Zucchini Lasagna Rolls (Low-Carb, Gluten-Free)

Zucchini lasagna rolls swap noodles for thin grilled zucchini, rolled with a ricotta filling and baked in marinara sauce. A naturally low-carb, gluten-free way to use up garden zucchini.

Zucchini lasagna rolls are my go-to answer for garden zucchini overload. Thin grilled zucchini ribbons stand in for pasta, rolled around a ricotta filling and baked in marinara sauce.

I first put this zucchini recipe together using my mom’s ravioli filling and her marinara sauce, and it’s been a family favorite ever since.

As a retired dietitian, I love that this dish delivers all the comfort of traditional lasagna while being naturally low-carb and gluten-free, no compromise required. The zucchini itself adds vitamin A, potassium, and fiber, so you get a genuinely nutritious meal that doesn’t feel like one.

Jump to:

• Quick Overview
• What You'll Need
• How to Prepare Your Ingredients
• How to Make Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
• Meal Prep and Storage
• Tips
• Substitutions and Variations
• How to Slice Zucchini Lengthwise
• FAQ
• More Zucchini Recipes
• Recipe Inspiration
• Recipe

Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings (about 18-22 rolls)
• Method: Grilled, rolled, and baked
• Special Touch: Salting the zucchini slices before grilling draws out excess moisture, the key step that prevents a watery finished dish.
• Dietary Note: Gluten-free, low-carb, vegetarian.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve with extra warmed marinara sauce and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and Parmesan.

What You'll Need

• Zucchini. Look for small to medium zucchini or yellow squash; they hold up better and have the best flavor. About 2 pounds, or 5-6 zucchini, is enough for this recipe.
• Ricotta cheese. The base of the filling. If your ricotta seems watery, drain it overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for the best results.
• Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Add sharpness and meltiness to the filling.
• Fresh parsley. Adds brightness and freshness to the ricotta mixture.
• Egg yolk. Helps bind the filling together.
• Marinara sauce. Use homemade marinara or your favorite store-bought brand.

How to Prepare Your Ingredients

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 need 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 Make Zucchini Lasagna 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 remaining 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.
• Serve and enjoy! 

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 How to Prepare Your Ingredients 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 the 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 to prevent them from opening up.
• If you don’t have a round 2-½ quart-size baking dish, 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, 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.

FAQ

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:

Or browse all my Easy Zucchini Recipes for more ideas.

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. 

★★★★★ 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!

Recipe

I originally published this post on August 8, 2021, and republished it on August 3, 2026, with updated content. Thanks for sharing!