Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups

Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups are as delicious as they are gorgeous — a surefire winner for your weeknight dinner rotation! With all of the traditional Italian flavors you know and love, but taken up a notch with a simple homemade seasoning mix. Plus, my secret salt trick will ensure you don’t end up with a watery mess!

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

Notes about the ingredients needed for this Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.

• 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

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