Zucchini has a reputation for making casseroles watery, and I refuse to let it ruin a perfectly good pan of lasagna, honey. These zucchini lasagna roll ups are packed with seasoned meat, plenty of cheese, and a rich tomato sauce, but the zucchini is prepped so it actually holds up in the oven. I’ve spent more than a decade developing approachable recipes, and this is the kind of swap that has to taste good on its own. You still get the cheesy, saucy comfort of lasagna in every bite.
You will also love my Sugar Free Zucchini Bread.
Zucchini Roll Ups Ingredients
- Zucchini
- Ground Beef
- Onions
- Italian Seasoning, Salt, and Pepper
- Garlic
- Ricotta
- Cream Cheese
- Egg
- Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- Basil
- Marinara Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
How to Make Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prep the Zucchini: Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin, even strips using a mandoline or sharp knife. Lightly salt the slices and let them sit to release excess moisture. Pat them very dry with paper towels. If needed, briefly roast the slices until they're flexible enough to roll without breaking.
- Cook the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onions. Cook until the beef is browned and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease.
- Season the Meat: Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute or two until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in some of the marinara sauce and remove the skillet from the heat.
- Make the Cheese Filling: In a bowl, combine the ricotta, softened cream cheese, egg, Parmesan Reggiano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spread a layer of marinara sauce along the bottom of a baking dish. This will keep the zucchini from sticking and gives you plenty of sauce underneath the roll ups.
- Fill the Zucchini: Lay each zucchini slice flat. Spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture over the zucchini, then add a small amount of the ground beef mixture. Don't overfill them or everything will squeeze out when you roll.
- Roll Them Up: Starting at one end, gently roll each zucchini slice. Place the roll ups seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Add the Sauce and Cheese: Spoon the remaining marinara over the roll ups and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake: Bake uncovered until the zucchini is tender, the filling is hot, and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. The cheese should be completely melted and lightly browned.
- Rest and Serve: Let the roll ups rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This gives everything a chance to set up and makes them easier to serve without falling apart.
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Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups with Beef
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds zucchini (about 3-4 zucchini)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning 1 teaspoon for the ground beef and 1 teaspoon for the ricotta mixture
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 garlic cloves Minced
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- 3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove Excess Water From the Zucchini
- Place the zucchini strips on paper towels or cheese cloth. Sprinkle kosher salt throughout. Allow the zucchini to stand for 30 minutes and sweat out excess moisture. After 30 minutes, squeeze the zucchini to remove excess water.
Ground Beef
- Place a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and ground beef to the skillet.
- Season the beef with 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Break down the ground beef into small chunks. I like to use this meat chopper.
- When the ground beef is no longer pink, add the garlic and stir.
- Remove the skillet from heat and drain any excess fat.
- Add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread throughout.
Lasagna Filling
- Place the beaten egg, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, parmesan reggiano, basil, 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Add in the ground beef mixture and stir.
- Spread the ricotta and ground beef mixture onto each of the zucchini slices. Place the mixture at the bottom of each zucchini strip. Focusing on the bottom will make them easier to roll. Then roll them up and place them in the baking dish.
- Spread the remaining ½ cup of marinara over the roll-ups and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese bubbles.
Video
Notes
- Makes 26-30 total zucchini rolls.
- If you find the zucchini is hard to roll you can pan sear them for a few minutes or grill them first, to get them to soften up. I found it was easy to roll them without first cooking them.
- While rolling the zucchini, some of the filling may ooze the sides, I pushed this back inside and continued to mold the roll-up. You can secure the roll ups with toothpicks if you wish.
- Zucchini is a vegetable filled with lots of water. It's impossible to remove all of the water from the veggie. Allowing it to sweat out moisture using salt, and sitting for 30 minutes will help a ton.
- You can substitute or omit the ricotta cheese with anything you choose if you wish.
Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Ground beef, Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken will all work. Italian sausage adds a lot of flavor on its own, while ground beef gives you more of that classic meat lasagna flavor.
Absolutely. Ground beef and Italian sausage are a great combination if you want an extra hearty, flavorful meat sauce.
Use a mandolin. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin, even strips. A mandoline works great for this, but a sharp knife will also work. You want them thin enough to roll without breaking, but not so thin that they fall apart.
You don't have to, but softening it first can make a difference. Raw zucchini can be difficult to roll and releases a lot of water as it cooks. Briefly roasting, grilling, or salting the slices helps soften them and remove some of that moisture.
Zucchini holds a ton of water, so don't skip the prep. Salt the slices and blot away the moisture or cook them briefly before assembling. Also avoid using an overly watery marinara sauce.
The zucchini may be sliced too thin, overcooked, or stuffed with too much filling. You want flexible slices that are still sturdy enough to hold everything together.
Ricotta is the classic choice. Pair it with mozzarella and Parmesan for that creamy, cheesy lasagna filling.
Yes. Cottage cheese works if that's what you prefer. You can blend it first if you want a smoother texture that's closer to ricotta.
Yes. Leave out the meat and use your favorite marinara sauce. You can also add spinach, mushrooms, or other vegetables to the cheese filling.
Don't overdo it. Spread a thin, even layer over each slice so you can roll it without the filling squeezing out everywhere.
Place them seam-side down in the baking dish. Nestling them closely together also helps them hold their shape while baking.
Yes. Assemble them ahead of time, cover the dish tightly, and refrigerate until you're ready to bake. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time if they're going into the oven cold.
The sauce should be bubbling around the edges, the zucchini should be tender, and the cheese should be completely melted. If you're using raw meat in your specific preparation, make sure it reaches a safe internal temperature.
Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat them covered in the oven until warm or microwave individual portions. If there's extra liquid in the bottom of the dish after refrigeration, you can drain some of it before reheating.
You can, but zucchini will release additional moisture after freezing and thawing, so expect the texture to be softer. For the best texture, I prefer these fresh or refrigerated.
What to Serve with Zucchini Lasagna
You can't go wrong with a side salad, air fryer garlic bread, or Southern green beans and potatoes.
Be sure to check out my zucchini recipes like Keto Low Carb Zucchini Noodle Shrimp Alfredo, Keto Low Carb Mediterranean Shrimp Zucchini, Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad, and Keto Low Carb Taco Zucchini Boats.
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Trista says
I love making this recipe on Sundays and having it for lunch all week long. I don't have a mandolin slicer so my zucchini slices aren't always sliced well enough to roll up, so when that happens I lay them flat like regular lasagna noodles. If I have the time, I will let the zucchini slices sit out longer than the 30 minutes. Using kosher salt like Brandi suggests to dry the zucchini out works like a charm!
staysnatched says
So glad the salt trick works!
Trish says
This one was a big hit for a family gathering this weekend. The salt trick works like a charm! I do it all the time for eggplant but hadn’t thought to try it for zucchini before. Get a mandolin! They’re inexpensive and so handy. The leftovers were just as delicious as the freshly made dish.
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Tgold says
Can this be prepared a day earlier and baked the next day?
staysnatched says
I have never tried that. If you try it let me know.
Gail Neff says
Well, I need to buy some cloth....I used way too many paper towels to make this recipe and zucchini noodles were all over the kitchen! I was surprised how long it took me to make this...too long. My family loved it, however.
staysnatched says
It sounds like you need more practice. That will cut down on the time once you have the process down.
Sharan A says
This is one of my favourite recipes. It's so versatile. I've made is with ground beef, chicken, turkey, and even pork. I've also changed up the seasoning, while sticking to Brandi's steps, and made a Mexican flavoured lasagna which was equally as delicious!
staysnatched says
That sounds so good!
Nek C says
Another great recipe! I’m not a fan of regular lasagna, but THIS was delicious and fun to make. We would use this recipe again in the future, especially for gathering.
staysnatched says
I'm glad to hear you will make it again.