I adore Italian food and grew up loving my mom’s and grandma’s traditional recipe. Surprisingly, lasagna didn’t originate in Italy—the name “lasagna” can be traced all the way back to Ancient Greece and was the first known form of pasta. That version was different from the Italian version we all know and love but was made up of layers of pasta and sauce.

Now, if you’re enjoying the low-carb lifestyle—or at least the results in how you look, feel, and the weight on the scale, you may wonder if you can ever enjoy this traditional dish again. You know I’ve got you! I’ve taken my traditional recipe and made some small food substitutions (like my other healthy zucchini recipes), so you can enjoy this Italian indulgence without the heavy weight of excess refined carbs. You will love this keto lasagna recipe. You can thank me later! 😉

Keto Lasagna Recipe with Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients:

• 16 oz ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cups *Rao’s marinara sauce
• 2 zucchini, large
• 10 oz ricotta cheese
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 6 oz parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Peel zucchini into strips with a food processor, or if you have a mandolin, this would be ideal.
3. Salt the zucchini and let sit for 15 minutes, then blot with paper towels to remove all of the excess water.
4. Brown ground beef and onion in pan, then drain, and add salt and pepper.
5. Add marinara and stir to mix.
6. Layer into a small casserole dish: meat sauce, zucchini, cheeses, meat sauce, zucchini, cheeses…
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Broil uncovered for 2 – 3 minutes to brown the top.
9. Enjoy this delicious keto lasagna recipe!

*Chef Note: I have found Rao’s to be the most keto-friendly store-bought brand of marinara sauce that doesn’t compromise flavor. If you wanted to make your own keto-friendly sauce, give this one a try:

Simply toss 2 cans of tomatoes (be mindful of sugar), ¼ cup of EVOO (or your favorite extra virgin olive oil), 1 tsp red wine vinegar, powdered garlic, powdered onion, and some salt and pepper in a blender until you reach your desired consistency, and voila!

Chef Note: Get creative with your meats. If you prefer turkey or venison for this keto lasagna recipe, go wild.

Chef Note: I have removed the water from the zucchini two different ways and both have been successful. This is a crucial step and one that you CANNOT omit. In the above recipe, I salted the slices and blotted with a paper towel, but if you have time, you can also cool/broil the slices which will also remove the water. If you skip this very important step, you will end up with a soggy, mushy mess. And trust me—nobody wants lasagna soup.