Zucchini Lasagna With Ground Beef

Ingredients:

  • 20 ounces zucchini (about 2 large) ends sliced off and discarded
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 15 ounces can tomato sauce or puree
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

Directions:

Making the meat sauce: Heat a high-sided pan over medium heat until hot. Add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground beef to the pan, breaking it apart as it cooks. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, stirring it in. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then gradually reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally. Add oregano, salt, and cayenne. Stir until well-mixed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assembling and baking the lasagna: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare an 8x8 inch baking dish. Slice each zucchini along its length into 1/8 inch thick strips. Arrange zucchini slices along the bottom of the baking dish so that they are slightly overlapping in a criss-cross pattern. Evenly pour about half of the meat sauce over the zucchini. Add about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese on top of the meat sauce. Repeat with another zucchini layer, a meat sauce layer, and a cheese layer. Top with remaining zucchini slices. Add another 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese on top of the zucchini. Bake at 375 F until the lasagna is golden brown on top and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes to allow the lasagna to set and cease bubbling before slicing.

Credit: https://www.savorytooth.com