How to Make a Gluten Free Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

Posted by sarah Maughan on Oct 17, 2013 in How To's, Lunch & Dinner, Whole Food Recipes | 2 comments

This is a fun recipe. I have to say when I first made this, I’d never actually made a glutinous or even a gluten-free lasagna recipe that used real noodles. I had no idea what I was getting into but hey it worked!

You can also make a lentil filling – so this dish is great for families who have gluten-free and vegetarian needs to work around.

You can prep it all at the same time and freeze an extras so next week you’re just defrosting in the oven and not preparing anything for your family with different nutrition requirements. Easy! One day, I took pictures of the process because I remember my first time attempting it and just looking at the recipe scared me. Since it turned out to be quite easy I figured the visuals would help decrease the anxiety for others. So give it shot! A lasagna without noodles, who would have thought.

Gluten Free Zucchini “Noodle” Turkey (or lentil) Lasagna

Recipe originally from The Hormone Diet, Dr.Natasha Turner

Ingredients (old recipe) *new recipe as of 2017 – ingredients are below the old directions

2 lbs ground turkey – or I’ve also used 2 cups cooked green or brown lentils
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. (1 cup) can tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 eggs
15 oz (1 cup) low fat ricotta
Fresh parsley (optional)
3/4 cup low fat mozzarella, shredded (although I read it wrong and did 1/4 cup and was fine too)
2 – 3 zucchini’s, sliced lengthwise (I used 3, sometimes 4)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions (old)

• Preheat oven to 325F
• Sautee turkey with garlic until cooked thoroughly and then add tomato sauce and Italian spices
• Beat eggs with ricotta cheese.
• Grate mozarella cheese
• Slice zucchini lengthwise, 3 – 4 slices per zucchini
• Use a rectangular baking dish (8” – although I used 2 dishes that were 8″) and layer dish – Brush a bit of tomato sauce on the bottom, 1/3 zucchini slices, half of meat sauce, 1/3 zucchini, all of ricotta/egg, half mozzarella, rest of zucchini, rest of meat sauce, rest of mozzarella and parmesan
• Bake for 45 – 60 minutes

*Visual directions are for ingredients above

*Updated modification (2017)

I modified it to include more veggies and no tomato sauce!

Ingredients (new recipe)

1 tsp olive oil
2 lbs extra lean ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ red onion, chopped small
1 red pepper, chopped small
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 tsp dried parsley (and a bit more for the top if you don’t have fresh)
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp sea salt
1 can (14 oz) whole tomatoes, with juice
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
4 zucchini’s, sliced lengthwise, about ¼ cm thick for the noodles
2 eggs
15 oz low fat ricotta
¾ cup grated mozzarella
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
Optional – fresh parsley for garnish on top and to serve

Directions (new)

1. Preheat oven to 325 F
2. Slice zucchini’s lengthwise using a mandolin or as thin as you can cut them in tact (1/4 cm)
3. Chop red pepper, onion, spinach and garlic.
4. Grate mozzarella and parmesan (separately)
5. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and ground turkey to a pan and cook until the turkey is half done (half pink)
6. Add chopped pepper, spinach and cook until turkey is fully cooked (no longer pink). Drain excess liquid.
7. In a separate bowl, mix canned tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, parsley, oregano, and sea salt – reserve 2 tbsp and set aside. Add the remaining amount to the ground turkey and mix thoroughly. Remove turkey mixture from heat.
8. In a separate bowl – mix ricotta with the eggs. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Spread the 2 tbsp of reserved tomato mixture on the bottom of your pan (approx. 12 x 8 in size or 2 smaller) and then add the first layer of zucchini noodles (1/3 of the amount you chopped) either length or width of the dish.
2. Add ½ of the meat mixture and then add another layer of the zucchini noodles (another 1/3 of the amount you cut)
3. Add ricotta/egg mixture and lightly sprinkle ¼ cup of grated mozzarella
4. Add last layer of zucchini (last 1/3)
5. Add the rest of the meat sauce (if you feel like there is too much, save a little for lunch another day)
6. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup grated mozzarella, ¼ cup grated parmesan and either ½ tsp dried parsley or 1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish.

Bake 50-60 minutes until bubbling throughout and cheese is lightly browned on top.

NOTES

• 2 servings of veggies/serving
• Freezes well – freeze BEFORE cooking and just after assembly, and cook from frozen for approximately the same time (may be more watery)

Visual Directions

 Preheat your oven to 325F

Sautee turkey with garlic until cooked. Add tomato sauce and italian spices.

Beat eggs with ricotta cheese

Great mozzarella cheese

Slice zucchini lengthwise, approx 3 – 4 slices per zucchini

Use a rectangular baking dish (8” – although I used 2 dishes that were 8″) and layer dish – Brush a bit of tomato sauce on the bottom, 1/3 zucchini slices, half of meat sauce, 1/3 zucchini, all of ricotta/egg, half mozzarella, rest of zucchini, rest of meat sauce, rest of mozzarella and parmesan

Bake for 45 – 60 minutes and enjoy!

Updated Photos:

About Sarah Maughan

Sarah Maughan is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist based in Toronto, ON and has been consulting since 2009. Her website aims to educate you, make you laugh, help you live and inspire you to eat whole food! To stay up to date sign up for free blog and recipe updates! In the meantime, empower your body with food!
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