There are evenings here on the homestead when a craving for something comforting and deeply satisfying hits, something that whispers of warm kitchens and family gatherings. Italian food often comes to mind, but we also strive to keep our meals rooted in whole, unprocessed ingredients, especially those we can grow or source locally. That’s where our No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna has become a true star – it delivers all the deliciousness of a classic lasagna without the need for traditional pasta.
The heart of this dish, quite literally, comes from our summer garden: the zucchini. When they’re in abundance, those long, green squash seem to multiply overnight! This recipe is a perfect way to use up a couple of the larger ones, ideally grown organically in our own soil, where we know exactly what’s gone into them. Slicing them thinly lengthwise, the fresh, slightly watery scent filling the air, feels like the first step in transforming our garden bounty into something truly special. We always sprinkle them with a bit of our unrefined sea salt and let them rest in a colander. This little trick helps draw out excess moisture, ensuring our lasagna isn’t watery.
For the rich and flavorful meat sauce, we turn to grass-fed ground beef sourced from a regenerative farm just a short drive away. Supporting farmers who prioritize soil health and the well-being of their animals is important to us. The aroma as the beef browns in our skillet, cooked in a bit of beef tallow, is simply irresistible. We add freshly ground black pepper, then in go the diced green bell pepper and onion, both ideally from our garden, adding their own unique sweetness and bite.
Next comes the tomato sauce and paste. We prefer organic options, ideally in glass jars, with no added sugars or artificial ingredients. Sometimes, we even use our own canned tomatoes from the previous summer’s harvest. A splash of organic, sulfite-free red wine adds a lovely depth of flavor, followed by generous handfuls of freshly chopped basil and oregano, their fragrant leaves snipped right from our herb garden. A little filtered hot water helps to bring everything together into a rich, simmering sauce.
While the meat sauce simmers away, filling the kitchen with its comforting aroma, we prepare the ricotta mixture. We opt for whole milk ricotta cheese, preferably from grass-fed cows if we can find it. We avoid the low-fat versions, believing in the richness and nutrients of whole milk dairy. A pastured egg from our own happy hens and some freshly chopped parsley, also from our garden, are whisked in until everything is well combined.
Then comes the layering – the satisfying process of building our no-noodle masterpiece. We start with a layer of the flavorful meat sauce on the bottom of our greased baking pan (using beef tallow or coconut oil). Then comes a layer of those thinly sliced zucchini, followed by half of the creamy ricotta mixture, all of the fresh organic spinach (a wonderful way to sneak in extra greens!), and a generous layer of sliced fresh mushrooms, often foraged or sourced locally. We top it off with half of the whole milk mozzarella cheese, avoiding the pre-shredded kind which can sometimes contain unwanted additives. We repeat the layers, ending with the remaining meat sauce, zucchini, ricotta, and mozzarella.
Finally, the top is generously sprinkled with aged, traditionally made Parmesan cheese (we always grate it fresh) and the whole thing is covered with foil before heading into the oven. The anticipation builds as it bakes, the aromas mingling and intensifying, promising a truly delicious meal.
After about 45 minutes, we remove the foil, raise the oven temperature slightly, and let it bake for another 20-25 minutes until it’s golden brown and bubbly. The sight of that perfectly baked lasagna, with its melted cheese and rich sauce, is enough to make anyone’s mouth water.
We always let it stand for about ten minutes before serving. This allows the layers to set and makes it easier to slice and serve. And then, finally, we get to enjoy the fruits (or rather, vegetables!) of our labor – a hearty, flavorful, and guilt-free lasagna that proves you don’t need noodles to satisfy that Italian food craving. It’s a taste of Italy, made with love and the goodness of our homestead.
No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini Ideally organically grown
- 1 tbsp sea salt Unrefined sea salt
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef From a regenerative farm if possible
- 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper Freshly ground
- 1 small green bell pepper diced, ideally organically grown
- 1 onion diced, ideally organically grown
- 1 (25 ounce) jar tomato sauce Organic, no added sugar or artificial ingredients, ideally in glass jar
- 1 cup tomato paste Organic, no added sugar or artificial ingredients, ideally in glass jar
- ¼ cup red wine Organic, sulfite-free
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped, ideally organically grown
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped, ideally organically grown
- 3 tbsp hot water Filtered water, or as needed
- 1 (15 ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese From grass-fed cows if possible, avoid low-fat versions
- 1 pastured egg From organically raised chickens
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, ideally organically grown
- 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach Organic, roughly chopped (instead of frozen).
- 1 lb fresh mushrooms sliced, ideally organically grown
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese Whole milk, ideally from grass-fed cows, avoid pre-shredded"
- 8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese Aged, traditionally made Parmesan, avoid pre-grated
- 3 tbsp beef tallow Can substitute with coconut oil.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a deep 9×13-inch baking pan with beef tallow or coconut oil.
- Slice zucchini lengthwise into very thin slices. Sprinkle slices lightly with sea salt; set aside to drain in a colander.
- To prepare the meat sauce, heat beef tallow in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook grass-fed ground beef and black pepper, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add green pepper and onion; cook and stir until meat is no longer pink.
- tir in organic tomato sauce, organic tomato paste, organic red wine, fresh basil, and fresh oregano; add a small amount of filtered hot water if sauce is too thick. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer sauce for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Meanwhile, stir whole milk ricotta, pastured egg, and fresh parsley together in a bowl until well combined.
- To assemble lasagna, spread 1/2 of the meat sauce over the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with 1/2 of the zucchini slices, 1/2 of the ricotta mixture, all of the fresh spinach, followed by all of the mushrooms, then 1/2 of the whole milk mozzarella cheese. Repeat by layering in the remaining meat sauce, zucchini slices, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella.
- Spread aged Parmesan evenly over the top; cover with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil; raise oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake an additional 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.
- Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
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