Zucchini Walnut Lasagna
A Keto-friendly, vegetarian lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 white onion finely diced
- 2 carrots shredded
- 3 cups mushrooms chopped
- 2 large zucchinis
- 1 cup toasted walnuts chopped in blender
- 2 tsp thyme dried
- 2 tsp oregana dried
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp black pepper med-coarse grind
- 750 g ricotta
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan reggiano grated
- 10 grape tomatoes sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Prepare Zucchini
- Slice zucchini lengthwise into 1/8" – 3/16" thick slices. Lightly salt & pepper both sides of each slice. Let sit for a few minutes then dry slices with a paper towel.
- Lightly oil a cookie sheet, or line sheet with a silicon cooking mat, and arrange zucchini slices in a single layer.
- Setting oven rack so that cookie sheet will be 6 inches or so from broiler.
- Broil on high for 5 minutes, remove from oven, flip slices and pat dry, then return to oven for an additional 3 minutes.
- Line a cooling rack with paper towel, and place zucchini slices on it. Repeat these steps until all slices have been broiled, and set aside.
Prepare Ricotta
- Mix ricotta, 1/3 of the chopped spinach, and nutmeg in a medium size bowl. You can add a little salt & pepper if you like. Set aside. (I intended to add an eqq to this as well but forgot – the lasagna turned out fine without it.)
Prepare Sauce
- In one skillet, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil, and saute the onions and shredded carrot until translucent.
- In a larger, deep skillet, heat up two tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of butter, and fry the chopped mushrooms along with the thyme.
- When mushrooms are turning golden, clear a space in the pan and add the tomato sauce, dried basil and oregano. and stir well.
- When the tomato paste starts to deepen in color, add the drained tomatoes, and the sauteed onion and carrots, and toasted walnuts. Stir well.
- The sauce is ready when most of any liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assembly
- Set cooking rack to middle of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Put a very thin layer of sauce across the bottom of the dish.
- Arrange one layer of zucchini slices
- Spread one third of the sauce over the zucchini, followed by one third of the ricotta mixture followed by one third of the remaining chopped spinach.
- Repeat the previous 2 steps.
- Spread the shredded mozzarella, followed by the grated parmesan.
- Arrange sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves over top.
- Place lasagna into oven, and bake for 30 minutes, or until top starts to turn golden around edges.
- Remove from oven when ready, and let cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
