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This zucchini lasagna with meat sauce and mushrooms is a baked no noodle lasagna made with layers of sliced zucchini, ground beef meat sauce, melted cheese, and sautéed mushrooms. It’s naturally gluten free and can easily be made dairy free. It is healthy lasagna heaven!

A slice of zucchini lasagna with meat on a plate.

I’ve jumped on the zucchini bandwagon. I love zucchini egg muffins, zucchini and eggplant casserole, and this zucchini mushroom lasagna. I love the taste of using zucchini to replace pasta in lasagna. It adds a nice and subtle veggie taste and crunch.

Since there are no noddles in this recipe, it is naturally gluten free. It can also easily be made dairy-free and Paleo if you cut out the dairy, which is an option provided in this recipe. Oh and if you like mushroom recipes, try my mushroom risotto.

Side angle of zucchini mushroom lasagna on a plate.

Why this recipe works

  • It is a delicious no noodle lasagna recipe option. This is a great way to sneak in veggies in lasagna form.
  • It is easy to put together.
  • It is a filling high protein recipe. Try my bison bolognese for another high protein recipe.
  • You can make it Paleo. Just omit the dairy and add nutritional yeast.
  • You can make it dairy free. Use a non dairy yogurt or cheese option.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredients needed to make Zucchini mushroom lasagna.
  • zucchini– medium to large sized zucchini work best here.
  • onion– this is used to season the sauce.
  • garlic– this seasons the sauce.
  • red pepper– orange or red bell peppers work here.
  • ground beef– a good quality organic ground beef.
  • dried rosemary– this helps season the meat sauce.
  • honey– any type of honey works here.
  • tomato paste– this adds great flavor to the meat sauce.
  • chopped tomatoes– this makes the base of the meat sauce.
  • strained tomatoes– this is also the base of the meat sauce.
  • dried oregano– this adds an Italian seasoning to the sauce.
  • dried basil-this also adds an Italian seasoning to the sauce.
  • baby Bella mushrooms– or any type of mushroom of your choice.
  • goat cheese or greek yogurt– I use either one interchangeably here.
  • egg– this is used to mix into the cheese mixture for the cheese layer of the lasagna.
  • shredded goat cheddar or Parmesan– this creates the melty cheese layer of this lasagna.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Additions/ Substitutions

  • Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey.
  • Instead of chopped and strained tomatoes, you can use tomato marinara.
  • If you don’t like mushrooms, you can omit them.
  • Instead of goat cheese, you can use greek yogurt.
  • Instead of a goat cheese or greek yogurt, you can use a non dairy cream cheese, like the one form Kite Hill.
  • Instead of shredded cheese, you can use a non dairy cheese.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Slice the zucchini.

How to slice zucchini for lasagna: You can use a mandolin to slice them OR you can just slice them by hand, like I did. All you need to do is cut a zucchini in half and then create slices from each half. As you can see, the slices are made are not perfect nor are they too thin.

Step 2: Salt zucchini to get rid of excess moisture. This is an important step because you don’t want your lasagna to have extra liquid in it from the zucchini.

Step 3: Make the meat sauce. You’ll cook the onion and garlic, then add the beef and cook until browned. Add the tomato paste, then strained and crushed tomatoes, along with spices.

Step 4: Sauté the mushrooms in a pan.

Step 5: Mix the goat cheese and egg together.

Sliced zucchini in a pan.
Step 6

Step 6: Add a zucchini layer to the pan.

A layer of meat sauce on top.
Step 7

Step 7: Add a layer of meat sauce on top.

Another slice of zucchini on top.
Step 8

Step 8: Add another layer of zucchini slices.

Goat cheese and mushroom layer added to the lasagna.
Step 9

Step 9: Add the layer of the egg /cheese mixture and mushrooms.

Some shredded cheese added on top of the uncooked lasagna.
Step 10

Step 10: Add a layer of shredded cheese.

Freshly baked zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Mushrooms.
Step 11

Step 11: Bake!

Recipe FAQs

Why is my zucchini lasagna watery?

It wasn’t salted! You have to add salt to the layers and wait at least 15 minutes before wiping off the excess moisture. This ensures the extra liquid from zucchini doesn’t go into your lasagna.

How do you slice zucchini for lasagna?

You can use a mandolin to slice them OR you can just slice them by hand, like I did. All you need to do is cut a zucchini in half and then create slices from each half. As you can see, the slices are made are not perfect nor are they too thin.

How do you store it?

Cover the pan in aluminum foil and then refrigerate for 3 days.

A slice of Mushroom zucchini lasagna  on a plate.

Other healthy lasagna recipes you’ll love:

If zucchini lasagna is your thing, check out this amazing looking Keto Lasagna with Zucchini Noodles from That’s Low Carb?!

This Easy Gluten-free Lasagna from Meaningful Eats is a bomb bolognese gluten-free lasagna recipe. It looks so good!

And if you want an eggplant alternative, check out these Marinara Baked Eggplant Slices by Heartbeet Kitchen. It looks just delightful!

Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!

4.89 from 9 votes

Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Mushrooms (gluten-free, dairy-free option)

Servings: 8
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Zucchini Lasagna with Meat Sauce and Mushrooms | Perchance to Cook, www.perchancetocook.com
Layers of beautifully seasoned meat sauce, sliced zucchini, melted goat cheese, and sautéed mushrooms.

Ingredients 

  • 3 medium-large zucchini, (buy 4 just in case you need a few extra slices)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
  • 1/2 cup white onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbs +2 tsp olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup diced red pepper
  • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef, (or ground turkey)
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 Tbs of honey
  • 4 Tbs tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cup strained tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 Tbs dried oregano
  • 1 Tbs dried basil
  • 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 8 ounces goat cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup shredded goat cheddar or parmesan

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the zucchini:

  • Cut three zucchini in half horizontally. Then slice each half to create thin lasagna like slices. Cover a cookie sheet in paper towels and lay the slices of the zucchini side by side on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt onto the zucchini and then set them aside.

Make the meat sauce:

  • Put 1 Tbs of olive oil and the minced onion and garlic in a large pot and heat over medium heat. Mix with a spatula every so often and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Then add the diced red pepper to the pan, mix, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the ground beef to the pan and top with 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, 1/2 tsp of rosemary, and 2 Tbs of honey. Mix everything into the ground beef and let it all cook for 5 minutes, while mixing from time to time.
  • Add 4 Tbs of tomato paste and mix it into the meat.
  • Then put 1 1/2 cup of chopped tomatoes, 1 1/2 cup of strained tomatoes, 1/4 cup of water, 1 Tbs oregano, and 1 Tbs of basil into the pot and mix everything together well.
  • Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. Set the meat sauce aside when it’s done.

Check on the zucchini:

  • While the meat sauce is cooking, wipe the excess moisture that has formed on top of the zucchini slices with paper towels.
  • Flip them over.

Make the cheese mixture:

  • Mix the goat cheese and the egg together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Note: this is an optional step. Leave the cheese out if you want to make this strictly paleo or dairy-free. Instead mix 1-2 Tbs nutritional yeast into the egg.

Prepare the mushrooms

  • Put 2 tsp of olive oil into a large pan and heat over medium-high on the stove.
  • Put the sliced mushrooms into the pan and mix everything around to distribute the olive oil.
  • Cook for about 10-13 minutes, mixing every so often, until the mushrooms are browned and sautéed.

Layer the lasagna:

  • Wipe the excess moisture off of the zucchini slices one more time.
  • Then, put 1/2 of the meat sauce into a 9 x 13 inch pan.
  • Cover the meat sauce with 1/2 of the zucchini slices.
  • Top the zucchini slices with 1/2 of the goat cheese mixture.
  • Top with 1/2 of the sauteed mushrooms.
  • Repeat with the rest of the meat sauce, zucchini slices, goat cheese mixture, and mushrooms.
  • Top everything with 1/2 cup of shredded goat cheddar or parmesan.

Cook:

  • Cover the pan in foil and cook for 45 minutes on the lower shelf of the oven.
  • Remove the foil and then set the oven to broil. Cook the lasagna for another 10 minutes (check the lasagna often because some ovens are stronger than others).
  • Remove when the top of the lasagna is golden.
  • Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey.
  • Instead of chopped and strained tomatoes, you can use tomato marinara.
  • If you don’t like mushrooms, you can omit them.
  • Instead of goat cheese, you can use greek yogurt.
  • Instead of a goat cheese or greek yogurt, you can use a non dairy cream cheese, like the one form Kite Hill.
  • Instead of shredded cheese, you can use a non dairy cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 391kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 27gFat: 26gPotassium: 530mgFiber: 4.6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2350IUVitamin C: 53.6mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 3.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
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22 Comments

  1. Dominique, thank you for this recipe! My husband and I have gone sorta kinda paleo because of health issues ranging from AI to acid reflux. For your recipe I found a tomato-less meat sauce recipe cuz, unfortunately, tomatoes cause inflammation:(. I”m also adding spinach b/c it rocks! I’m just making this tonight. Thanks again!
    Candace

  2. I gave this easy recipe a whirl, and boy am I glad I did! I have to agree with the author that Zucchini makes a great substitute for pasta. The sauce is incredibly flavorful and couples beautifully with the Cremini mushrooms. Finally the goat cheese mixture, along with the hint of rosemary gives this lasagna a Mediterranean flair. I made some minor modifications:
    – I used a mandolin to slice zucchini in 18th inch slices. This allowed me to build chrisscross zucchini layers that covered more thoroughly. I think this created nice “blocks” of lasagna that sliced easily and held together well.
    – I omitted the honey completely as I prefer more savory than sweet and found the tomatoes lend a perfect blend of sweetness/savory on their own
    – I used grated Pecorino Romano as the finishing cheese: it broiled/browned well and provided a nice cheesy crust.5 stars

    1. Thanks for sharing!! I do think using a mandolin would be ideal… and using pecorino romano is making my mouth water!

      1. I’ve made this every week since my first post. Have to confess, making it either thicker slices is better. I also sautéed mushrooms in ghee which adds additional richness. This freezes well and makes a great lunch!5 stars

        1. Thank you!! I love the idea to sauté the mushrooms in ghee and use thicker slices of zucchini. Great to know that it freezes well!

  3. I made this for dinner tonight and I ate three helpings!! I made only one change to the recipe, I used white mushrooms instead of Portobello because I had a bunch I needed to use up. I will be making this again for sure!5 stars

  4. Thanks for this wonderful recipe! The sauce is so versatile for other things, too. I don’t use goat cheese, but regular Italian blend works really well in this. Since there are just 2 of us, I froze 1/2 of the last batch I made and was going to take it out and heat it up today. I notice that you suggest thawing it out first, which I didn’t think to do. Going to try just throwing it in a lower heated oven in its frozen state to see how well that works.5 stars

    1. It works very well to put it in the oven frozen. Just keep the temp down, foil on til it’s hot, add some cheese on top and broil for a minute to brown. 🙂

    1. You could use ricotta cheese. I like goat cheese because it’s less inflammatory, but if you’re able to eat other cheeses, like ricotta, or other cheeses normally in lasagna, then that sounds delicious! 🙂

    1. Yes, you could wrap it foil and freeze it before baking, just make sure to take it out of the freezer and put it into the fridge so it thaws out prior to baking it. I noticed that it lasted well in the fridge for a few days after baking too. I put pre-cut slices of this lasagna into tupperware and it was a great quick lunch all week. 🙂