zucchini lasagna bolognese

hi there!

let’s talk about lasagna!

maybe your mom makes the best, or your grandma is the keeper of the secret family recipe, maybe it’s your best friend’s aunt who whips up the winning recipe – however you know it, you know one thing: NOTHING beats homemade.

this recipe is not a classic! but rather, a left turn at skinny jean town and into the noodle-less world.

yep, you heard that right.. there are no noodles hiding underneath all that gooey cheese + meaty bolognese.. zucchini are the star of the show this time around!

promise me one thing, i don’t want you going into this labor of lasagna love thinking that i am trying to trick you into thinking zucchini taste like noodles!

oh, no.

the zucchini veer you from the carb highway + instead, send you on a more scenic route.. think of it as though you’re taking a more relaxed route, if you will.

they’re like the loosey goosey cousin of the sturdy lasagna noodle, ya know?

in the recipe you will notice that we roast up the zucchini first. after some internet research, many comment reads + countless clicks, i have found that this is the most successful method for removing the excess moisture – as best as possible.

but zucchini is what it is! so while we do take that extra step, your result will still wind up a bit looser that the traditional.

..that’s when the garlic bread comes in! to sop up the sauce + build a bologenese tower atop of.

with the indulgence of a dish like lasagna, i like that there are fun options to switch it up a bit! and the zucchini does just that!

while the spinach + ricotta mix richly shines among the boasting bolognese – the zucchini brings tons of moisture + leaves you guilt-free for grabbing that extra piece of crusty garlic bread or that extra glass of red wine!

lastly, the bolognese recipe i have listed below is best made a day in advance! like any good ~~gravy~~ red sauce – letting it slow simmer while the flavors marry, truly delivers the best results!

so i suggest to think ahead! or make the most of a day-off!

doing so will also keep your lasagna fire lit – sometimes the simmering, the mixing, the layering and the ~~standing at the stove while hangrily holding a fork~~ baking can be a bit time consuming.

so help yourself + your patience threshold out.. i pinky promise that the end results of this zucchini lasagna will even impress the keeper of the classic recipe!

zucchini lasagna bolognese

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Cook time

2 hours 15 mins

Total time

2 hours 15 mins

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

bolognese sauce:

1lb hot italian sausage
1lb ground beef
½ yellow onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
28oz can of diced tomatoes
12oz tomato paste
½ cup red wine
3 tablespoons cane sugar
1 ½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
kosher salt + freshly ground pepper, to taste

zucchini lasagna:

6 large zucchini
12oz shredded mozzarella cheese
grated parmesan, to taste for garnish
fresh parsley, chopped to taste for garnish

ricotta-spinach filling:

16oz part-skim ricotta
1 egg
4 cups of baby spinach, wilted
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
kosher salt + freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

bolognese: please note- the sauce can be made ahead of time! i like to let mine simmer for a few hours, refrigerate + then assemble with the lasagna on a different day!

in a large cast iron dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the onion, garlic, italian sausage + ground beef. you want to use your spoon to break up the meat into crumbles + let it cook until browned.
once browned, add in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, sugar, basil, seasoning, salt + pepper.
simmer, covered, for at least an hour {the longer the better!}. stirring occasionally.

zucchini lasagna:

while that is simmering, cut your zucchini into thick strips - lengthwise. place the zucchini onto a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt + bake for 10 minutes.
in a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients listed underneath ricotta mix. set aside.
after the zucchini have roasted, place them onto a paper towel to blot off the excess moisture.
in a square baking dish, start your layering process with ⅓ of your bolognese mixture. spoon it onto the dish + evenly spread to create a base layer.
then layer on the zucchini slices, it is okay to layer them overlapping onto eachother, this will create a stronger base. lay the zucchini until a single layer has been formed.
next, dollop on ⅓ of your ricotta mixture, spreading into an even layer covering the zucchini.
then, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
repeat the layers - sauce, zucchini, ricotta + mozzarella - two additional times, ending with mozzarella as the top layer. then top with the grated parmesan in last layer!
cover the baking dish with aluminum foil + bake for 45 minutes.
after 45 minutes, remove the foil + turn the heat up to 350º. bake an additional 15 minutes + turn to broil at the end, if necessary to obtain a bubbling cheese crust!
remove from the oven + let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
serve alongside crusty garlic bread for dipping + enjoy!

when cutting the zucchini – take your time! the thicker your slices, the better they will hold up. i found that i needed about 2 large zucchini for each layer.. but trust your own judgement depending on how large of veggies you have!