A Healthy, Noodle-Free Lasagna Recipe from Skinnytaste
It’s February. How’s that New Year’s resolution to eat healthier going?
If the answer is “Not great,” or “I woke up after the big game mysteriously covered in ranch dressing,” then you’re in good company. And luckily, you can get back on track with help from Gina Homolka.
Gina started her blog Skinnytaste in 2008 as a way to share her love of food and photography. Since then, her whole-foods philosophy has earned a huge following: millions of readers check in on her slimmed-down, full-flavor recipes—think buffalo chicken meatballs or flourless chocolate brownies—each month. In 2014, she published The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor.
Straight from its pages, this lasagna recipe lightens up the classic Italian dish by swapping in zucchini slices for the traditional noodles. Don’t worry, though—it’s still hearty enough for a warming winter dinner.
Noodle-less Zucchini Lasagna
Serves 8
From the Cookbook:
Thinly sliced zucchini ribbons replace pasta in this delicious, low-carb, noodle-less dish. This lasagna totally satisfies my cravings for cheesy and indulgent Italian comfort food. It’s perfect in the summer when I have tons of garden-fresh zucchini and herbs, but I also love making it during the colder months when I want something hot and comforting. Although it takes a little longer than most of my recipes, it’s totally worth it!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1&1⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1⁄2 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 medium zucchini
- Cooking spray or oil mister
- 1&1⁄2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1⁄4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (16 ounces)
Directions:
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the meat, season with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt, and cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into small pieces as it browns, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the meat in a colander and wipe the skillet with a paper towel.
Put the skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Return the meat to the pan, add the tomatoes, basil, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered 10 minutes, until thickened.
Meanwhile, slice the zucchini lengthwise with a mandolin into 1⁄8-inch-thick slices (you should have at least 30 to 35 long zucchini ribbons). Lightly salt the zucchini with the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and set aside for 15 minutes. Blot the zucchini with paper towels.
Preheat a grill to medium heat (or preheat a grill pan over medium heat).
Oil the grill grates or spray the grill pan with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Grill the zucchini until cooked and slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and press to absorb excess moisture.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, and egg. Spread 1⁄2 cup of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 9 × 13 × 21⁄2- inch baking dish. Make a layer of the zucchini over the sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Spread 1⁄2 cup of the ricotta mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Make another layer of zucchini, top with 11⁄2 cups meat sauce, 1⁄2 cup ricotta mixture, 1 cup mozzarella. Repeat the layers with the remaining ingredients for a total of 3 layers.
Finish the lasagna by topping with the remaining zucchini and meat sauce. Cover the dish with foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake 20 minutes uncovered. Add the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake uncovered until bubbling and the cheese is melted, 10 more minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces.
Nutrition Info:
Per Serving (1 Piece)
Calories 275
Fat 13 G
Saturated Fat 7 G
Cholesterol 84 Mg
Carbohydrate 13 G
Fiber 2.5 G
Protein 26 G
Sugars 5 G
Sodium 648 Mg
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