Easy Clean Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe Meal Prep (2024)

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Zucchini Noodle Lasagna is a delicious recipe that brings you all of the comforts of traditional lasagna without the bad carbs and calories. The noodle base is your sliced zucchini and our simple but delicious sauce is a great option for those nights when you don’t feel like slaving over the stove.

Easy Clean Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe Meal Prep (1)

Clean Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe

Picture it… you’ve just come home from a busy day at the office, it seemed that nothing went right today and all you want to do is bury yourself in a tub of chocolate ice cream or a vat of homemade macaroni and cheese.

WAIT! DO NOT DO THIS! It will only make you feel worse.

Turn your day from bad to fabulous with this easy and delicious clean zucchini noodle lasagna recipe. There are no pasta noodles or ricotta cheese, but it’s packed with protein and sure to be your new go-to clean comfort food!

Note: It’s gluten-free and has no added sugar if you pick the right spaghetti sauce. Try Monte Bene sauce, it contains no sugar and all fresh ingredients, absolutely nothing I couldn’t pronounce! Costco also usually has a great selection of clean spaghetti sauce (here is our Costco shopping list).

How to Freeze and Reheat Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it does freeze well. Having a casserole you can pop out and thaw overnight then put in the oven the night you are ready to eat it is wonderful. If you are like me, sometimes cooking a large batch means I can have a meal now and a meal a few weeks from now.

  • Precook the zucchini to remove some of the excess liquid if desired.
  • Wrap the casserole dish in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil to keep it from getting freezer burned.
  • Store in the freezer labeled and dated for up to 4 months.
  • Remove from the freezer and put into the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
  • 30 minutes prior to putting into the oven, remove from the refrigerator and allow the zucchini noodle lasagna to come to room temperature (this is mostly a priority for glass cookware or pans that can break with extreme temperature changes)

More Zucchini Recipes

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to use in our meal plan. Not only is it affordable, but it is also super versatile. If you garden, it is also an option that is really simple to grow with little to no work. Below are some more of my personal favorite zucchini recipes to help you include more vegetables in your meals.

  • Zucchini in your protein shake {YES! In your shake – try it!}
  • Sauteed Zucchini {This is so delicious you’ll want it every day!}
  • Sausage Quinoa Bowl with Zucchini and Squash

This was originally published on March 10, 2012, and updated March 18, 2019.

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Easy Clean Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe Meal Prep (2)

Zucchini Lasagna

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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Whitney Carlson
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

This delicious Zucchini Noodle Lasagna is going to be a new favorite on your dinner table with great flavor and an easy to prepare recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 lb 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 large or 4 small zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise
  • 24 oz low-fat or 1% or 2% cottage cheese
  • 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (Monte Bene is a great option)
  • Non-fat or low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine onion, ground turkey breast, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder in a skillet over medium heat, cooking the turkey until it is no longer pink.
  3. Layer zucchini in the bottom of your lasagna pan (I would suggest a more substantial pan, such asceramic) just as you would lasagna noodles, covering any gaps with additional slices of zucchini.
  4. Spread 12 oz of cottage cheese over the layer of zucchini.
  5. Add ground turkey mixture over cottage cheese, careful to spread turkey evenly.
  6. Layer approximately 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce over the cottage cheese and turkey mixture.
  7. Repeat steps 2-5.
  8. Place your last layer of zucchini over the second layer of cottage cheese, turkey mixture, and cottage cheese.
  9. Top with tomato spaghetti sauce and add shredded cheese.
  10. Cover with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
  11. Remove tinfoil and bake for an additional 5 minutes at 350 degrees to brown cheese.
  12. Let rest for approximately 10 minutes and Enjoy!

Notes

  • 5 SmartPoints on the WW FreeStyle Plan (when using 1% cottage cheese and 1 cup fat-free mozzarella)
  • Low Carb
  • Keto Friendly
  • Gluten Free (depending on sauce used)
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian

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Comments

  1. Whitney Carlson says

    COMMENTS FROM PREVIOUS WEBSITE (ADMIN):

    This has become a staple in our house!! LOVE it! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂

    Made this tonight and it turned out pretty good! I don’t normally love regular lasagna, but I really liked this. And I totally love healthier options to “regular” meals. My husband said that it tasted just like normal lasagna and he did not miss the noodles, the meat gave it a lot of substance. I just wish it wasn’t so soupy and held up like regular lasagna. Other than that I give it a thumbs up. Will be making it again.

    This is so yummy! I will be making this weekly! Amazingly delish! Thank you so much!

    I didn’t think I would like this, but I wanted to at least give it a shot. I used ground beef substitute from Trader Joe’s as I don’t eat meat. I also added a layer for fresh spinach on top each layer and cut up grilled asparagus and fresh cherry tomatoes for bulk. It did come out watery, but sooo good. I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t miss the pasta at all. I will definitely make this again. Super yummy. Thanks! I’m thinking of using this again later, and try to turn it into a sort of mexican lasagna with spicy tomato sauce or enchilada sauce, olives, cheddar cheese, topped with avocado and salsa…hmmm..

    Try grilling the zucchini. that holds the most water. Grill 1-2 min each side before using it in this recipe the your “excess liquid” problem will be gone!! (the cottage cheese does NOT have to be drained) ay yi yi!

    YUM! I made this tonight, not sure what to expect and it was seriously delicious! As a pasta addict, I couldn’t believe I found myself saying that it was better than lasagna with noodles! You guys have convinced me 🙂

    I am very picky and do not like zucchini BUT this dish was so good!

    I made this the other night. hands down the best lasagne I have ever eaten.

    I make this all the time with zucchini or with eggplant. I roast the sliced veggies in the oven for about 15 minutes before preparing the lasagna and it cuts way down on the watery-ness. Yum!

    Made this tonight and it was so yummy. I don’t like ground turkey so I used 96% fat free Laura Lean beef and turkey sausage mixed together and fresh mozzarella. Too good!

    Yummy! My husband and I Loved it! Our kitty liked the plate. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!

    I made this for dinner tonight. My husband and boys loved it. My husband even asked for the leftovers for his lunch tomorrow! Thanks for the recipe!

    This was amazing! I was getting bored with boiled chicken and salads and this did the trick. I’m definitely planning on making this a weekly dish. My BF loved it too!

    I made this tonight, it was so good! I cut it into 10 servings 🙂 delicious!

    My boyfriend and I tried this last night and loved it! Really satisfies a craving for lasagna 🙂 Thanks for sharing! We are on day 7 of clean eating and find your recipes so helpful!

    Shocked!!!!!!! I was not excited about this recipe at all. Imagine my surprise when my husband and I were both going back for seconds! I can’t get over how much this tastes like regular lasagna!

    Made this a few nights ago and it’s delicious! Leftovers the next day were even better with it thickening up a little. I used the left over juices and bits of turkey and onions for a sauce over whole wheat pasta the next day.

    I can’t believe how great this tasted! My husband was obsessed with my old lasagna recipe, but this was so good I may just switch to this recipe, it’s so much healthier and tastes just as good and he loved it too 🙂 After I cut out out my first piece, I let it settle for a few minutes longer and then just scooped out some of the extra juice with a ladle. Next time I may get some cheesecloth to be able to strain the cottage cheese, but even as it was, it was great!

    Amazing!!! I love this website, you inspired my husband and I to start eating clean 🙂

    Thank you for this recipe. I made it tonight and my family loved it. I took out about 1/3 of cottage cheese and only used a small square of mozzarella for the top (as I am a lacto-llama), but it still turned out pretty good. I always make my own sauce–it’s SUPER cheap and you know exactly what’s in it. Try it out sometime.

    Wonderful! I am not a very experienced cook, but I sure rocked this recipe! Will make again for sure, yum!

    I made this Friday night and my husband described it as “one of top three things he’s ever eaten in his whole life” so we’ll definitely be making it again! Neither of us are huge cottage cheese fans but this turned out so well you would have thought you were eating ricotta cheese. Thanks for the great recipe!

    I made this lasagna tonight for the second time. It is still a wonderful and delicious meal. It is a bit watery, but still stays together. Thank you for the recipe!

    I just made this tonight for dinner and I was pleasantly surprised. I do not like regular lasagna as I am not a fan of ricotta cheese. I’m also not a fan of cottage cheese, but in ready all the comments I thought I would give it a try and if I didn’t like I would throw it out. Well…it was delicious! I raved about it to my husband who is at work. My 14 month old even ate it. I will definitely be making this again!

    Yes, that’s my husbands favorite word these days, although he is coming around. I made this again last night and I changed a few things. I blended the cottage cheese with 2tbs of Greek yogurt in my blender which thickened it up. Then I cut all the zucchini in thin chip like shape and let them sit out for about 30 min to dry out a bit. I just say this was so great and I didn’t have to eliminate any liquid from the pan this time. Thank you again for this staple recipie

    Great website. Haven’t quite embraced the “clean” lifestyle, but who knows, maybe it is in our future. Thanks for the great recipes.
    I usually beat an egg (or two) and mix it into my cottage cheese before making the lasagna. It helps it set up and not be so runny. You should try it! The cottage cheese is another great place to add seasonings 🙂

    My husband and I made this last night.. YUM! Very delicious! This is a keeper! Thank you so much! 🙂

    This by far is one of my favorite recipes. I am new to eating clean. This is my second week, I am loving it. My whole family enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing :o)

    OMG! Made this for the first time tonight! It is amazing! My kids loved it and it was soooo hard not to go back for seconds!!

    pretty much amazing. one of my fav recipes from a “clean eating” site. i am brand new to this and i want to thank you for your site! i love it.

    I am also not a fan of cottage cheese, but this recipe was simply amazing. I can’t wait to make it a staple in our house, especially with all of the ripe zucchini in season!

    We made this last night and it was SOOOO good! Honestly we were a little skeptical but my husband kept going on and on about how much it tasted like “real” lasagna! I did add some Italian Seasoning to the meat but otherwise made it exactly like you said and we loved it! Thanks!

    Just wanted to let you know I made this the other night for the family. It turned out great and everyone loved it! Even my 5 year old had a second helping.
    Love your receipes and please keep them coming!!!!!

    Reply

  2. Haley says

    How come I’ve never made this. It’s so good!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Easy Clean Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe Meal Prep (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep veggie lasagna from getting soggy? ›

For this recipe, we help reduce excess moisture by using no-boil noodles, cooking the mushrooms, onion and bell peppers before adding them to the lasagna, and squeezing the liquid out of the cooked spinach with a kitchen towel. You want your veggies as dry as possible so you are not adding more moisture than necessary.

Why is my zucchini lasagna watery? ›

To avoid a watery lasagna, make sure to salt the zucchini slices and let them sit to draw out excess moisture, as mentioned in the recipe instructions. Pat them dry before layering in the lasagna. Also, be sure not to overcook the lasagna, as this can also contribute to excess moisture.

How do you make lasagna stay firm? ›

I under cook the pasta so it will absorb some of the liquid from the tomato sauce, which guarantees that it isn't runny. If the lasagna is too wet take the foil off for the last 20–30 minutes and let the liquid evaporate. As others have said let the lasagna rest for 20+ minutes before trying to cut and serve it.

How long does homemade veggie lasagna last? ›

Leftover vegetarian lasagna keeps well in an airtight container or covered dish in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or a 350°F oven. To freeze vegetable lasagna: Assemble the lasagna in the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How do you purge zucchini? ›

I will never be caught dead using a cheesecloth (or worse, a dreaded paper towel) to drain my shredded zucchini ever again. Here's how it works: Simply put the shredded zucchini at the bottom of your clean French press. Place the top over and press down, just like you would with your morning cup of coffee. Then drain!

How many layers should a lasagna have? ›

Then repeat the layers. Top the last layer of your lasagna with sauce and cheese. You can also alternate layers of sauce and ricotta cheese. Most lasagna recipes have two to three layers.

Why is my zucchini so slimy when I cook it? ›

This, the outlet asserts, is due to zucchini's high water content: If it cooks too slowly, it will release its moisture before it sears, becoming soggy and sodden. Over high heat, on the other hand, zucchini becomes caramelized on the outside but retains a meaty, firm texture within.

Should you salt zoodles before cooking? ›

Add zucchini noodles. Toss with tongs and let the zucchini cook for just a minute or two. Remove from heat and add to sauce or add some salt and eat as is. Note: Don't salt the zucchini before you saute it; the noodles will release more water and they'll end up limp.

Are you supposed to boil zucchini noodles? ›

Never boil your spiralized zucchini noodles!

But boiling noodles for other dishes, like sauces or salads will guarantee that they come out soggy and watery.

Are zucchini noodles good for you? ›

Zucchini is low in fat, sugar, and calories, and high in vitamin C and fiber, making it a great substitute for traditional pasta noodles. Fiber helps to regulate bowels and maintain good digestive health, and vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to protect cells.

What is a healthier substitute for lasagna noodles? ›

Sweet potato - Thinly sliced sweet potato can be used in place of lasagna noodles, creating a slightly sweet and savory dish. Sweet potato noodles can be boiled or baked before layering them into the lasagna. Wonton wrappers - Wonton wrappers are thin sheets of dough that are commonly used in Asian cuisine.

What is a good substitute for lasagna sheets? ›

Spiralised vegetables make healthy pasta noodle replacement and strips of aubergine and courgettes can be layered as a pasta sheets. Although undoubtedly good for you and packed in vitamins, these vegetables aren't that rich in fibre, meaning they aren't likely to fill you up for long.

Why does my lasagna falls apart when I cut it? ›

When the dish comes out of the oven, that cheese is piping hot and can fall apart if you slice it too quickly. The smooth and creamy center needs time to settle and firm up. That means you should let your lasagna cool for at least 30 minutes before digging in.

How do you make lasagna less wet? ›

If you still find the end product runny, reduce the amount of condiment in the lasagna. If the sauce is to wet. I add some dry fine ground cheese to absorb the extra water in the sauce. Cheaper sauces seem to be more water.

Can you leave vegetarian lasagna out overnight? ›

The guidelines for food handling recommend that food only be left out for 2 hours at the most.

How do you store vegetable lasagna? ›

Make Ahead and Storing Tips

To make it ahead, assemble it and store the unbaked lasagna in the fridge for up to 2 days. (I like to add a sheet of parchment paper on top before covering the baking dish with foil). I prefer freezing baked lasagna.

Should I cook veggie lasagna before freezing? ›

You can take one of two approaches when it comes to freezing lasagna: assemble and freeze it unbaked, or bake the lasagna and then freeze it. Either way, plan on baking frozen lasagna within three months (any longer, and the quality starts to deteriorate).

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