Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

Cook the zucchini. Preheat the grill to medium high heat, or about 400 degrees. Place the zucchini on a cutting board lengthwise. Remove the top and bottom and slice into 1/4" thick slices. Toss the zucchini with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt and pepper until well coated. Grill 2-3 minutes per side or until tender, then blot dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9×13" baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish and set aside.

Prepare the sauce. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the Italian sausage and break up into small chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Drain excess grease, then add the marinara sauce and cook for 10 minutes over medium low heat. Remove from heat.

Prepare the ricotta mixture. While the sauce cooks, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, parmesan cheese and basil in a medium bowl until well incorporated and set aside.

Assemble the lasagna. Place a layer of zucchini slices over the marinara sauce in the baking dish and top with 1/2 of the sauce, followed by 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, and 1 cup of mozzarella. Repeat layers, adding 1 additional layer of zucchini for the top beneath the mozzarella if desired if you have some left. It adds great visual appeal!

Bake the lasagna for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes, then slice and serve! Use a slotted spoon when removing the lasagna to remove any excess water if desired. Enjoy!