Zucchini Kale Lasagna. If you are taking big carbs like pasta out of your diet for some reason, (and there are many), it is great to have a pasta free lasagna that is as scrumptious and satisfying as the traditional pasta dish..... ..without the calories, fat, carbs or gluten. In approximately 1 hour, you can be serving up lasagna that is made with healthy fresh vegetables and herbs. This dish is perfect all year 'round, because any day is a good day for fresh home made veggie lasagna. I can actually guarantee that this comfort food lasagna will definitely become a crowd favorite! Vegetarian and gluten free with vegan and dairy free options.
Ingredients For Zucchini Kale Lasagna
Take a quick look at the ingredients to see what you need to make this dish. You can find all of these ingredients at Trader Joe's.
Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Zucchini
Squash
Onion
Garlic
Ricotta Cheese
Fresh basil
Egg
Red pepper
Sea Salt
Kale
Parmesan Romano Asiago Cheese
Like traditional lasagna, you will layer the ingredients and top with fresh baby kale and cheese before baking. Here are the steps for making this lasagna and it is so simple, even a beginner can be a culinary genius.
Directions For Preparing Zucchini Kale Lasagna
1. Slice zucchini, squash, onions in food processor. Mince garlic.
2. Cook zucchini, squash in microwave for 5 minutes. Squeeze liquid from zucchini, squash with towel.
3. Oil bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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- Slice zucchini and squash in food processor
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- Cook in microwave for 5 minutes, and use towel to squeeze liquid from zucchini and squash
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- Oil bottom and sides of 9x13 baking dish
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- Spread 1/3 of pasta sauce in bottom of dish
4. To layer your lasagna: spread 1/3 of pasta sauce on bottom of pan, add 1/3 of zucchini, squash, add 1/3 of onions, sprinkle with sea salt and red pepper
5. Mix ricotta ingredients in food processor
6. Add spoonfuls of 1/3 ricotta mixture on top of other ingredients.
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- Spread 1/3 zucchini and squash evenly over pasta sauce
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- Add 1/3 onions, sprinkle sea salt and red pepper
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- Blend ingredients for ricotta mixture in food processor
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- Spoon ricotta on top of other ingredients
7. Starting over again for next layer, spread pasta sauce, and other ingredients in same order. Repeat. Save a few tablespoons of pasta sauce to spread on top layer before you add kale.
8. You now have 3 layers of sauce, zucchini, squash, ricotta. Add baby kale to top of layers. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly. Cover dish in tin foil and bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove tin foil after 20 minutes.
9. If your lasagna has liquid from the zucchini and squash, you can drain the liquid, but it is very awkward since the dish is heavy. Make sure the dish is completely cooled if you decide to drain liquid. It is better to use a slotted spatula to serve the lasagna, so that any liquid that may have accumulated during baking is not on your serving plate.
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- Repeat for 2 more layers. On top layer add all the kale
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- Top the kale with Parmesean cheese
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- 3 layers and kale
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- Cover dish with tin foil; bake at 375 for 45 minutes
Baked!
Scoop lasagna with a slotted spatula
Zucchini Kale Lasagna
Zucchini Kale Lasagna
Ingredients
- 25 oz Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
- 2 green zucchini
- 2 yellow squash
- 2/3 cup minced onions
- 1 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
Ricotta Mixture
- 1 egg or if vegan, egg substitute. I use Follow Your Heart
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese or if vegan, vegan cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh basil chopped
Baby Kale Layer
- 3 cups baby kale
- 1 cup Parmesan Romano Asiago cheese of if vegan, your favorite vegan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil for oiling baking pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- Brush olive oil on bottom and sides of 8.5 x 11 pan and pour 1/3 of pasta sauce in bottom and spread evenly.
- Slice squash and zucchini with food processor. Cook sliced squash in microwave for 5 minutes; after cooling, press with towel to remove liquid.
- Spread 1/3 of squash and zucchini on top of pasta sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of onions and red pepper and sea salt.
- Mix ricotta cheese, garlic, basil and egg in food processor and spread 1/3 of mixture on top of zucchini, squash layer.
- Repeat sauce, zucchini & squash, onions and red pepper and sea salt and ricotta mixture for a total of 3 layers.
- Cover top layer with baby kale and top with Parmesan Romano Asiago cheese or vegan white cheese.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes, removing cover after 20 minutes
- Layers: Sauce, zucchini/squash, onions, red pepper and salt, ricotta mixture. Repeat for 3 layers then top with baby kale and cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Tips For The Best Zucchini Kale Lasagna
- Zucchini and squash have high water content so when baking, you will find that liquid will accumulate in your baking dish. The best option to avoid liquid is to microwave your zucchini and squash for 5 minutes, and squeeze liquid from the vegetables with a towel to minimize water diluting your flavor.
- If your baked lasagna has liquid from the zucchini and squash, you can drain the liquid, but it is very awkward since the dish is heavy. Make sure the dish is completely cooled if you decide to drain liquid. It is better to use a slotted spatula to serve the lasagna, so that any liquid that may have accumulated during baking is not on your serving plate.
- This dish freezes well, so you can have fresh homemade veggie lasagna available anytime.
Alternatives For Zucchini Kale Lasagna:
- If you prefer, spinach can be used in place of baby kale.
- This dish is vegetarian and gluten free. If you are cooking vegan or dairy free, use your favorite egg substitute in place of the egg and vegan cream cheese in place of the ricotta cheese. For topping, use your favorite vegan white cheese.
- The onions can be green onions, leeks or white onions. This recipe features green onions.
More recipes like Zucchini Kale Lasagna that you might enjoy:
Grilled Polenta and Vegetables
Recipe updated July 2019.
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