I really love both zucchini and lasagna. Zucchini is abundant this time of year, and I’m always looking for delicious ways to use the season’s bounty. Our ultimate gluten-free zucchini lasagna recipe will be sure to impress, both family and guests.
Zucchini lasagna can be soggy, gummy, and if you grill it- overly smoky tasting. Our version for the ultimate gluten-free zucchini lasagna recipe addresses all of these issues as the cooking technique for the zucchini leaves them dry and like a boiled lasagna noodle. If you want to add even more structure you can add in gluten-free no-boil lasagna noodles- I like the Catelli brand ones.
Today’s gluten-free zucchini lasagna recipe is vegetarian. However, you could make it vegan/dairy-free, by using your favourite vegan or dairy-free cheese. If you want to make this with meat, you may want to make our gluten-free bolognese sauce recipe.
The Ultimate Gluten-Free Zucchini Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter or plant-based butter
- 3 onions, chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 28oz tin crushed tomatoes
- 1 bottle Italian Passata 680ml (pureed, strained tomatoes)
- 28 oz water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 2 tablespoons dry basil or 1 tablespoon homemade Basil Paste
- 1 Parmigiana Regiano Cheese Rind
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana Cheese
For The Zucchini
- 9 small zucchini, roughly 4 lbs
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated onion
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
For The lasagna
- 1/2 cup Provolone Cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 400g Mozzarella Cheese, grated
- Tip: You can use any combination of cheese you like. The mozzarella is just as good with 1 c of parmesan cheese, as well.
- 1 – 250g package gluten-free Catelli lasagna noodles
- Cooking spray or 2 tbs of oil
Tools:
Directions:
For the Tomato Sauce:
- Chop onions.
- Mince garlic
Tip: Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of salt over the roughly chopped garlic on your cutting board. The salt helps mince your garlic as you chop.
- Put a large pot on medium heat on the stove
- To the pot add olive oil and butter
Tip: To make this dairy-free/vegan, you can use plant-based butter or double the amount of oil
- Add in the onions.
- Once the onions are softened, add in the garlic- stirring frequently.
- When the garlic becomes fragrant add the can of crushed tomatoes.
- Once the tomatoes are in the pot fill the can with water and add that water to the pot. This rinses out the can, and gets every little bit of tomato left behind.
- Add 1 bottle of passata to the pot.
- Stir well.
- Simmer on low stirring occasionally
- Season with salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and basil.
Optional: you can add in the rind of a Parmigiana Regiano Cheese and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana Cheese.
- The sauce has to cook for at least 1 hour, but can be cooked up to 4 hours. Making it the day before, is even better.
- Taste and season to your liking.
Tip: You can make this sauce ahead of time, and even double the recipe, so you can freeze it and use it for another meal.
- This tomato sauce works well over pasta, for a quick dinner or in a regular lasagna.
For The Zucchini
- Wash and dry the zucchini.
- Cut off the stem and the dry end part of the zucchini- discard these items.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove any blemishes on the zucchini, but do not remove the skin unless necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F
- Set a mandolin to 1/8″ setting, and carefully slice the zucchini.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Layer as many strips of zucchini on the tray as will fit in a single layer- do not let them touch or overlap.
- Mix together the salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and black pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Lightly sprinkle both sides of each zucchini strip with the spice blend.
- Bake the zucchini for 5 minutes in the oven.
- Remove the pan from the oven.
- Turn the zucchini over, and return to the oven, for 5 more minutes.
- Allow the zucchini to cool slightly, then place it on a plate or platter.
- Repeat these steps until all the zucchini is cooked.
Tip: To make faster work of these parts you can use 2 rimmed pans. If both pans are in the oven at one time, rotate which is on the higher rack, halfway through. To ensure even cooking time. You may need to add extra time if you only bake on the higher rack.
For The lasagna
- Grate and mix your cheese together.
Tip: I prefer the small grate on the grater, as I find it mixes together well, and melts better. In a bowl add the provolone, mozzarella, and parmigiana together - mix well.
- Take out a 9” x 13” baking dish.
- Open the Catelli no-bake gluten-free lasagna noodles.
Tip: Place the noodles in the pan to get an idea of how many it takes to make an even layer of noodles, in your pan. You don’t want the noodles to overlap. They need room to grow, as they bake and absorb the liquid. You may need to cut some of them to make them fit better.
- Remove the noodles from the pan.
- Spray the baking dish with canola oil spray or brush with a thin layer of oil.
- 1/2 C of tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan.
- Place a layer of noodles (9”x13” takes about 3 whole noodles and 2 that have been broken in half to fit)-the pasta is optional if you would prefer to use all zucchini.
Tip: Keep in mind which direction because you want to keep alternating the direction of the noodles/zucchini as you go.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce over the noddles
- Cover in an even thin layer of the grated cheese mixture.
- shingle the baked zucchini strips in the pan as you want them to slightly overlap in the alternate direction.
- On your third layer, place the baked zucchini strips again in the opposite direction.
- Next, spread a thin layer of your tomato sauce, you should see the zucchini through it.
- The next layer can be gluten-free lasagna noodles
- Then repeat the sauce and cheese layering.
- The next two layers are zucchini noddles
- Your last layer is can be either pasta or zucchini.
- Pour a generous amount of sauce over top of the lasagna.
- You want the top to look very wet because the no-boil noodles cook in that liquid
- Cover with a generous amount of grated cheese.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the pan.
- Spray the parchment paper with canola oil spray or brush with a thin layer of oil.
- Place the parchment (greased side down) on top of the lasagna and then cover with a layer of foil. Refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
Tip: You can make the lasagna a day or two in advance, and keep it in the fridge.
Tip: When it is time to bake, place the pan on a large cookie sheet covered with a piece of foil (this is to catch anything that might drip over (which it shouldn’t, but better to be prepared).
- Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a butter knife inserted in the middle comes out hot, and the noodles are soft if you hear or feel a crunch bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Once it is hot, remove the covering and place it back in the oven to get the cheese on the top melted. You could do this, by putting it under the broiler, if your oven has one.
- Remove from the oven and place the parchment and foil back on top allow to sit for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the gluten-free zucchini lasagna to set, and it will cut much better.
While the ultimate gluten-free zucchini lasagna recipe looks challenging, once all your ingredients are prepared, it’s an easy step-by-step process.
The ultimate gluten-free zucchini lasagna recipe makes for a show-stopping meal. You can pair it with gluten-free chicken cutlets for a truly delicious feast, or simply serve it with a salad and gluten-free garlic bread.
This lasagna is so perfect, that your guests will ask for seconds. But remember, leftovers reheat incredibly!
Buon Appetito
Tip: To make faster work of these parts you can use 2 rimmed pans. If both pans are in the oven at one time, rotate which is on the higher rack, halfway through. To ensure even cooking time. You may need to add extra time if you only bake on the higher rack.
Ingredients
For the Tomato Sauce:
For The Zucchini
For The lasagna
Tools:
INSTRUCTIONS/NOTES/TIPS
For the Tomato Sauce:
For The Zucchini
For The lasagna