This Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna is a healthy and delicious alternative to normal lasagna that packs 30 grams of protein and only 12 grams of carbs and 8 grams of fat per serving!
This delicious, hearty recipe proves that you don’t need pasta or a heavy sauce to make a delicious lasagna!
I came up with my low carb zucchini lasagna for a potluck dinner with some of my friends, many of whom have diabetes like me. I knew there would be a lot of salad and light dishes, so I wanted something really tasty and satisfying.
I had tried a lot of “healthy” lasagna recipes before, but never found one I really liked. So I came up with my own! I love just mixing things up in the kitchen sometimes.
I made a huge batch to make sure there was enough for everyone. The whole thing was gone in a matter of minutes. That should give you a clue about how tasty this recipe is!
How to make low carb zucchini lasagna
This recipe requires a bit of prep time in order for the flavors to really flourish, but it’s definitely worth it. If the sauce is allowed to simmer on the stove for the full 25 minutes, it will bring a lot of yumminess to the beef and zucchini.
The process can be broken up into 4 major steps: preparing the zucchini, prepping the rest of the veggies, cooking the beef, and then assembling and baking the lasagna.
Here are the step-by-step detailed instructions:
Step 1: Use a julienne peeler to cut the zucchini into ½-inch (1 cm) slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Blot the zucchini slices with a paper towel. Either grill or broil them in the oven for 3 minutes at high heat.
Step 3: After grilling or broiling, place the zucchini on paper towels (you want to get as much of the liquid out as possible).
Step 4: Cut off the ends of the tomatoes and make an X insertion on top. Place in boiling water for a few minutes, then pour cold water over them and peel off the skin. Alternatively, you can use canned tomatoes.
Step 5: Roughly chop onions, garlic, chili, peeled tomatoes, and mushrooms.
Step 6: Add a little cooking spray to a deep skillet and fry the garlic, onion, and chili for 1 min.
Step 7: Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté the vegetables for an additional 4 minutes. Then take them off the heat and set aside.
Step 8: Cook the beef with the paprika in the same skillet you used for the veggies until fully browned.
Step 9: Add the vegetables back into the skillet, then add the chicken bouillon and remaining spices. Allow the sauce to simmer for 25 minutes over low heat.
Step 10: Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
Step 11: Line a small baking tray with parchment paper and use 1/3 of the zucchini to make a layer in the bottom. Put 1/3 of the meat sauce on top. Add another layer of zucchini and continue like this until you’re out of sauce and zucchini.
Step 12: Spread shredded mozzarella on top and bake for 35 minutes.
Step 13: Take the lasagna out of the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
That’s it! It may look like a lot of work, but it’s all very straight-forward. It’s easy once you get started!
I make this all the time for guests because it’s one of the easiest recipes to make for a lot of people.
Cooking with zucchini
Zucchini is an amazing pasta replacement! It’s so much better for you, and you almost don’t even realize you’re getting a serving of veggies.
Unfortunately, some people have had bad past experiences trying to cook pasta dishes with zucchini. Most of this has to do with the level of moisture.
That’s why the first 3 steps are focused simply on making the zucchini lasagna less watery!
First, by sprinkling on the salt, we start to draw the moisture out of the zucchini. We let that work for about 10 minutes, then blot the slices.
Next, grilling or broiling the veggie will help it release even more of its water. Finally, we set the slices on a paper towel to continue pulling out the moisture.
If you follow these steps, you won’t have to worry about a wet lasagna!
Low carb version of lasagna
Because this lasagna is low carb, some readers have asked if it is suitable for a ketogenic diet.
The answer is yes, but in moderation. Each serving has 12.3 grams of carbs and 3.6 grams of fiber, so 8.7 net carbs total. That’s fine for a meal, but you wouldn’t want to wolf down more than one piece.
As the recipe is written, each serving only has about 8 grams of fat per serving. For a keto version, I’d recommend adding some full-fat cheese!
Storage
I don’t recommend making this dish ahead of time, as it will only keep in the refrigerator for about a day. After that, the veggies start to get a little mushy.
If you make this recipe and find yourself with leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within the next day or two.
Other healthy low-carb recipes
Looking for a few more yummy dishes that you can easily make for a crowd (or all for yourself)? Here are a few of my favorites:
Or you can check out my roundup of the best healthy dinner recipes for diabetics.
When you’ve tried this recipe, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Low Carb Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 16 oz. ground beef, (92% lean)
- 2 medium zucchini
- 4½ oz. onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 serrano chili
- 3 tomatoes
- 5½ oz. mushrooms
- ½ cube Knorr chicken bouillon
- ½ cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- Salt & pepper
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Use a julienne peeler to cut the zucchini into ½-inch (1 cm) slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Blot the zucchini slices with a paper towel. Either grill or broil them in the oven for 3 minutes at high heat.
- After grilling or broiling, place the zucchini on paper towels (you want to get as much of the liquid out as possible).
- Cut off the ends of the tomatoes and make an X insertion on top. Place in boiling water for a few minutes, then pour cold water over them and peel off the skin. Alternatively, you could used canned tomatoes.
- Roughly chop onions, garlic, chili, peeled tomatoes, and mushrooms.
- Add a little cooking spray to a deep skillet and fry the garlic, onion, and chili for 1 min.
- Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté the vegetables for an additional 4 minutes. Then take them off the heat and set aside.
- Cook the beef with the paprika in the same skillet you used for the veggies until fully browned.
- Add the vegetables back into the skillet, then add the chicken bouillon and remaining spices. Allow the sauce to simmer for 25 minutes over low heat.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
- Line a small baking tray with parchment paper and use 1/3 of the zucchini to make a layer in the bottom. Put 1/3 of the meat sauce on top. Add another layer of zucchini and continue like this until you’re out of sauce and zucchini.
- Spread shredded mozzarella on top and bake for 35 minutes.
- Take the lasagna out of the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
I have a Type 1 diabetic friend coming for dinner on Friday night so I am going to make this as it looks delicious and I can give her all the nutritional facts as well so she can regulate her insulin accordingly. I’m sure she’ll love it as she’s a really good cook herself. Thank you. Will let you know how it goes.
This was delicious. I used bison instead of beef but otherwise followed the recipe exactly.
This was absolutely delicious. It took a lot of prep time, but is worth it. I am new to the diabetic world and am thrilled to find this yummy option. I will not pre-cook my zucchini next time, as my julian slicer slices extremely thin. The portion size is generous, too! All I can say is yum. It’s a keeper.
Thank you so much for this website. I was just diagnosed with Type 2 and was very sad as I trained as a chef and was feeling sad that I could no longer enjoy many of my favorite foods. Your recipes and your attitude give me a new feeling of hope and optimism as well as providing great and detailed advice!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write that note, I really appreciate it. I am so glad to hear that the site is helpful for you.