Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

Jun 29, 2020 | Recipes

I am always on the look out for healthier versions of popular recipes. This is an adaption of the traditional lasagna. We used my aunt’s “Mianara” recipe, which was passed down to her. You can find the recipe for the “Mianara Sauce on the previous blog post. This recipe serves 4 -6 people.

Ingredients

  • 2 large zucchini, trimmed
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Salt and Pepper, See below
  • 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach
  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced
  • 1 1/4 cups three cheese Italian blend, divided
  • 1 TBSP Italian Seasoning.
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 ⅓ cups part-skim ricotta
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ cup “Mianara” Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Coat 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
  3. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts and mushrooms are heated through. About 2-3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside and let it cool until ready to make cheese stuffing
  4. Slice zucchini lengthwise to get 24 total strips, about 1/8 inch thick each. Toss the zucchini, 2 TBSP olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Arrange the zucchini in single layers on the prepared pans. Bake the zucchini, turning once, until tender, about 10 minutes total.
  5. Meanwhile reserve 3/4 cup of the Italian cheese blend in a small bowl.
  6. Mix egg, ricotta, spinach mixture, garlic, remaining ½ cup of Italian cheese blend, 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
  7. Spread 1/4 cup of “Mianara” Sauce in an 8-inch-square baking dish.
  8. Place 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture near the bottom of a strip of zucchini. Roll it up and place, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining zucchini and filling.
  9. Top the rolls with the remaining 1/2 cup marinara sauce and sprinkle with the reserved cheese mixture. Bake the zucchini rolls until bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil before serving