Zucchini Lasagna

This is a super yummy, filling dinner! Much healthier than lasagna with pasta!

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB butter

1 lb ground beef

1 lb Italian sausage

2 TB dried oregano

1/2 c fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1 6 oz can tomato paste

5 medium zucchinis

3 c raw white cheddar cheese,

shredded

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to slice the zucchinis into long strips and set aside. In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in butter for about 3 minutes. Add the beef and Italian sausage and cook until browned and fully done. Add in the oregano, basil, cayenne, salt, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste. In a 9×13 pan, layer the zucchini, meat mixture and cheese, and then repeat. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.

http://www.wellfedhomestead.com/2011/10/03/what-do-you-do-with-the-last-zucchini/ What do you do with the last Zucchini? | The Well Fed Homestead

[...] Try some Zucchini Lasagna: [...]
http://michiedo.blogspot.com Emily

I started making this when I saw it in the weekly recipe subscription, and it is so delicious that I keep making it. My third lasagne is in the oven now, and that’s saying a lot, because it’s just my husband and I, so it always lasts several meals.

I always make a 9×13 pan for me, and then I make a smaller pan with pasta (for my husband). He won’t touch zucchini and he isn’t on GAPS anyway. The meat is seasoned SO well, though. We both really like the flavor.

For this recipe, we like to use the Tilamook aged white cheddar cheese, which comes in a blue package. I don’t know why there is such an emphasis on raw cheese; maybe it is better, but my grocery stores don’t sell it, and when I’ve bought it at health-type grocery stores it is quite expensive. Plus, for this sort of thing it gets cooked anyway.

The other modification that I make is: I grate a layer of fresh parmeggian cheese along with the bottom layer of white cheddar. It adds something.

SO tasty.
Marie

The reason for raw cheese is that it’s made from raw milk and usually comes from a dairy where cows are treated right and are healthy and grassfed. Check out Azurestandard.com, they have raw cheddar for basically the same price as regular cheese at Walmart, and it’s delicious. Check and see if they have a drop point in your area, it’s a great place to get organic fruits, veggies, and other staples.
I’m in the process of making this lasagna now and am salivating, wishing it was done already, it looks so good!
Marie

Oh wow, this is absolutely the most delicious thing, ever. I knew it was going to be good but it exceeded my expectations several times over. I asked my husband to pick up some Italian Sausage on his way home and he brought home Polska Kielbasa, I used it anyway and it turned out amazing! Thanks for the great recipe, it will be a weekly staple.
http://www.wellfedhomestead.com/gaps-meals-simplified GAPS Meals Simplified | The Well Fed Homestead

[...] zucchini lasagna [...]
http://www.mommypotamus.com/things-that-made-me-smile-may-2012/ Things That Made Me Smile (May 2012) « The Mommypotamus

[...] Tomato paste in glass jars from Jovial Foods so I don’t have to worry about BPA in my zucchini lasagna [...]
Randa

I made this last night and it was yummy – approved by both husband and sister-in-law (who happens to have a background in culinary arts!)

I did make some slight modifications:

1. Per Liz’s comment, I did salt & “sweat” the zucchini slices, per the following method: http://leftonamelia.com/main-dishes/noodle-less-lasagna/

2. I had two fresh tomatoes on hand but no cans of diced or paste, so I just used what I thought would be an equivalent amount (diced one large tomato and then blended another). It didn’t make the meat sauce “tomato-y” enough, so I added a bit of organic Trader Joe’s spaghetti sauce from a jar. That particular kind has a clean ingredient list (no possible msg, etc.) so I felt okay about that.
Dana

This is phenomenal! My kids like it better than traditional lasagna!
Cinnamon Kerschner

This looks perfect. Just what I was looking for. Thank you for sharing!

~Cinnamon

Zucchini Lasagna