Grilled zucchini slices are rolled with a ricotta filling, then baked in a marinara sauce, to create the best tasting, gluten-free zucchini lasagna rolls.
Using a mandoline, slice into ⅛-inch thick. Place these zucchini strips in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss together, then transfer to a colander placed over a bowl. Allow 15- 30 minutes for the salt to draw out the excess moisture from the sliced zucchinis.
Place a clean kitchen towel on the countertop. Remove the zucchini ribbons from the colander and place them on the tea towel. Gently pat dry the top with another tea towel. Paper towels can also be used.
Transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Preheat indoor or outdoor grill to medium heat. Grill the zucchini ribbons for 3-4 minutes per side or until grill marks appear. To prep ahead: The sliced zucchini can be made 24 hours in advance. Once at room temperature, cover and refrigerate. Remove excess moisture (again) before assembling.
Ricotta cheese filling:
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the ricotta cheese filling. To prep ahead: This ricotta mixture can be made 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
Assemble the zucchini rolls:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the oven grate in the center of the oven.
Spread ⅓ cup of marinara sauce at the base of a small oval or round baking dish (2-½ quart size).
Line up a few of the grilled zucchini on your work surface. Use an offset spatula or a fork to spread about 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture on each grilled zucchini slice. The total amount depends on the individual size of the zucchini.
Carefully roll up each zucchini and place them "standing up" in the casserole dish in a single layer. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini and ricotta mixture. As you are placing the roll-ups in the baking dish, press them against each other. If you have some leftover cheese filling, fill the tops of the zucchini rolls.
Dollop 2-3 tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top, then spread out thinly. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the zucchini is tender.
Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, heat the rest of the marinara sauce.
Spread a couple of tablespoons of the sauce on the dinner plate. Place zucchini rolls on the sauce.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra grated cheese.
Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Look for zucchini or yellow squash that are small to medium-sized for the best flavor.
A mandolin slicer is the easiest and most precise method to slice zucchini.
Salting and placing the zucchini in a colander helps remove some excess moisture; do not skip this step. Toss them around once or twice so that the liquid drains.
Lining up, filling and rolling a few zucchini slices at one time makes assembling the zucchini rollups quicker.
When spreading the ricotta filling, leave ½ inch (area furthest from you) without any filling. As you begin to roll your zucchini, the filling pushes forward and will cover this space starting from the narrow end.
Place the zucchini ricotta rolls snugly in the baking dish prevents them from opening up.
If you don't have a round 2-½ quart-size, use a 9-inch square baking pan.
How to slice zucchini lengthwise: To ensure perfect and uniform ⅛-inch thick slices of zucchini, use a mandoline. First, use a knife to cut off both the stem and blossom ends. Then place the zucchini on the mandoline and drag it lengthwise across the blade. Exercise extreme caution when using this kitchen equipment. Alternatively, use a sharp chef's knife.Why is my zucchini lasagna watery?There are a couple of reasons that may contribute to a watery zucchini lasagna:
Failure to draw out excess moisture from zucchini. Not allowing enough time for the salting process to draw out the excess water from zucchini contributes to excess water in the baking dish. Ideally, this process requires 20-30 minutes. Equally important is using a clean tea towel or paper towels to dry the individual zucchini slices after the salting period.
Ricotta is "too wet." Depending on the type of ricotta you are using, you may need to drain it overnight to remove the excess moisture. To do so, place the ricotta in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, cover and refrigerate overnight for best results.
Using too much marinara sauce. There is no need to use more than a ½ cup of marinara sauce for assembling this dish. If desired, use extra sauce when plating it.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.