Knock-your-socks-off good no noodle lasagna with fresh zucchini! Dreamy layers of melty mozzarella, turkey marinara, and creamy cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Think of this as lightened up summer lasagna! Leftovers taste incredible but I doubt there will be any...
With each bite I asked myself, "Did an Italian restaurant make this?!"
If you've laid mouth on my beloved Vegan Lasagna, you know I don't mess around. And today the meat and cheese are all invited! This recipe tastes legit tastes like grandma made it with Frank Sinatra in the background, a bold red in hand.
We're talking ooey gooey cheesy goodness layered with a bounty of zucchini, foolproof turkey meat sauce, and a kiss of parmesan on top for good measure. I'm drooling just thinking about it!
The why behind the ingredients
There's a method behind my madness!
- Cottage cheese: It has a mild taste and delightful texture no matter how long you cook it. It's also quite a bit lighter than ricotta and has double the protein. Bonus points for being readily available and not too pricey! Whole milk retains that creamy, rich factor in lieu of ricotta.
- Zucchini: For a fun, veggie-loaded twist on classic lasagna. Adding the fresh veggies I crave in the summer make this lasagna totally warm weather worthy.
- Cheese: If it doesn't have piles of mozzarella and Parmesan, did it even happen?
- Jarred sauce: This simplifies the recipe and it tastes incredible. I look for one with extra virgin olive oil and onions near the top of the ingredient list and no added sugar. Rao's is the best!
Let's make it (step by step)
I'm not gonna lie to you: this recipe is a labor of love (unless you have a mandolin!) and you will spend some time prepping. But it's so worth it!
To save time, you could always pre-cook the zucchini and make the meat sauce ahead!
First, thinly slice zucchini. Bake for 10 minutes then blot away!
Cook turkey then stir in sauce.
Mix drained cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, parsley, and pepper.
Layer sauce and zucchini in casserole dish.
Top with more sauce, half the ricotta, and mozzarella.
Repeat, finishing with more cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, rest, and devour!
What sets this apart (who owns a mandolin?!)
Most importantly, it tastes incredible. It's also a bit more nourishing than most!
- Realistic photos: LOL. I don't own a mandolin, in case in wasn't glaringly obvious by my pro cuts. Kinda ugly, definitely uneven, rustic at best slices of zucchini are my jam. But seriously, the thinner you slice, the more tender it'll be.
- More sauce! Most recipes call for a lot less sauce, but that's a problem cuz I live for the sauce. I'll take a little more liquid if it means I'm not trying to spread a measly half cup of sauce in between layers.
- No ricotta: No hate to the ricotta lovers, but cottage cheese is a sublime healthy (and delish) swap.
- Limiting water: Anyone who makes zucchini lasagna must know there is going to be water, no matter how much you pre-salt or pre-cook zucchini. That's the reality of using a watery veg in place of absorbent noodles. That said, all the draining in the recipe helps!
Let me know in the comments if you make this beaut!
Print
Zucchini Lasagna with Turkey (and cottage cheese!)
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Knock-your-socks-off good no noodle lasagna with fresh zucchini. Dreamy layers of melty mozzarella, turkey marinara, and creamy cottage cheese instead of ricotta. Think of this as lightened up summer lasagna! Leftovers taste incredible but I doubt there will be any...
Ingredients
- 3 medium zucchini
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground turkey (I use 93%)
- 1 ½ cups whole milk cottage cheese
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided (plus freshly ground black pepper)
- 1 24oz jar high-quality marinara sauce, like Rao's
- 1 ¾ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line an extra large baking sheet (ideally an extra large one) with parchment paper. Place cottage cheese in a fine mesh sieve and and tap it to drain (this helps avoid watery lasagna) while you prep.
- Prep zucchini: Chop ends off zucchini and thinly slice into very thin slices, about ⅛ inch. I did this by hand and they were definitely not even, that's ok! The thinner the zucchini, the more tender it'll be. Place on baking sheet in a single layer, sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt and bake for 10 minutes. Once they come out, blot water on top with a dish towel to remove as much water as you can.
- Make meat sauce: Place oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook for 1 min, stirring often. Add turkey and ½ tsp salt. Cook for about 8 minutes, until it's no longer pink. Drain any liquid well. Stir in jar of sauce and remove from heat.
- Make cheese layer: Place drained cottage cheese, parmesan, egg, dried parsley, and a few grinds of pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Mix to combine.
- Assemble: Spread 1 cup meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with half of the zucchini slices (it's ok if they overlap a bit), 1 more cup of meat sauce, half of the cottage cheese mixture, ¾ cup shredded mozzarella, and a sprinkle of basil. Repeat with remaining zucchini, 1 cup meat sauce, remaining cottage cheese, and ¾ cup mozzarella. Finish with remaining sauce (you'll have about ¾ cup), ¼ cup mozzarella, and sprinkle with 2 tbsp parmesan.
- Bake: Bake for 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and digging in!
Notes
- There will be water beneath lasagna after slicing since zucchini does not absorb liquid like noodles, that's normal. Tips for less watery lasagna: Don't skip draining cottage cheese and meat! Let lasagna rest before slicing.
- We like our lasagna saucy. You can use a 24oz jar per the recipe or less, but don't use more than that (or it'll be too liquidy).
- To make this vegetarian, simply omit the turkey. To make vegan, omit the turkey, use my vegan ricotta and dairy-free mozzarella/parm cheese.
Emma says
Delicious!!! I've made this several times now with our abundance of garden zucchinis. Thank you for so many wonderful recipes!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
I’m so glad to hear that, thank you tons Emma!
Dylan says
Yum! This recipe is so flavourful, but light! I made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until I was ready to bake. Absoloutely delicious! This comment was left by a close supporter of Alexis Joseph, owner operator of Hummusapien LLC
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Thank you so much, Dylan! You made my day!