Oh wow! I am just so excited to share another amazing low-carb Italian recipe with you! I made this fantastic lasagna made with zucchini slices instead of noodles and I have to say, it was crazy good! This is a wonderful recipe for summer, not only because it is low in carbs, but because it is packed with summer veggies and herbs! It is not only full of fresh zucchini, but it includes fresh spinach, tomatoes, oregano, basil and parsley! This was such a treat and I just know you are going to love it!
Here's what you need:
2 large zucchini
About 2 t salt
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 t black pepper
1 T Italian seasoning
1 t olive oil
1 onion,diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small can tomato paste
i small can tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped cherry or Roma tomatoes
2 T chopped fresh basil
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 15 oz. container of reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 T grated parmesan cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, torn
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. Slice the zucchini in thin slices ( about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick). Sprinkle the zucchini slices lightly with salt and put them in a colander to be draining. (THIS IS IMPORTANT... this will get rid of excess liquid in the zucchini)
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the diced onion and the garlic. Saute until the onion is soft. Add the ground beef and saute until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Add salt to taste, pepper, basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chopped fresh tomatoes. If the sauce is too thick, add about a tablespoon of water to thin it a little. Allow this to simmer on low.
In a bowl, mix the ricotta, the egg, 1 T of the parmesan, the parsley and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
To assemble, put half the meat sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Next, add a layer of half of the zucchini slices. Spread on half of the ricotta mixture. Next, put a layer of all of the fresh spinach, then half of the mozzarella. Repeat by layering the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, then the rest of the mozzarella. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the grated parmesan. Cover the dish with foil. Bake at 350 covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and lower the temperature to 325 and continue baking for 10 minutes. Allow the lasagna to sit for 5 minutes or so before serving. YUM!