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This recipe has been a fan favorite for YEARS! Both in our house, as well as with the readers on the site. So it’s no wonder that it was one of the first recipes I thought of for my upcoming weeknight dinners cookbook.
What makes this recipe so special is its stunning presentation! Gorgeous zucchini rolls envelop those rich, creamy, and cheesy lasagna filling ingredients we all know and love.
(And my secret homemade Italian seasoning recipe really takes those flavors up another notch!)
The One Thing You HAVE to Do!
This recipe has a high risk for error due to zucchini being VERY watery, especially when sliced and then baked in the oven. The key to making this recipe a winner? Use my simple salt trick and let the salt work its magic. (It’s the same trick I use for my traditional Zucchini Lasagna Recipe!)
Don’t rush it. Don’t mess with it. Just LET. IT. SIT. After a few minutes, you’ll see TONS of moisture bubbling up on the surface of the zucchini slices. Give it a good dab, and WAIT AGAIN!
But don’t worry — it’s not wasted time. By the time the zucchini is ready, you’ll have the ground beef and cheese filling prepped and ready to load up onto the slices.
The One Con of this Recipe
As you can already tell, this recipe is a bit more time-consuming. You’ll need at least 45 minutes of hands-on time, plus another 25-30 minutes in the oven.
However, it is absolutely worth it when you see the look of amazement on your loved ones’ faces when you plop this gorgeous dish onto the dinner table!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Zucchini. You’ll need about 3-4 pretty large zucchini squash so you can end up with 24 slices. If you’re not sure, grab an extra so you have enough!
- Garlic. Finely minced garlic cloves add a wonderful flavor, but garlic powder may be substituted.
- Onion. Finely diced sweet onions are best. You can also use a red or yellow onion. (Here’s more info on how to cut an onion.)
- Ground meat. A 90/10 ground beef is used in this recipe, but you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a mix with Italian sausage. Leaner ground meat is better, however, since excess fat will contribute to the potential wateriness of the finished dish.
- Marinara sauce. Use your favorite store-bought marinara, or make your own spaghetti sauce.
- Cheese. Mozzarella, Parmesan, AND ricotta! Opt for full-fat ricotta cheese and whole milk mozzarella for the best taste and texture. For Parmesan, use the finely grated powdery cheese as opposed to shredded.
- Italian seasoning. Use a store-bought mix or make your own mix with this recipe here. (It’s my secret to why my lasagna always has so much more flavor than others!)
How to Make Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions
1. Cut zucchini into slices.
I am sure many of you have a mandoline lying around in some cabinet collecting dust, so go ahead and pull it out and put it to work! It slices the zucchini into perfect ⅛-inch slices so they will roll up with ease.
If you do not have a mandoline, no worries! You can always slice the zucchini by hand or with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. But please — be very, very careful!
You should get about 24 slices.
2. Remove excess water from the zucchini.
Now here comes the magic to prevent the dish from getting too watery.
Lay zucchini strips flat in a single layer and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Then dab the thin slices of zucchini with paper towels to get rid of excess water.
3. Mix together the filling.
Cook minced garlic and onion in oil over medium heat. Push the onions to the side of the pan, then stir in the ground meat and continue brown until cooked through. When finished, remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Combine 1 cup mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir together with the ground meat mixture.
4. Fill and roll up the zucchini.
Place 1 ½ tablespoons of the meat and cheese mixture along the length of a slice of zucchini. Roll it up and continue with the remaining zucchini and filling.
Pour 1 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish; a 9-inch square baking dish is best. You should have a thin layer of sauce. Place the zucchini roll-ups into the sauce, pour the remaining ½ cup marinara sauce over the roll-ups and then top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in the oven.
Bake in a preheated 400℉ oven for 25-30 minutes.
Let sit for 5-10 mintutes before serving with fresh basil or parsley.
FAQs
To remove excess water from zucchini slices, sprinkle salt all over them and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Then dab generously with a paper towel.
You can absolutely make this recipe as a lasagna! Layer the noodle-like zucchini slices in a casserole dish and bake at 400°F for 40-45 minutes.
What to Serve with Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups?
This flavorful, Italian dish already has it all—veggies, meat, and cheese. But feel free to add any of these other sides.
A salad, like Spinach Beet Salad or Lemon Arugula Salad, is a delicious side dish.
You can always choose some veggies, like Herb Roasted Carrots or Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts.
Or, try a soup! You can’t go wrong with Minestrone Soup or Zuppa Toscana Soup.
And don’t miss these Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits!
More Delicious Italian Dinner Recipes
For more delicious, healthy meals, check out these recipes:
- Easy Lasagna Recipe
- Gnocchi Bolognese
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf
- Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Chicken
- Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breast
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Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
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Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ small sweet onion finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Cut and remove ½ inch from each end of the zucchini. Using a mandoline, cut zucchini lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices. (You can also use a knife, just be careful!) You should have about 24 slices.4 large zucchini
- Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Lay the zucchini flat (it’s okay if the pieces overlap slightly) and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ small sweet onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Push the onion and garlic to one side of the skillet and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking apart for 7-8 minutes, or until no longer pink. Meanwhile, line a plate with paper towels. Once beef is browned, transfer it to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.1 pound 90/10 ground beef
- In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Stir until well combined. Add the meat mixture to the cheese mixture and stir until well combined.2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour half of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a 9-inch square or 7 x 11-inch baking dish.
- Pat zucchini dry with additional paper towels. Spread 1 ½ tablespoons of the meat and cheese mixture along a zucchini slice. Roll zucchini slice up and place in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture and zucchini slices. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the roll-ups and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown slightly. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with fresh parsley, if desired.Fresh flat-leaf parsley
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Notes
- Italian seasoning: this homemade spice blend was used when testing this recipe.
- Salt: If your seasoning blend has added salt, you may need to adjust the amount of salt used.
- Slicing: The quickest and easiest way to get even slices is to use a mandoline. If you’re slicing the zucchini by hand, trim one side to create a flat edge, place it flat-side down on the cutting board, and then cut the rest into uniform slices.
- Removing Moisture: Allow adequate time for the salt to extract as much water as possible. Dab the zucchini multiple times while it sits to ensure a less liquidy, firmer finished product.
- Storage: These lasagna roll-ups will keep well for up to 3-4 days when stored in the refrigerator. It is not recommended to freeze as you will likely end up with excess moisture upon thawing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious and lovely to look at too! The recipe is easy enough, though it’s a bit labor intensive. I may try it as lasagna next time if I’m under time pressure.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Alli! It is a little more labor intensive, but so delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Recette testée et toute la famille l’a trouvé délicieuse. Merci 😋
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! So glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
(Yay! Tellement heureux d’apprendre que vous avez apprécié la recette! Tellement content que tout le monde l’ait apprécié. Merci beaucoup d’avoir pris le temps de laisser un commentaire!)
Looks amazing! I love your porcelain pan. What brand is it?
Thanks so much, Ingrid!! I got this one in a set from Crate & Barrel 🙂
Sounds great what temperature do I bake it at
Hi Linda! The temperature is stated in step 1 of the instructions – it’s 400 degrees 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe!