of standing zucchini up like an ear of corn to slice it. Never thought of that, but I’ll definitely be trying it. Very clever. Or is that cleaver? 😉 Thanks.

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:09 pm

      Ha! Yes, more clever than cleaver. 😉 You’re right, yellow squash works just as well.

      Reply
  7. Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says

    January 20, 2015 at 7:26 am

    5 stars
    I LOVE this idea. I like lasagna a lot and my hubs doesn’t eat much with pasta in it at all. I think this is a winner for us both.

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:10 pm

      Thanks Maureen, it’s that the trick, to find a compromise (and get them to eat what we like)? 😉

      Reply
  8. Brenda says

    January 20, 2015 at 7:11 am

    5 stars
    Judy, you have inspired me to make venison italian sausage just so I can use it in this recipe! Brenda

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      Ooh, venison Italian sausage would be great!

      Reply
  9. Jocelyn says

    January 20, 2015 at 6:11 am

    This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      Thanks Jocelyn, I hope you do and let me know how the kids like it. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Bam's Kitchen says

    January 20, 2015 at 5:33 am

    5 stars
    Ohh delicious! Mouth is watering over here. My boys were just asking for a lasagna so this will be perfect. Love those photos your tomatoes are so vibrant and beautiful.

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      Thanks Bam, the recipe really is more ideal for hungry boys — It took Matt and I several days to finish off this big pan!

      Reply
  11. mjskitchen says

    January 19, 2015 at 8:43 pm

    Does that look good or what? This lasagne could easily become the gateway to becoming a vegetarian! Happy New Year Judy!

    Reply
    • Judy Purcell says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:14 pm

      Ha! Except for the 2 lbs of sausage my hubby insists on … but you’re right. Happy New Year to you too, MJ. 🙂

      Reply
Judy from Savoring Today

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