Keto Zucchini Lasagna
Published January 30, 2021 • Updated March 5, 2026
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I’ve been making this for years, and the single biggest lesson is that moisture control is everything. Most versions end up as a watery casserole with liquid pooling at the bottom. Mine doesn’t, because I figured out two things that fix the problem completely.
First, slice the zucchini as thin as you can. I use a vegetable peeler for some batches instead of a mandoline. It sounds counterintuitive (Karen from the comments tried it and said the same thing), but thinner slices trap less moisture between the layers. Second, salt those slices and give them a full 15 minutes to release their water, then blot them dry. Yuki, one of my readers, said it took her four tries before she actually waited the full time, and that was the batch where everything finally held together.
The other detail that sets this apart is the anise seeds in the meat sauce. Most people skip them or have never tried them in lasagna, but that’s the ingredient that makes this taste like a real Italian bake instead of just beef and zucchini stacked in a dish. I’ve had multiple readers bring this up unprompted in the comments, so it’s not just my imagination.
Three cheeses hold the layers together: fresh mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta mixed with an egg. The egg matters. Without it, the ricotta slides around when you cut a slice. With it, the filling sets firm in the oven and you get clean, neat portions. I tested both ways and the difference is obvious.
Assembly is straightforward once your components are ready. Sauce goes on the bottom of the dish first (this prevents sticking), then a layer of zucchini slices, followed by the beef mixture, ricotta filling, and mozzarella. Repeat the layers and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes. I let mine rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting, sometimes longer. The layers continue to set as it cools, and you get much cleaner slices if you’re patient.
This is a solid weeknight keto dinner that my family requests regularly. My husband prefers it to traditional pasta lasagna (his words, not mine). If you’re feeding a crowd, double everything in a 9×13 pan and add about 10 minutes to the bake time.
If you like Italian casseroles, I have a few more on the site. My lasagna with deli chicken noodles uses a completely different noodle base. The skillet lasagna comes together in one pan when you don’t feel like layering. Baked spaghetti casserole is another crowd-sized option, and spaghetti with zucchini noodles is great for lighter nights.
How to Layer and Bake This Lasagna
The whole process comes down to three phases: prep the zucchini, build the meat sauce, and layer everything. I salt my zucchini slices for 15 minutes (minimum) to pull out the moisture, brown the beef with anise seeds and marinara, and mix the ricotta filling with an egg so it sets in the oven. Then it’s just stacking: sauce on the bottom, zucchini, beef, ricotta, mozzarella, and repeat. 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees and you have a lasagna that holds its shape when you cut it.
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Ingredients
1 zucchini -
2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 pound ground beef
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1 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon pepper
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1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
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1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
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1 1/2 cups low-carb marinara sauce, divided
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1/4 cup ricotta cheese
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1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
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1 egg
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat oven
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Make zucchini noodles
Slice the ends of the zucchini. Using a mandoline slicer, cut the zucchini into thin strips lengthwise.
Dehydrate noodles
Lay the zucchini down on a plate or cutting board and a very thin layer of salt over the zucchini. Let sit for 15 minutes. Blot moisture out of zucchini afterwards.
Brown ground beef
While zucchini is dehydrating, add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and anise. Continue cooking until ground beef has cooked through. Pour in 1 cup marinara sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Make white sauce
While ground beef is cooking, make the white sauce. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, parmesan and garlic powder.
Assemble lasagna
Assemble the lasagna. Pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a small casserole dish. Lay down a layer of zucchini noodles.
Keep assembling
Top with half the ground beef mixture. Spread half the white sauce on top. Layer half the mozzarella cheese down. Repeat the layers.
Bake
Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to cool before serving.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill the zucchini instead of salting it to remove moisture?
I've tried grilling the slices and it does work. You get some nice char on the edges and it drives off moisture faster than salting. The trade-off is that grilled slices are less flexible for layering, so they don't conform to the dish as neatly. I still prefer the salt method for this recipe because the thin, pliable slices layer better, but grilling is a solid option if you want that smoky flavor in the mix.
Can I assemble this lasagna the night before and bake it the next day?
I do this regularly and it works great. Assemble everything, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. The layers actually meld together better overnight. When you're ready to bake, pull it straight from the fridge and add about 5-10 extra minutes to the bake time since it's starting cold.
Can I freeze keto zucchini lasagna, and how do I reheat it?
I freeze individual portions all the time. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, I either thaw overnight in the fridge and bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or go straight from frozen at 375 for 25-30 minutes. The texture holds up well either way. I've found that baked-then-frozen reheats better than assembled-then-frozen, so I always bake it first.
Why do I add an egg to the ricotta, and can I skip it?
The egg is what makes the ricotta layer set firm in the oven instead of sliding around when you cut a slice. I've made it both ways, and without the egg, the filling oozes out the side the moment you lift a piece. With the egg, everything stays put and you get clean portions. I wouldn't skip it.
Can I make this in a 9x13 pan for a larger crowd?
I double the recipe and use a 9x13 when I'm feeding more than four people. Same layering approach, just more of everything. Bump the bake time to about 35-40 minutes and check the center with a knife. I've served this at family dinners for 8-10 people and there's never any left.
Can I use other vegetables besides zucchini in the layers?
I've added mushrooms and spinach to the layers and both work well. Saute the mushrooms first so they don't release extra water into the casserole, and tuck fresh spinach between the zucchini slices where it wilts during baking. I'd skip carrots since they're higher carb for keto. Eggplant slices work too, but they need to be salted and drained the same way as the zucchini.
What makes this taste more like real lasagna than other versions?
Anise seeds. That's my not-so-secret ingredient in the meat sauce. Most people leave them out or don't think to add them, but anise is what gives Italian sausage its distinctive flavor. A quarter teaspoon in the beef changes the whole dish. I've had multiple readers mention it in the comments without any prompting from me.
Made this probably six or seven times now, and I finally figured out the dehydrating step is worth the extra time. First couple batches I rushed it and ended up with watery pools around every slice. Now I salt the zucchini and let it sit while the meat cooks, and it actually holds together the way it looks in the photos. The anise in the beef is subtle but it's what makes it taste like lasagna should.
Made a double batch on Sunday and have been pulling slices for lunch all week. Holding together so well in the fridge, which I genuinely didn't expect with zucchini. The salt-and-drain step is the reason it works for meal prep.
The layers firm up overnight and it slices cleaner on day two than it did fresh. Day four is my personal favorite.
Made a full pan Sunday and split it into four lunch containers for the week. I was half expecting the zucchini to turn to complete mush by Wednesday but it actually held its shape (the salting step is the reason, I'm convinced). Day three it was eating better cold than fresh out of the pan. Making a double batch this weekend, no question.
Day three cold is exactly right. For the double batch, use a 9x13 and bump the bake time to 35-40 minutes.
Made a full pan Sunday and I'm still eating from it Thursday, and it's actually getting better. Salting the zucchini felt tedious the first time but it's why this holds together as a real slice instead of the watery mess I was making before. Reheated a piece Wednesday and the ricotta was still creamy, the zucchini still had some bite. I doubled the white sauce because I always want more of that layer and it didn't affect anything else. Making two pans next time. One is never enough when you're eating it for both lunch and dinner.
Doubling the white sauce is the right call. I always want more of that layer too. Two pans next time is where this recipe ends up for most people.
Third or fourth time making this. Finally cracked the zucchini prep: salt generously and let it sit closer to 20 minutes before patting dry. Slices held up way better. The anise in the beef is subtle but it's what makes this taste like actual lasagna and not just a zucchini casserole. Four stars because I still can't get the top layer to brown consistently.
Broiler on high for the last 2-3 minutes. That's what finally got the top to brown consistently for me. Oven heat alone just doesn't do it.
Salting the zucchini first felt like an unnecessary step so I almost skipped it, but I'm so glad I didn't. My slices held together cleanly enough to lift a whole piece out of the pan, which never happens with zucchini anything. Adding this to my spring rotation for sure.
Glad you didn't skip it. Clean lift out of the pan is the whole point. Skip the salt and you're basically assembling soup.
My son has refused zucchini since he was four. He cleaned his plate without a word, which never happens with vegetables. The anise in the beef pulls it together. Reads as actual lasagna, not a vegetable disguise.
Four years of refusal. One plate. He still doesn't know what he ate, does he.
My grandmother's lasagna always had anise in the meat sauce, which I figured I'd just have to give up when I went keto. I wasn't expecting this to actually smell like hers when it came out of the oven, but it did. The salting step for the zucchini is worth the extra time. Slices came out clean.
That smell is the anise. Most versions leave it out entirely and that's usually what's missing.
Grew up eating my grandmother's lasagna every Christmas, and I genuinely thought that chapter was closed after going keto. The anise seeds in the beef brought back something I wasn't expecting to feel again. Four stars only because nothing will ever quite replace her noodles, but this one is earning a spot in Sunday dinners.
Sunday dinners is exactly where it belongs. And I love that she used anise too. A lot of people think that's my secret ingredient, but really it's just old Italian cooking.
My 9-year-old saw the zucchini and said 'that's not lasagna.' Ate two pieces without another word. Pretty sure it was the anise in the beef.
Ha. Two pieces without another word is better than any five-star review.
I'd quietly written off lasagna when I went keto, so finding that the salted zucchini trick actually keeps it from going watery made this feel like getting the real thing back.
The anise in the beef is the other half of that. Most people skip it, but it's what makes the meat sauce taste Italian instead of just ground beef.
Brought this to a February dinner at my sister-in-law's (she does Whole30, so it had to hold its own without a disclaimer). The dehydrating step worked better than I thought, no watery mess when she cut into it in front of everyone, and she spent a solid five minutes poking at the layers before I mentioned there was no pasta. Four stars because I'd push the ricotta thicker next time, but as a crowd dish it genuinely surprised me.
Five minutes of layer inspection before you even mentioned it. That's everything. And yeah, more ricotta is right, the 1/4 cup is just a baseline.
Fourth time making this and something finally clicked with the zucchini. I gave the salting step a full 15 minutes this time, actually waited, and the layers held together instead of swimming in liquid. No watery bottom, just clean slices with the ricotta sitting where it should. February cold outside, this hot in the oven, and I'm already thinking about batch five.
Yeah 15 minutes surprised me. I always say 30 but if the slices are thin enough it pulls the moisture faster. Batch five incoming.
Does salting the zucchini really make a big difference? I've made zucchini boats before and skipped that step and they turned out super watery. Wondering if I can get away with it here or if it's actually necessary for lasagna.
Yeah, it really does matter here. Zucchini boats have way more surface area exposed so they drain differently - lasagna traps the moisture between layers and it has nowhere to go. I'd do the 30 minutes with salt, pat them dry, and you should be fine.
Hello,
I made this today and it's a very nice recipe. I would like to add more veggies in it to be honest. I ll make it with carrots and onions next time i think
Onions are great in there. Carrots run pretty high carb for keto though. Mushrooms or spinach are better swaps, they hold up well in the layers.