📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). This ensures even cooking throughout the lasagna. Get that oven hot!
2. Slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin slices, about 1/8 inch thick. A mandoline slicer works best for even thickness, but a sharp knife will do the trick too. Nobody likes a chunky lasagna now, do they?
3. Sprinkle the zucchini slices with salt and let them sit in a colander for about 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat them dry with paper towels afterward. This step prevents a watery lasagna, which, trust me, is a lasagna tragedy!
4. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain any excess fat. Nobody wants that extra fat, yuck!
5. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the beef. Cook until the onions are softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. The aroma will fill your kitchen, just wait!
6. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, dried basil, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully. This will be some amazing sauce, I promise!
7. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Ah, ricotta. Making me hungry as I write this.
8. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce at the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. This prevents the lasagna from sticking. Smart, right?
9. Arrange a layer of zucchini slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Kinda like roof shingles but made of delicious zucchini!
10. Spread half of the ricotta cheese mixture over the zucchini layer. I like to drop spoonfuls randomly and then spread it around.
11. Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella cheese over the ricotta mixture. Cheese is always good, even in huge amounts!
12. Repeat layers: meat sauce, zucchini slices, remaining ricotta cheese mixture, and remaining mozzarella cheese. It’s like building a delicious edible tower!
13. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This helps to trap the heat and steam, cooking the lasagna evenly.
14. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned. We want to make sure the lasagna is cooked all the way through, don't want any raw zucchini now!
15. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the lasagna to set and makes it easier to cut. Plus, it gives you a chance to admire your handiwork!