Low-Carb, High-Protein Zucchini Lasagna

Watch the video

Every year, as summer rolls around and Shavuot (the Jewish holiday traditionally celebrated with dairy dishes) approaches, I get the urge to pack as many fresh vegetables as possible into my cooking.

Lately, that’s meant more and more fresh zucchini in my kitchen.

And honestly? I’m hooked.

I use it shredded, peeled into ribbons, or just tucked raw into a sandwich.

Here’s why I’m so excited about it:

Zucchini adds plenty of volume without a strong flavor or a lot of calories. It fits right into just about any savory dish or bake.

How many calories are we talking?

One large zucchini weighing 200 g (7 oz) has about 40 calories, along with fiber and plenty of water.

Could you ask for a better vegetable when you’re trying to lean out?

Now for the fun part:

Believe it or not—and you’re going to have to trust me here!—zucchini makes an almost perfect stand-in for lasagna noodles in this recipe.

Not that there’s anything wrong with lasagna noodles. But if you’re trying to lean out and want to trim a few calories from your day, this is a pretty delicious way to do it.

A Few Things to Know About This Zucchini Lasagna

1: Zucchini is the foundation of this lasagna.

I use the pale variety common in Israel. Dark green zucchini is a little firmer and releases less liquid, but I don’t think the choice makes or breaks the dish.

Really not a zucchini fan? No problem!

Swap in very thin slices of kohlrabi, eggplant, carrots, or another firm, fibrous vegetable you love.

2: The filling is blended tofu flavored with nutritional yeast, basil, mustard, garlic, and olive oil.

Not a fan of one of those flavors? Use something you like instead. Go with it!

3: I topped the lasagna with a little mozzarella-style cheese from Plenty (an Israeli vegan cheese brand), which also helped make this post possible – thank you! That support helps keep the blog going.

If you haven’t tried their vegan cheeses, this is a great excuse.

Can’t get your hands on Plenty’s cheeses? Just sprinkle a little nutritional yeast over the lasagna and drizzle with olive oil.

4: I’ve included a step in the written recipe that isn’t shown in the video: letting the zucchini ribbons sit with salt to draw out some of their water.

This step is optional. If you skip it, just expect some liquid to collect at the bottom of the baking dish. (Not the end of the world – your call!)

Nutrition Breakdown by Noam Bachar (an Israeli Nutritionist and Fitness Coach)

One 300 g (10.6 oz) serving of zucchini lasagna contains:

• 263 calories
• 18 g protein
• 14 g carbohydrates
• 2.5 g fiber
• 15 g fat (including 1 g saturated fat)

Zucchini Lasagna

A low-carb, high-protein vegan lasagna with creamy tofu, fresh basil, and tomato sauce.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 263 kcal

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium zucchini 500 g (about 1.1 lb) total
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 300 g (10.6 oz) tofu
• 400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes canned
• 1 bunch basil, leaves stripped from stems
• 4 tablespoons olive oil 40 ml (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons); the original recipe lists both amounts
• 1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk, with no added sugar or sweeteners
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 30 g (1 oz)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 g (0.18 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar 5 g (0.18 oz)
• 30 g (1 oz) Plenty mozzarella-style vegan cheese 1 tablespoon, shredded
• 1 24 x 15 cm (about 9.5 x 6-inch) baking dish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Prep the Zucchini

1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini lengthwise into even ribbons. Stop when you reach the seedy center; you won’t use that part.

2. Sprinkle the zucchini with 2 tablespoons salt, toss, and let stand for about 10 minutes to draw out the liquid.

3. Drain the zucchini, removing the released liquid and excess salt.

Make the Tofu Cream

1. Add the tofu, 1 garlic clove, half the olive oil, 1 teaspoon mustard, the nutritional yeast, and half the soy milk to a blender or food processor.

2. Blend until smooth and pourable.

3. If the blender struggles with the tofu or the mixture is still a little lumpy, add more of the soy milk, a little at a time, until you get the right consistency.

4. Pour half the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

5. Add the basil leaves to the mixture remaining in the food processor. Blend until smooth and wonderfully fragrant with basil.

6. Set aside.

Make the Tomato Sauce

1. Pour the crushed tomatoes into a deep bowl.

2. Add the remaining crushed garlic and olive oil, along with the salt and sugar. Stir well.

3. Set aside.

Assemble the Lasagna

1. Line the bottom of the baking dish with 2 layers of zucchini ribbons.

2. Add 3-4 tablespoons of tomato sauce and spread it over the zucchini.

3. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of plain tofu cream and 2-3 tablespoons of basil cream.

4. Use a spoon to gently swirl the two creams together.

5. Add another layer of zucchini and repeat until you’ve used all the layering ingredients.

6. Sprinkle the mozzarella-style cheese over the top.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the lasagna is browned on top.

8. The lasagna will be soft and won’t hold together well straight out of the oven. Let it cool; it will firm up and become easier to slice.

9. Store in the freezer for about 1 month or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Recipe Video