Zucchini Lasagna

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F. Open the jars of marinara sauce and pour into a strainer to remove excess water and set aside.

Slice zucchini lengthwise into about 1/8” thick strips. Salt both sides, then lay them in a single layer on a paper towel-covered sheet tray.

Place another layer of paper towel on top of the zucchini. Press gently so the paper towel sticks to the zucchini, and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, gently press as much water from the zucchini as possible, then put them on a clean sheet tray and bake for 20 minutes.

After removing the zucchini, increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Heat oil in a large sauté over medium-high heat. Add beef and sausage to the pan and cook until fully browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring to break up the meat.

Remove the meat from the pan and set aside to cool completely. Discard half the fat from the pan.

Add onions and reduce heat to medium to sweat the onion until translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Add to the browned beef and sausage, and mix to combine.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, Italian seasoning, granulated garlic, and eggs. Mix until all ingredients are evenly combined.
Using a 9"x13" baking dish, assemble the lasagna.

Start with a thin layer of strained sauce on the bottom. Assemble the remaining layers in the following order: zucchini, ricotta-egg mixture, sauce, meat-onion mixture, and mozzarella. Do two full layers with this combination, then a final layer of zucchini and sauce on top. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Then, cover with the remaining mozzarella and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes more until melted and slightly browned.

Allow the lasagna to cool for at least 15 minutes to set before slicing.