Lasagna made with zucchini? You betcha! You may be skeptical of the lack of cheese and noodles in this dish, but if you give it a try, you may very well be won over by the amazing flavor of this scrumptious (and healthy!) main dish. Of course, you can always add your favorite cheese or the dairy-free Daiya cheese that many grocery stores carry now.
The health benefits of zucchini make it a great alternative to lasagna noodles. Zucchini is an excellent source of potassium, which aids in reducing blood pressure and heart rate. It’s rich in vitamins A and C and is a low-calorie vegetable. Zucchini also contains large amounts of flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants that help rid the body of harmful free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are involved in aging and various disease processes. The skin is also abundant in dietary fiber.
The pasta primavera sauce is an excellent, dairy-free sauce that nicely combines with the other ingredients for a scrumptious result! So whether you’re skeptically considering trying this lasagna, or your mouth is watering from excited anticipation, let me encourage you to give this satisfying dish a try. Who knows? You may have just found a new family favorite. . . 🙂
Notes
*Prep Notes: We like our zucchini sliced as thinly as possible. A very thin slicer blade speeds up this process. Don’t worry if the strips tear. Broken strips work fine. You can also use a salad shooter and slice into thin round circles.
If you’re not dairy free, adding some shredded cheese on top is always yummy.
Ingredients
- 1-1⁄2 (24 ounce) jars sugar-free pasta sauce
- 6 to 8 medium zucchini, thinly sliced into long strips*
- 2 pounds Turkey Sausage, cooked
- 1-1⁄2 cups chopped onions
- 1 (8 ounce) package whole mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup chopped green peppers
- 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
- sea salt
- pepper
- 1 recipe of Pasta Primavera Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread a small amount of pasta sauce on bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Next, place a single layer of zucchini to completely cover the pan. Using approximately one fourth amount of each ingredient, layer in the order they are listed. Make four layers. This means that you will always end with the pasta sauce covering the Pasta Primavera Sauce. (Make sure the Pasta Primavera Sauce is covered to prevent it from turning an unappetizing color.)
- Cover with foil and bake for 1-1/2 hours until soft. Let it set up at room temperature for at least 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
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