Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe (with Zucchini!)

This gluten-free lasagna recipe uses fresh zucchini in place of lasagna noodles to create a delicious meal everyone will enjoy. You won’t believe how amazing gluten-free can taste!

Of course, judging from my blog, you can probably tell that I’m not gluten-free myself. (I can’t bear the thought of abandoning my sourdough starter.) However, I like to have a few gluten-free recipes in my back pocket for when we have guests with sensitivities over for dinner. Served with a side salad on a summery night, this lasagna recipe will not disappoint!

Even if you’re not entertaining a gluten-free guest, why not try out this recipe? Replacing pasta noodles with zucchini gives this dish a nutritional punch without sacrificing flavor. All the marinara sauce covers up the zucchini quite well, making this recipe perfect for sneaking in veggies that picky eaters normally would avoid.

You can easily customize it by swapping out ground beef for the chicken for a more traditional flavor or making it vegetarian by using chickpeas instead. Whatever protein you choose to include, you’ll fall in love with this simple yet satisfying gluten-free lasagna recipe.

Why use zucchini for noodles?

You absolutely could make gluten-free lasagna using gluten-free pasta noodles, but it’s more cost effective, nutritious, and (in my opinion) delicious to use zucchini.

First of all, zucchini costs less than gluten-free noodles. At your local Walmart, you could buy 2 zucchini for $1.62, whereas a box of typical gluten-free noodles would cost you nearly $3. That’s about twice as much!

Zucchini is naturally lower in carbohydrates than pasta, which makes it an excellent choice if you’re trying to follow a low-carb diet. Even if you’re not trying to avoid gluten or carbs, zucchini itself is full of many vitamins and nutrients such as vitamin c, potassium, and magnesium. Additionally, it contains carotenoids which strengthen your bones, guard your heart against cardiovascular disease, and protect your skin from UV rays. So gluten-free or not, everyone can enjoy the health benefits of the zucchini in this lasagna.

Finally, fresh zucchini tastes incredible! When you pair it with lemon zest, garlic, basil, and ricotta cheese, the zucchini absolutely shines. All the flavors of summer dance on your tongue! You can enjoy this gluten-free twist on traditional lasagna knowing that you made an economical and healthy choice.

Tips for making Gluten-Free Lasagna

• It’s really important to slice the zucchini into strips that are the right thickness (about 1/4″). If you cut the zucchini too thin, it will not hold up under all the lasagna fillings. If you cut them too thick, they will take longer to cook and be a bit chewier.
• Because of this, adjust the thickness of your mandolin if you need to when you’re slicing the zucchini. If you don’t have a mandolin, you could use a vegetable peeler or a regular knife to slice the zucchini.
• Watch the zucchini carefully when it’s in the oven to make sure it doesn’t burn. It can quickly change from perfectly cooked to brown, so pay attention!
• For a more traditional lasagna flavor, you could use ground beef instead of chicken. Or if you want to make this vegetarian, you can replace the chicken with 1 cup of rinsed and drained chickpeas.

Tools you will need

When preparing gluten-free lasagna, you will need:

• Mandolin*
• Baking trays
• Parchment paper
• 8″ x 11″ casserole pan

* If you don’t have a mandolin, you can use a vegetable peeler instead.

Ingredients you will need

To make this gluten-free lasagna recipe, you will need:

• 2 zucchini
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 3 tbsp shredded parmesan
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 cup rotisserie chicken, chopped or sliced
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce
• 1 handful of fresh basil, chopped
• Dried oregano

How to make Gluten-Free Lasagna:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. I like to use the convection setting on my oven so that the lasagna cooks evenly.

Use a mandolin to cut the zucchini into thin strips lengthwise. If you don’t have a mandolin, you could also use a vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini or even a regular knife. You want the strips to be about 1/4″ thick, and you should have 24 or so strips when you’re done. These will take the place of the noodles in the lasagna.

Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper and spread the zucchini strips on the trays. Bake them for about 8-10 minutes to get the moisture out and prevent the zucchini strips from making the lasagna soggy.

While they’re baking, in a small bowl mix the egg, ricotta, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, 2 tbsp of parmesan, garlic, lemon zest, and basil. Set aside.

Spray an 8″ x 11″ casserole pan with cooking spray. After the zucchini comes out of the oven, place about 8 of the zucchini strips in the bottom of the casserole pan. Spread half of the ricotta mixture overtop of the zucchini. Next layer half of the chicken on top of the ricotta, and cover with 1/4 cup of marinara sauce.

Put another 8 or so strips of zucchini on top of the marinara sauce. Next, spread on the rest of the ricotta over top of them, and then layer on the rest of the chicken. Top with 1/4 cup of marinara sauce.

Use the remaining zucchini strips to cover the top of the lasagna. Spread the last 1/4 cup of marinara sauce over the top. Next sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella and 1 tbsp of parmesan over the sauce. If you like, sprinkle a bit of dried oregano on top.

Bake the lasagna for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the marinara sauce is bubbling. Let cool for a few minutes and serve!

This lasagna will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days.

Hungry for more dinner recipes?

Check out more yummy and healthy (ish:)) recipes for dinner at the Kitchen Counter. Let me know how your lasagna turned out in the comments section below!