Today’s recipe is all about thinking outside the box… of pasta that is! Our low-carb zucchini lasagna roll ups are a pasta-free version of a classic. Stuffed with ricotta, lots of meat and bubbling with cheese – I promise you will not miss the pasta.

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe

I always forget how long lasagna takes to make, until I’m about 45 minutes into the process and questioning my own sanity.

Last year, I made zucchini lasagna for the first time and never looked back. After several batches, I’ve perfected my recipe with little tweaks (like salting the zucchini to remove moisture) that have made it the best zucchini lasagna ever!

However, the one issue I run into with that recipe is that (just like regular lasagna) it can be a bit tricky to cut up.

So, I thought I’d give the lasagna roll-up trend a try, but with a low-carb zucchini twist!

Our low-carb zucchini lasagna roll-ups are quick, light, keto and gluten-free. What more could you ask for in a comfort food recipe?!

For my low-carb friends, I consider 3 of these roll-ups to be one serving as I usually need two or three to feel full. (If you are serving it with a side salad you will probably only want two.) Each of these zucchini lasagna roll-ups comes in at 3g net carbs.

Three of these zucchini roll-ups come in at 8g net carb (per serving).

The big carb kicker here is the pasta sauce you use. My homemade marinara sauce is a great low-carb option and there are several store-bought options available, too.

Zucchini makes a great pasta alternative. It takes on the flavors of whatever it is cooked with, making it very versatile. It can be cooked to be tender or crunchy, depending on your personal preferences.

Zucchini is technically a fruit – not a vegetable – contains zero fat, and is high in water, fiber, vitamins (B6, riboflavin, folate, C, and K) and minerals (like potassium and manganese). Among many other benefits it lowers blood sugar levels and supports heart health and circulation.

Now, for this recipe to avoid being too watery, I like to salt the sliced zucchini to extract some of the water before assembling the lasagna roll-ups. If you’d prefer to leave out the salt, you can cook the lasagna without the mozzarella cheese, with the lid off, for about 15 minutes and then top with cheese for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

Zucchini Noodle Lasagna Recipe FAQs

How do you slice zucchini for lasagna noodles? I highly recommend using a mandolin slicer for this recipe. If you don’t already have a mandolin, it is a small, inexpensive kitchen slicer that results in perfect, thin slices of vegetables or fruit – every single time! You can also use it to make perfect matchstick or shoestring vegetables, and it’s way easier than trying to get perfect, even slices with a kitchen knife. 

Can zucchini lasagna be frozen? Honestly, thawed zucchini or zoodles just turns to mush so I do not advice freezing this recipe. It will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge after cooking.

If you need to prep a bit of this recipe in advance, I recommend seasoning and cooking the meat and then freezing in an airtight tip-top bag for up to 3 months.

Can I skip the salting step? Salting helps draw out excess moisture so the roll-ups don’t become watery while baking, so if you want to skip it you will need to remove the water a different way – like grilling or roasting the zucchini slices briefly to remove moisture instead.

Ingredients for Zucchini Roll-ups

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.

• Zucchini
• Ricotta Cheese
• Egg
• Italian Blend Seasoning
• Pasta Sauce **
• Ground Beef 
• Pepperoni Slices
• Salami Slices
• Ham, cubed
• Italian Sausage Links
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese, as desired
• Salt & Pepper

 Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful:

• Sharp kitchen knife or a mandolin
• 8″ x 8″ casserole dish
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cookie sheet
• Paper towels

How To Make Zucchini Lasagna Roll-ups

To Prep: Slice the zucchini into 1/4″ thick strips and lay out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out the water as you gather and prepare the other ingredients. Dab the excess water (and salt) away with paper towel before starting the recipe.

1. Cook the filling: Season ground beef with Italian seasoning and cook in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally.
2. Mix the filling: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg and cooked ground beef until fully combined.
3. Assemble the roll-ups: Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling onto each zucchini slice, roll up and place seam-side down in an 8×8 baking dish.
4. Bake and finish: Top with remaining meat, pour sauce over the rolls and sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 5 more minutes until bubbly and golden.

 

Pin this Zucchini Roll-ups Recipe for the next time you want a protein-packed comfort food meal:

Grab your free printable for our zucchini lasagna roll-ups recipe:

Yield: 16 lasagna rolls

Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups

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A lighter version of the classic lasagna without all the time-consuming layering! These zucchini lasagna roll-ups are cheesy, cozy and perfect for weeknight dinners. Soft zucchini replaces pasta, holding a hearty meat and ricotta filling that bakes up saucy and satisfying.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 zucchini, sliced thin
• 2/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon Italian Blend Seasoning
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 10 Pepperoni Slices
• 10 Salami Slices
• 2/3 cup Ham, cubed
• 2 Italian Sausage Links
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese, for serving
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Slice the zucchini to less than 1/2" thickness, preferably closer to 1/4" thickness.
2. Lay the zucchini slices out on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes so that the salt can draw out some of the water, and then dab away the water with paper towels. (See alternative cooking note if you want to avoid using salt for this step.)
3. Season the ground beef with Italian seasoning and cook in a skillet over medium heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
5. Mix the ricotta, egg and ground beef together until combined fully. Place about 2-3 Tablespoons of the filling onto each zucchini slice and roll. Place in an 8x8 pan.
6. Top zucchini lasagna rolls with the remaining meats.
7. Pour sauce over the meats.
8. Top with Mozzarella cheese and then cover baking dish with tin foil.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove tin foil and continue baking until cheese is bubbly and golden, about 5 additional minutes.

Notes

If you don't want to remove the excess water with salt, do not top with finished lasagna rolls with mozzarella cheese. Leave off the tin foil so that the water bakes off.

At about the 15 minute mark, top the lasagna rolls with the mozzarella cheese and continue to cook until the cheese is bubbly and golden and the lasagna rolls are cooked through.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 433Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 1559mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 33g

This low carb lasagna recipe is packed with tons of protein for a filling, comfort food that the whole family will love!

For more delicious meat-filled dishes, check out our Meat lover’s Fathead Pizza or our Keto Meatball Stroganoff.