Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Ricotta

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. 

Whether you are seeking a new and delicious way to use up extra zucchini from your garden or want a hearty low-carb, gluten-free casserole dish to enjoy, you cannot go wrong with these zucchini lasagna rolls.

They offer something special for everyday meals but are unique enough to serve for any special occasion. Best of all, you do not have to sacrifice taste for healthy eating. 

With this delicious and easy-to-make zucchini recipe, you may have found the answer to your excess zucchini predicaments. You may find yourself visiting a grocer or a local farmers market to buy more so that you can make this vegetable recipe throughout the summer.

Bake a casserole of zucchini lasagna roll-ups, eat some today, and save the rest later. If you have a family dinner or party coming up, prepare some for an impressive-looking and tasty dish that will soon become your guests’ favorite.

It is an easy dish to make, and the fantastic flavor of the ricotta and parsley filling with the homemade marinara sauce can compensate for garden veggies that may have stayed on the vine a bit too long. 

Although the flavor differs from the traditional lasagna roll-ups, one significant benefit of the zucchini variety comes from its low-carb, gluten-free ingredients. Also, the vegetable itself is high in vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. Add in the tomato sauce and calcium-rich cheese, and you have a tasty and healthy meal.

It may just become a favorite whether you eat reduced carbs, are gluten-free, have a vegetarian diet, or want to increase your intake of vegetables.

Mise en place

Before we begin to assemble this casserole dish, let’s prepare some of the ingredients.  The zucchini needs some prep work before grilling, the ingredients for the ricotta filling needs to be combined and the homemade marinara sauce needs to be made. 

Slice, salt, dry and grill the zucchini

Fresh, whole zucchini forms the foundation of this dish. You need about 2 pounds (1 kilo) of zucchini or yellow squash. Depending on their size, this is about 5-6 small to medium zucchini.

Using a mandoline, slice into ⅛-inch thick. Place these zucchini strips in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of kosher 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 slices 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 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 rolling.

Prepare the marinara sauce

For this recipe, you need approximately 1½ – 2 cups of this marinara sauce. If it is more convenient for you, use your favorite commercial brand. To prep ahead: The sauce can be made up to 5 days in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

Make the ricotta filling

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of drained ricotta cheese, ⅔ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese,  1 egg yolk, ⅓ cup minced fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. The yield is approximately 1⅔ cup. To prep ahead: This ricotta mixture can be made 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate. 

How to assemble

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 minced parsley and parmesan cheese. 

Meal Prep and storage

Zucchini roll-ups take a bit longer to assemble when compared to other options for lunch or dinner, but you can make them ahead of time as part of your meal prep.

To prep ahead: The marinara sauce, ricotta filling and the zucchini can all be prepared before assembly time (refer to Mise en Place section for more details). Once assembled, it is recommended to bake immediately as the zucchini continues to release moisture. 

To refrigerate: Once at room temperature, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Store cooked zucchini roll-ups in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To freeze: Although you can freeze it, I do not recommend it as this dish becomes very watery when reheated. 

To reheat: Transfer from refrigerator to a baking dish. Reheat in a 350°F (175° C) oven. 

Tips

• 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.

Substitutions and variations

• The marinara sauce can be replaced by tomato sauce.
• Instead of grilling, the sliced zucchini can be oven roasted. 
• Zucchini roll-ups are pretty versatile as long as the consistency of the ingredients stays the same. Try it with a thin meat sauce or a basil leaf with fresh mozzarella.

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.  

Are yellow squash and zucchini the same thing?

As far as taste and texture, they are very similar and can be used interchangeably in most recipes. The two main differences between yellow squash and zucchini are size and color. Zucchini, also called courgette, is usually deep green while the yellow squash is yellow. As far as the shape is concerned, zucchini is usually straight, whereas the yellow squash has a thinner stem end when compared to the blossom end.

More zucchini recipes

Gardeners understand the struggle to use up all the zucchini their vines produce in the summer months. People even make jokes about secretly giving squash away to neighbors because they have so much. Here are some more fantastic zucchini recipes for you to try:

Italian zucchini fritters: If you are looking for a light dinner, these zucchini cakes are for you! 

Baked zucchini sticks: So hard to resist, especially with this dipping sauce! 

Zucchini frittata: This frittata recipe with ricotta is excellent for breakfast, lunch, or supper!

Sauteed zucchini: Try this Italian zucchini recipe when you need a quick side dish. You only need 20 minutes to cook the perfect side. A quick saute and you are done! 

Marinated Grilled Zucchini: The perfect addition to your Italian appetizer platter.

Recipe inspiration

Have you ever wondered what you can make with all the extra zucchini from your garden?

As a result of searching for zucchini recipes on Pinterest many years ago,  I discovered this fantastic idea of replacing lasagna noodles with zucchini. Naturally, I used my mom’s recipe for ravioli filling and her marinara sauce recipe. 

Over the years, this has become a family favorite to make with the excess of garden zucchini. 

I hope you get a chance to try it. 

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

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Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this recipe for Zucchini lasagna roll ups, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!