This time of year, I’m ALWAYS looking for ways to incorporate zucchini into anything and everything!
Although I only planted 2 zucchini plants, I already have an overabundance of zucchini — to the point where I’ve given a bunch to neighbors, family members, and friends… and I still feel like we’re eating it at almost every meal and building up our shredded zucchini stockpile in the freezer!
Zucchini bread is obviously one of my go-to recipes (because EVERYONE loves it) but I recently starting putting shredded cooked zucchini into many of our main dishes — and the kids don’t even know it’s in there 🙂
(the photo above is from LAST summer — but it’s one of my favorites!)
These three cheese lasagna roll-ups are one of my trickiest hiding places for shredded zucchini, and although they look fancy, they are fairly quick and easy to make. Plus, they are a great make-ahead meal that I can whip up in the morning and pop in the oven about 30 minutes before we’re ready to eat.
The leftover are fabulous (with a little extra sauce) and you can easily leave out the meat for a really hearty vegetarian meal that should satisfy almost any meat-lover in your home.
Dave said it was delicious, Nora named me “the best cooker ever”, and Simon gave me two thumbs up (while licking his lips) — I think it’s safe to say this recipe is a winner in our house!
Recipe for Three Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups (with zucchini)
serves 8
INGREDIENTS:
- 8 lasagna noodles (I only had 7 noodles left when I made this the last time)
- 1 T. oil or butter
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 2 c. shredded zucchini (drained)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1.5 c. Ricotta cheese
- 1 c. shredded cheese (I used Italian)
- 1 egg
- 1 c. cooked crumbled sausage (optional)
- 1 jar (32 oz) pasta sauce
- 1 c. parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Before I start making this recipe, I usually drain my zucchini by putting it in a strainer (after I shred it) and pressing on it to remove extra liquid (you will probably be amazed how much liquid drains off!)
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- In a large pan, boil lasagna noodles according to package directions
- While noodles boil, melt butter or oil in a medium frying pan and saute garlic and zucchini for about 5 minutes, or until zucchini is soft. Sprinkle salt and pepper over zucchini to taste.
- In a medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, shredded cheese, egg and cooked zucchini mixture.
- Pour 1 c. of pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan; set aside.
- When noodles are soft and flexible, lay one noodle on a plate and spread with cheese mixture. Top with crumbled sausage or hamburger if desired.
- Roll up the noodle and place in the pan over the sauce.
- Repeat with remaining noodles and cheese mixture.
- Pour remaining sauce over rolled-up noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Eight roll-ups seem to fit perfectly in a 9″ x 13″ pan — but if you rolled them tighter or squeezed them closer together, you could potentially fit more. And of course, if you’re only cooking for one or two, you can easily half or quarter this recipe and make it in a 9″ x 9″ in pan or even in a bread loaf pan.
I served our lasagna with sauteed veggies, applesauce, and crusty bread — all our plates were licked clean!
If you’re looking for one more way to use up extra zucchini, I would definitely suggest this yummy 3 cheese lasagna roll-up recipe (especially if you’re trying to sneak the zucchini past picky eaters!)
Want MORE zucchini recipes?
Here are a few of my favorite:
- Chocolate zucchini brownies
- Double chocolate zucchini bread
- Apple zucchini bread
- Zucchini crisp (it tastes EXACTLY like apple crisp!)
- Easy grilled zucchini
What are your favorite zucchini recipes?
Visit my virtual recipe box for more simple, delicious, family friendly recipes!
Rachel R. says
Could you make this ahead of time? Make this the morning of and make it at dinner time? Or night before or would that not have the best outcome. Just wondering.
Thank You Much.
Rachel
Andrea says
Hey Rachel — yes, you could definitely make this ahead of time. I make almost all my meals in the morning and then shove them in the oven or re-heat them on the stove later in the day!
Deborah says
Do you ever make this without zucchini? Do you make your own sauce? Thanks! Love your blog!
Andrea says
Yes, you could easily make it without zucchini — and sometimes I make my own sauce, other times I use jarred sauce.
Rachel says
I PURCHASED zucchini to try this recipe. No gardening friends close LOL
Andrea says
haha — well at least it’s inexpensive right now! Hope you love the lasagna!
Robin says
Looks so good Andrea! Can’t wait to try. I was wondering though, recipe says 16 oz. jar of pasta sauce. Your jar looks bigger than that. Is it or does the 16 ounces of pasta sauce work out? Thanks for basic recipes that are easy to make and don’t cost a lot. Our family enjoys many of your recipes. Thank you!
Andrea says
sorry, I totally missed that! It’s a 32 oz jar of pasta sauce!
I honestly don’t think I use the entire jar when I make this (although it wouldn’t hurt to add extra sauce) but yes, it’s more than 16 oz. Oops!
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says
Oh, I’m totally making this recipe this week with our abundance of zucchini! So far, I’ve already made cheesy zucchini rice, zucchini scones, chocolate zucchini sheet cake, at least a dozen loaves of zucchini bread, sauted zucchini, broiled zucchini rounds and zucchini cupcakes with caramel frosting. Oh, and sausage zucchini boats. Yes, we truly have an over-abundance of zucchini this year! 😉 Thanks for a new recipe to try, Andrea!
Andrea says
WOW!!! Sounds like you have even more zucchini than we do! Great job using it all up Kristen 🙂
Hope you like this recipe!
Kristen @ Joyfully Thriving says
Yes, indeed! Our 2 plants of zucchini have produced an abundance, even after giving lots away! I need to shred a bunch and freeze it for the rest of the year now.
Chris says
Andrea this looks delicious! I have two favorite ways to eat zuchinni – roasted (YUM!) and, fried just like green tomatoes (which I also love!)
Andrea says
I was just talking with someone about fried green tomatoes yesterday — but never thought to try it with zucchini. Maybe I’ll have to look up a recipe for that 🙂
Chris says
I use a combo of flour, cornmeal, seasonings (whatever you like) and a little touch of corn starch for crunch for both fried green tomatoes and fried zucchini. In my opinion the zucchini is sweeter but they are both great!
Stacie says
Hi Andrea! I am SO going to make this! I also have an over abundance of zucchini and looking for recipes. Thanks this is a great idea/recipe!
Glad your back!
Andrea says
haha — yes, I think anyone with a garden probably has an over-abundance of zucchini right now 🙂
Candace says
Yum, can’t wait to try this one! Thank you for all the delicious recipes. Your veggies look really good too!
Andrea says
thanks Candace — we just had the lasagna again this week and it’s so yummy. Even the kids gobbled it up and asked for seconds!