Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

This Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna is a healthy and diabetes-friendly alternative to normal lasagna. It packs 30 grams of protein, only 12 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of fat per serving!

This recipe proves 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 liked. So I came up with my own! I love just mixing things up in the kitchen sometimes.

How to make low-carb zucchini lasagna

This recipe requires some prep time for the flavors to 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 four major steps: preparing the zucchini, prepping the rest of the veggies, cooking the beef, and then assembling and baking the lasagna.

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 to remove excess moisture.

Step 3: Grill or broil the zucchini in the oven for 3 minutes at high heat.

Step 4: After grilling or broiling, place the zucchini on paper towels (you want to get as much of the liquid out as possible).

Step 5: Cut off the ends of the tomatoes and make an X insertion on top. Place in boiling water for 3 minutes, then pour cold water over them and peel off the skin. Alternatively, you can use canned tomatoes.

Step 6: Roughly chop onions, garlic, chili, peeled tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Step 7: Add a little cooking spray to a deep skillet and fry the garlic, onion, and chili for 1 minute.

Step 8: Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté the vegetables for 4 minutes. Take them off the heat and set aside.

Step 9: Cook the beef with the paprika in the same skillet you used for the veggies until fully browned.

Step 10: Add the vegetables back into the skillet, then add the chicken bouillon and the remaining spices. Allow the sauce to simmer for 25 minutes over low heat.

Step 11: Heat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).

Step 12: 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 13: Spread shredded mozzarella on top and bake for 35 minutes.

Step 14: 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 straightforward. 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 a fantastic 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 experiences trying to cook pasta dishes with zucchini. Most of this has to do with the level of moisture.

That’s why the first three steps focus on making the zucchini lasagna less watery!

First, we draw the moisture out of the zucchini by sprinkling on the salt. 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 them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat them 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:

• Simple Turkey Chili
• Stuffed Peppers (Without Rice)
• Low-Carb Eggplant Parmesan

Or you can check out my roundup of the best healthy dinner recipes for diabetics.