No need to miss lasagna with these keto zucchini lasagna rolls, which are stuffed with ground beef, ricotta and parmesan and topped with melted mozzarella cheese.
In this keto lasagna recipe, we stuff thin zucchini strips with ground beef, Rao's Arrabiata Sauce, ricotta and parmesan. Then, we top the zucchini rolls with arrabiata sauce, parmesan and shredded mozzarella. And when these zucchini lasagna rolls come out of the oven with melted, gooey cheese, we forget about those high-carb lasagna noodles. The one issue we have with this recipe is that we keep wanting to eat more even though were full!
These low-carb zucchini lasagna rolls are made with just 8 ingredients, and the prep time takes less than 25 minutes. The rest of the time is hands-off baking! Each serving is just 8 net carbs.
Key Ingredients
Just a few notes on key ingredients in these healthy lasagna rolls.
- Grass-fed ground beef (80 or 85% lean): You can purchase leaner or less lean meat if you prefer. We highly recommend grass-fed beef since it's healthier, more nutrient dense, and lower in fat.
- Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce: We use arrabbiata sauce since it's spicier than marinara and adds a little heat to this dish. Don't worry, it doesn't make it too spicy — just enough to give it depth of flavor. We recommend Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce since it's one the best low-carb sauces out there (in terms of taste and clean ingredients). However, you may use another low-carb arrabbiata sauce if you prefer.
- Ricotta cheese: Full-fat ricotta cheese tends be lower in carbs than part-skim ricotta cheese. However, you may use part-skim cheese if you prefer. Be aware that the carbs in ricotta cheese can vary greatly by brand, so it's best to compare the carbs in different brands before purchasing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1 — PREPARE ZUCCHINI: Wash the zucchini and cut ¼ inch off each end. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a mandolin or Y-shaped vegetable peeler to slice thin zucchini strips (3mm or ⅛ inch). Slice a total of 32 zucchini strips (for 4 servings). Place strips side-by-side in one single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with several paper towel sheets. Generously salt the strips to draw out the water. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, dab water off zucchini with dry paper towels.
STEP 2 — PREPARE PAN: Spread ⅓ cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish. Set aside.
STEP 3 — PREPARE MEAT MIXTURE: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. After it's done, pour off grease and stir in ⅓ cup of Rao's sauce. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add ricotta, parmesan and egg. Mix well.
STEP 4 — START ROLLS: After dabbing excess water from the zucchini strips, create each zucchini role by slightly overlapping 2 zucchini strips. Add 2 tablespoons of meat mixture onto each roll made of 2 overlapping strips (as seen in below picture).
Step 5 — FINISH ROLLS: Roll up each zucchini strip stuffed with meat mixture and place in the 9x12 baking dish. There should be a total of 16 roles.
Step 6: TOP WITH SAUCE & CHEESE: Top the rolls with the remaining sauce, parmesan and mozzarella. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. After baking, allow the lasagna to cool — roughly 10 minutes.
There you have it! It may seem like a lot of steps, but it goes quicker than you think. And don't try to to make the rolls perfect — as long as they hold together that is good enough! It's fine to have mixture squeezing out as no one will notice after you top with sauce and cheese!
Recipe FAQ
There are a few steps you can take to prevent the zucchini lasagna from becoming watery. First, slice the zucchini into very thin strips (3mm or ⅛ inch). Then, generously salt the slices with salt. This is an important step since salt draws water out of the zucchini. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes for the zucchini to "sweat" water. At that point, you'll thoroughly dab the zucchini with paper towels to remove water.
Ricotta is higher in carbs compared to other cheeses like mozzarella or parmesan. But, it can be eaten in moderation when on a low-carb or keto diet. A fourth cup of full-fat ricotta cheese contains 4.5 net carbs or less. Full-fat ricotta cheese tends to be lower in carbs than part-skim ricotta cheese. Be aware that the carbs in ricotta cheese can vary greatly by brand, so it's best to compare the carbs in different brands before purchasing.
After the lasagna has cooled to room temperature, you may store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat each serving in the microwave until warm.
Related Recipes
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag @lowcarbsimplified on your photo of this recipe on Instagram or Facebook. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Recipe
Zucchini Lasagna Rolls (Low Carb / Keto)
Ingredients
- 2.5 medium-size zucchini (we typically use 2 ½ zucchinis or roughly 15 ounces total)
- 1 pound grass-fed ground beef 85% lean
- Salt and pepper to season
- ⅓ cup Rao's Arrabbiata Sauce separated into ⅓ for meat mixture, ⅓ for spreading on bottom of dish, AND ⅓ for topping
- 1 large egg
- 5 ounces ricotta cheese
- ½ cup parmesan for meat mixture separated into halves, one half for meat mixture and other half for topping
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Get started: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with several paper towels. In a 9x12 glass or ceramic baking dish, evenly spread ⅓ cup Rao's sauce. Set aside.
- Prepare the zucchini: Wash zucchini and slice off the ends of each zucchini. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a mandolin or Y-shaped vegetable peeler to slice zucchini into thin strips (3mm or ⅛ inch thick). Slice a total of 32 zucchini strips. Place strips side-by-side in one single layer on prepared baking sheet with paper towels. Generously salt the strips to draw out the water. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, dab water off zucchini with dry paper towels.
- Prepare meat mixture: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. After it's done, pour off grease and stir in ⅓ cup of Rao's sauce. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add ricotta, parmesan and egg. Mix well.
- Create zucchini rolls: Create each zucchini roll by slightly overlapping 2 zucchini strips. Add 2 tablespoons of meat mixture onto each roll made of 2 overlapping strips. Roll up each zucchini strip stuffed with meat mixture and place in the 9x12 baking dish. There should be a total of 16 rolls. Top the rolls with the remaining sauce, parmesan and mozzarella.
- Bake and serve: Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. After baking, allow the lasagna to cool (roughly 10 minutes).
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