Grilled Zucchini Noodle Lasagna
Grilled Zucchini Noodle Lasagna is everything you love about classic lasagna—melty, gooey cheese, savory layers, and bold, satisfying flavor—without the pasta. The grilled zucchini adds a fresh twist, while the spicy ground meat brings just the right kick. It’s hearty, comforting, and so delicious you won’t miss the noodles one bit…I promise!
Jump to RecipeIngredients
Organize the ingredients – zucchini, shredded mozzarella, fresh mozzarella ball, ricotta, egg, marinara sauce, ground meat (I used chorizo), olive oil, parmesan (not shown), basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Making the Ricotta Filling
Place ricotta, egg yolks, basil, and black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Mix ingredients together until combined.
Preparing the Meat Filling
Place ground sausage in a large heated non stick pan over medium-high heat. No oil needed in the pan because of the fat content of the sausage. Cook sausage until cooked through using a spatula to break up the meat and mix it in the pan, approximately 5 minutes. Once the meat is cooked through add the marinara sauce and 2 tablespoons of the chopped basil. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer the meat for an additional 2 minutes, total cooking time is 7 minutes.
Grilling the Zucchini
Preheat grill to medium high heat. Slice zucchinis thin, lengthwise with a mandolin, I used the 3mm blade. You can also hand slice. Next, season zucchini with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Use your hands or tongs to fully coat the zucchini. Once grill is preheated, spray it and then transfer the zucchini slices to the grill. Cook for 3 minutes. Then flip the slices and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Total cooking time is 5 minutes. (NOTE: If you hand-slice the zucchini cooking time will probably be longer because your slices, most likely, will be a bit thicker.) Remove zucchini from the grill.
Lasagna Assembly
Place approximately 1 cup heaping meat sauce in the baking dish (I used an 11” x 7” pan) and spread the meat and sauce so it nearly covers the bottom of the dish. Then add zucchini strips to fully cover the meat sauce (approximately 8 zucchini slices). Followed by 2/3 cup of the ricotta and lastly 3/4 heaping cup of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat two more times. For the last layer, add fresh mozzarella slices and parmesan (if desired) on top of the shredded mozzarella. Or if you prefer, you can finish the lasagna with the last layer of shredded mozzarella and add parmesan (if desired) and omit the fresh mozzarella. Cover lasagna with foil.
Cooking the Lasagna
Cover with foil. Place baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven on the middle rack and cook, covered for 40-45 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top of the lasagna. If the lasagna needs some help browning, place it under the broiler for a few minutes but keep an eye on it! Total cooking time is approximately 1 hour.
Grilled Zucchini Noodle Lasagna
Let lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving, sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired, and then dig in!
Grilled Zucchini Noodle Lasagna
Ingredients
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella If you want to go the extra mile, buy a log of mozzarella and shred it yourself. It will make a difference but it will also be an arm workout😉
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella sliced into thin rounds
- 1 pound ricotta
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jar (15.5 ounces) marinara sauce I use Raos
- 1 pound ground sausage or any ground meat, beef, lamb, chicken and/or turkey (See NOTES below)
- 3 zucchinis, medium-sized washed, dried, ends trimmed, sliced thin lengthwise with a mandolin, I used the 3mm blade, you can also hand slice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch of kosher salt and black pepper for the zucchini
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- 1/4 cup basil leaves washed, dried, and rough chopped, divided
- red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Preparing the Lasagna Ingredients
- Place ricotta, egg yolks, basil, and black pepper in a medium sized bowl. Mix ingredients together until combined.
- Place ground sausage in a large heated non stick pan over medium-high heat. No oil needed in the pan because of the fat content of the sausage. Cook sausage until cooked through using a spatula to break up the meat and mix it around in the pan, cook approximately 5 minutes. Once the meat is cooked through, add the marinara sauce and 2 tablespoons of the chopped basil. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer the meat for an additional 2 minutes, total cooking time is 7 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Season zucchini with olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper. Use your hands or tongs to fully coat the zucchini. Once grill is preheated, spray it and then transfer the zucchini slices to the grill. Cook for 3 minutes on one side and then flip slices and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Total cooking time is 5 minutes. NOTE: If you hand slice the zucchini cooking time will probably be longer because your slices, most likely, will be a bit thicker.
Lasagne Assembly
- Place approximately 1 heaping cup of meat sauce in the baking dish (I used an 11” x 7” pan) and spread the meat sauce so it nearly covers the bottom of the dish.
- Next add zucchini strips to fully cover the meat sauce (approximately 8 zucchini slices).
- Followed by 2/3 cup of the ricotta and lastly 3/4 heaping cup of the shredded mozzarella. Repeat two more times.
- For the last layer, add fresh mozzarella slices and parmesan (if desired) on top of the shredded mozzarella. Or if you prefer, you can finish the lasagna with the last layer of shredded mozzarella and add parmesan (if desired) and omit the fresh mozzarella. Cover lasagna with foil.
Cooking the Lasagne
- Place baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven on the middle rack and cook, covered for 40-45 minutes.
- Then remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes to brown the top of the lasagna. If the lasagna needs some help browning, place it under the broiler for a few minutes but keep an eye on it! Total cooking time is approximately 1 hour.
- Let lasagna rest for 15 minutes before serving. Then dive in!
Notes
Recipe by me.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other GFchow recipes. Quick-Style Gluten Free Cheese Lasagne, Grilled Zucchini and Squash with Cheese Crumbles, Pine Nuts and Truffle Honey, and Creamless Corn and Clam Chowder with Crispy Chorizo.
Gluten Free Disclaimer
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
