Diabetes | Kid-friendly recipes |
ByErin Palinski-Wade
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Love lasagna, but not in love what it does to your blood sugar? This easy keto vegetarian lasagna recipe is the perfect solution!
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There is nothing better than a delicious family-style meal to bring the entire fam together! I’ve cooked up something that everyone will enjoy, even picky kids who don’t realize they are getting their veggies in. My cheesy keto vegetarian lasagna is perfect for any day you’re craving comfort food.
This recipe cuts out a lot of the carbs and fat that are normally found in classic lasagna recipes- all while still keeping it rich, cheesy, and delicious! My easy cheesy keto zucchini lasagna is healthy, low carb keto, and gluten free and it’s the perfect dish for meal prep. It is also my all time favorite diabetes friendly lasagna – trust me, your family will be begging you to make it!
Ingredients in this easy keto vegetarian lasagna
You know the feeling, when you walk into a grocery store and see that long list of ingredients for some recipe. The last thing any busy mom wants is to waste time trying to find these obscure items in an already crowded aisle so they can spend hours cooking it too… That’s why this keto vegetarian lasagna couldn’t be simpler! I’ve done all the hard work for you by compiling everything from zucchini strips, tomatoes, basil leaves, garlic cloves and cheese (of course cheese!!!) – but feel free to switch up my recipes with your favorite veggies or spices if desired!
Here what you need to make this easy keto zucchini lasagna:
- Zucchini: Instead of lasagna noodles, we use zucchini strips for this recipe. Using zucchini noodles drops the carb count tremendously and sneaks in some extra veggies into your diet. Substituting zucchini is also the reason that this is a diabetes friendly lasagna. No one will be able to tell the difference when you make this keto zucchini lasagna, it still tastes like good ole comfort food.
- Part-skim shredded mozzarella: I choose part-skim mozzarella because it skims off a little bit of fat content without skimping on flavor. You also get a decent amount of protein from this cheese, making the macronutrients more balanced and suitable for people with diabetes.
- Part-skim ricotta cheese: Again, opt for part-skim ricotta to reduce the fat content but keep the flavor.
- Parmesan cheese: What’s a lasagna without the parmesan cheese?! Parmesan is nutritious, high in protein and calcium, and delicious. Choose either a block of parmesan to grate yourself or freshly grated parmesan in your grocery’s cheese section.
- 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes: Who has time to make their own crushed tomatoes? Using canned tomatoes helps to reduce the cooking time in this recipe, getting this keto vegetarian lasagna on the table for your family more quickly. Whenever possible, try to select the low sodium or no sodium added varieties to keep the sodium content of the recipe lower.
- Fresh basil: Add some basil to this diabetic lasagna for some color, freshness, and gorgeous aromas. Basil is also high in vitamin K and antioxidants, helping to fight cellular damage to prevent the development of chronic conditions, like heart disease, certain cancers, and even type 2 diabetes.
And here’s the rest of the ingredients you need to make this keto vegetarian lasagna recipe (you probably already have many of these on hand):
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Yellow onion
- Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper
How to make my keto vegetarian lasagna
In addition to the ingredients, you will also need the following cookware:
- Mandolin
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Medium skillet
- Mixing bowl
- 9×5 baking dish
- Aluminum foil
Once you have all of the ingredients and equipment ready, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and you are ready to prepare this diabetes friendly lasagna.
- Trim the ends off of the zucchini, then use a mandolin to make lengthwise slices (not too thick and not too thin).
- Place zucchini strips on the baking sheet side-by-side. Bake for 20 minutes and flip halfway through. Set aside to cool.
- Begin to prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil and garlic in a medium skillet, saute for one minute and then add the onion. After 2-3 minutes, add crushed tomatoes, italian seasoning, basil, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, then place aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, prepare the filling by combining the ricotta, parmesan, egg, saly, and black pepper.
- Begin assembling the lasagna in a 9×5 baking dish, starting by adding 2 tbsp of pasta sauce to the bottom of the dish.
- Add a layer of pre-baked zucchini slices
- Add ⅓ cup ricotta mixture, followed by ¼ cup of tomato sauce, followed by ¼ cup of shredded mozzarella.
- Repeat the previous 2 steps for three layers.
- On the final layer, end with zucchini strips and top with the remainder of the cheese.
- Cover lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Allow zucchini lasagna to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve while it is still warm.
- Enjoy!
FAQs
How do I prevent my keto zucchini lasagna from being watery?
Zucchini is definitely a very watery vegetable, which can make it difficult to cook with if you don’t know how to prevent it. The best way to prevent a watery zucchini lasagna is to bake the zucchini strips to dry them out.
Another option is to lay them on a paper towel and sprinkle them with kosher salt, setting aside for 5-15 minutes. Water should start to pool on top of the salted zucchini slices after a while, then all you do is wipe off the water and salt with a paper towel. Easy!
Can leftovers from this keto vegetarian lasagna be frozen?
Yes! Feel free to freeze any leftovers from my easy cheesy keto vegetarian lasagna recipe (if you actually have any!). Just be sure to use an airtight freezer safe dish to store your leftovers, and it should last for about 3 months. When you reheat the keto vegetarian lasagna, you can choose to microwave it or reheat on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Another option is to store leftover zucchini lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
Can I add other vegetables to this keto zucchini lasagna?
Sure! I think that adding finely diced carrots, bell peppers, or even celery to the sauce would be an awesome way to add even more veggies to this dish! I would stay away from big chunks of vegetables, since that would negatively impact the smooth, classic texture of this keto vegetarian lasagna.
Keto Vegetarian Lasagna
This recipe cuts out a lot of the carbs and fat that are normally found in classic lasagna recipes- all while still keeping it rich, cheesy, and delicious! My easy cheesy keto zucchini lasagna is healthy, low carb keto, and gluten free and diabetes friendly.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Shop Ingredients
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Low Calorie
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Erin Palinski-Wade
Equipment
Mandolin
Medium skillet
9×5 baking dish
Ingredients
- 3 medium sized zucchini
- 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
- basil leaves, to garnish
To make sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes, canned
- 1 tsp Italian seasonings
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 5-6 basil leaves, roughly chopped
To make filling
- 1½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it aside.
Trim the ends and slice the zucchini lengthwise to uniform strips using a mandolin. Not too thick and not too thin.
Place the zucchini strips on the prepared baking sheets next to each other and bake them for 20 minutes by flipping them to the other side halfway through. Once done, set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by heating a medium skillet with olive oil and garlic; saute for a minute and add onion. Cook the onion for 2-3 minutes and add the crushed tomato, Italian seasoning, basil, pepper and salt.
Simmer the sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Once done keep the sauce aside.
Prepare the filling by combining the ricotta, parmesan, egg, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Mix it and set aside.
For assembling the lasagna; add 2 tablespoons of prepared sauce on a 9X5 baking dish. Arrange a layer of pre baked zucchini strips. Add ⅓ cup of prepared ricotta filling followed by ¼ cup saucer and ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat the same for three layers.
For the final layer end with zucchini strips and add the remaining cheese on top and cover the lasagna with aluminium foil. Bake the lasagna for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Remove the foil and bake further for 10 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
Allow the zucchini lasagna to cool for 10 minutes. Before serving, slice the lasagna and serve while it is still warm.
Notes
Pre-baking the zucchini strips is the best option but you can also remove the moisture of the zucchini by placing the zucchini strips on a paper towel, add a generous pinch of salt all over the zucchini and wait for 5 minutes. Top with another paper towel to remove all the water and use it.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 966IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 562mg | Iron: 2mg
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Looking for more easy, family friendly recipes?
If this easy keto vegetarian lasagna was a hit with your family, I’ve got a few more easy dinner recipes for you:
- 5 Minute Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Low Calorie Crockpot Chicken Parm
- Easy Peanut Chicken Dinner
- Better Than Takeout Chicken Fried Rice
- Easy Cauliflower Pizza
- Tex-Mex Whole Grain Salad Bowl
- High Fiber Watermelon Salad with Coconut Rice
