If you have an abundance of zucchini from the garden, this Mexican-style zucchini lasagna is a delicious way to use it.

Instead of traditional lasagna noodles, this version uses thin slices of zucchini layered with a tomato-based sauce, beans, cheese and your choice of ground meat or tofu.

It’s hearty, flavourful and easy to adapt depending on what you have at home.

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef or scrambled tofu
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• Montreal steak spice, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 × 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 × 18 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 × 18 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Sliced jalapeño peppers, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 3 medium zucchini, sliced approximately ⅛-inch thick
• 15 oz ricotta cheese or goat feta
• 8 oz shredded mozzarella or old cheddar
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg

Prepare the Sauce

Brown the ground beef in a large pot or Dutch oven until fully cooked. Drain excess fat if needed.

If you are using tofu, crumble it into the pan and cook until lightly browned.

Remove the meat or tofu temporarily, then add the olive oil, garlic and onion to the same pan. Cook until the onion becomes soft and lightly caramelized.

Return the meat or tofu to the pan.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, kidney beans, jalapeños, basil, Montreal steak spice and pepper.

Cover and simmer over low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Prepare the Zucchini

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Slice the zucchini lengthwise into approximately ⅛-inch slices.

A sharp knife works well, or you can carefully use a mandoline if you have one.

Because zucchini releases water as it cooks, you can lightly salt the slices and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat them dry with a clean towel before assembling the lasagna. This can help reduce excess liquid in the finished dish.

Prepare the Cheese Mixture

In a medium bowl, combine:

• ricotta or goat feta
• Parmesan
• egg

Mix until well combined.

Assemble the Zucchini Lasagna

Spread a thin layer of sauce across the bottom of a 9 × 12-inch baking dish.

Add a layer of zucchini slices.

Top with some of the cheese mixture, followed by shredded mozzarella or cheddar.

Continue layering:

sauce → zucchini → cheese mixture → shredded cheese

until you have used your ingredients.

Finish with sauce and a final layer of shredded cheese and Parmesan.

Cover the dish with foil.

Bake

Bake covered for approximately 45 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the zucchini is tender.

Let the lasagna rest for about 10 minutes before cutting. This helps the layers hold together and allows some of the liquid to settle.

Make It Your Own

One of the things I like about this recipe is how easy it is to adapt.

You could try:

• ground turkey or chicken instead of beef
• tofu for a vegetarian version
• black beans instead of kidney beans
• extra vegetables such as peppers or spinach
• more or less jalapeño depending on how spicy you like it
• mozzarella, cheddar, ricotta or feta depending on what you have available

Rather than worrying about making a recipe perfectly “healthy,” I like thinking about meals in terms of variety, enjoyment and ingredients that help you feel satisfied.

Zucchini adds vegetables and texture, while the beans, meat or tofu and cheese provide protein and make this a substantial meal.

More Choose2be Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, you might also like:

• Easy No-Cook Granola Bars
• Healthy Raw Nanaimo Bars
• No-Cook Peanut Butter Cake
• Cookie Dough Energy Balls