Vegetarian Zucchini Lasagna

Who said you need pasta to make a tasty lasagna? This is a lower carb version of the classic dish, giving it the perfect, healthy twist it deserves! Trust me, you won't even notice the pasta is missing. This is one of my favorite dinners, and I guarantee it will not disappoint! And if you are wanting to add a bit more protein, feel free to add some ground elk, beef or turkey (if you are non-vegetarian)!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

Servings: ~8

Total Time: 1 Hour and 45 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 3 medium zucchini, sliced 1/8″ thick (do your best - it doesn't have to be perfect)
• 1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta*
• 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano*
• 1 large egg
• 16 oz (4 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese*  

*For those of you whom dairy does not agree with, have no fear! There are some great zucchini lasagnas that do not include dairy. Try THIS ONE from the minimalistbaker.com. It is both gluten and dairy free!

*Feel free to add in 1lb of lean ground beef, ground elk, or ground turkey if you would like to add more protein! 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Pour the olive oil into the pan. Once hot, add the minced garlic and onions and saute until translucent (2-3 minutes). 
2. Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer on low for at approximately 30-40minutes, covered. Sauce should be pretty thick.
   *To make this recipe even simpler, omit steps 1 and 2 and just use your favorite tomato basil pasta sauce instead. Trust me, I get the convenience thing and have often used store bought tomato sauce instead! No shame in your pasta sauce game!
3. Preheat oven to 375°.
4. While you have the sauce going, slice your zucchinis into 1/8″ thick slices. Light salt the slices to absorb the natural moisture (helps prevent your lasagna from getting soggy)! Set aside for about ~10 minutes. After 10 minutes, blot excess moisture with a paper towel.
5. In a large bowl mix ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and egg. Stir well.
6. In a 9×12 casserole spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom and layer the zucchini to cover. Spread 1/2 cup of the ricotta cheese mixture, then top with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all your ingredients are used up. The last layer top with remaining zucchini and sauce, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover the foil and bake 20 minutes (to dry up the sauce) then place the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake until melted, 10 minutes.
7. Let stand about 5 – 10 minutes before serving to allow the dish to thicken even more!

*Recipe adapted from www.skinnytaste.com