Instructions
Grill the zucchini slices:
-Preheat your oven to 350°F and heat your grill to medium. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick strips, getting 6 slices out of each zucchini and discarding the ends.
-Spray the zucchini slices with olive oil and sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
-Grill the zucchini slices in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and firm – not browned and crisp. Spread them on clean kitchen towels to soak up more moisture.
Cook the beef:
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the meat, minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until the meat is no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Drain. Return the beef to the pot and mix in 1 cup marinara sauce. Turn the heat off and set the beef mixture aside.
Prepare the ricotta layer:
In a medium bowl, use a fork to mix together the ricotta, eggs, basil, and the remaining kosher salt and black pepper.
Assemble the lasagna:
Spread the remaining ⅓ cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. You can also use a slightly smaller baking dish, such as one measuring 11 X 7 inches.
Top the marinara sauce with a layer of zucchini, then a third of the ricotta mixture, a third of the meat mixture, and a third of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Repeat, arranging the zucchini slices in the opposite direction: zucchini, ⅓ ricotta, ⅓ meat mixture, ⅓ mozzarella.
Repeat one last time, adding one extra layer of zucchini: zucchini, ricotta, meat mixture, more zucchini, and mozzarella.
Bake the lasagna:
Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. If your baking dish is broiler-safe, you can finish by broiling the lasagna for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Grilling works best to remove the water from the zucchini. But as an alternative to grilling, you can bake the zucchini slices in a 500°F oven until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Or, if your pan is broiler-safe and you use unbleached parchment paper marked as broiler-safe, you can broil them 6 inches from the heating element (not directly below) for 3-4 minutes per side. If baking or broiling, remember to set the oven to 350°F when you’re done.
If you’re using truly big zucchinis, ½ pound each, cut them in half crosswise, then slice them lengthwise, as I do in the video. Save the prettiest slices for the top of the lasagna.
You can lightly grease the bottom of the baking dish instead of spreading it with ⅓ cup of marinara sauce, as I do in the video.
You can grill the zucchini ahead of time. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container, separating layers with paper towels. Replace the paper towels after a few hours with dry ones.
You can also cook the beef beforehand and briefly reheat it in the microwave before using it in the lasagna.
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.
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