These Three Cheese Zucchini Lasagna Rolls contain 3 different types of cheese, combined with spices and stuffed into a thin slice of zucchini rolled up to perfection. Topped with marinara and EXTRA CHEESE. Hello easy cheesy weeknight dinner!
This recipe was originally published in February 2018. I’ve since updated the content, tweaked the recipe and added new photos. Enjoy!
Summer is here which means Summer produce is here! I’m all for eating ALL of the peaches this Summer but…we gotta give some vegetables love too, right?!
Hello, zucchini! Growing up, the only way we ever used zucchini was in squash casserole aka sliced squash + SO MUCH CHEESE + buttery ritz crackers baked to bubbly perfection.
And while I still am a huge proponent of eating zucchini in that way, this dish has it a little bit differently.
Why You’re Going to Love This Dish
I personally don’t go out of my way to eat low carb. I love carbs too much. This meal, however, is a low-carb lovers dream! The good news is that if you’re a carb-o-holic like me, you can always add some garlic bread on the side. Win Win.
Anyway, I truly love the use of zucchini in this recipe because 1) it’s delicious and 2) it’s completely seasonal! The zucchini don’t get all mushy or watery or anything – instead, I think they have a perfect moistness + softness to them yet they still hold together, if that makes sense?
I also always feel so insanely lethargic after eating a normal plate of lasagna due to the heaviness of the noodles – but with this dish, I don’t feel nearly as tired! And that means that I guess I have room for like, a glass of wine and that garlic bread I was talking about above, right? Right!
Anyway…another reason that I love this meal is all of the CHEESE! 3 different kinds in fact! Because go hard or go home, right? Lol.
First you have the amazingly creamy whole milk ricotta that is seasoned to perfection with Italian herbs + salt + pepper and to make it extra creamy, an egg. To that mixture, you add in mozzarella cheese for melty goodness and of course, some freshly grated parmesan.
Combined together these three cheeses are bubbly, creamy, melty, golden and perfect!
Last little bit of this delicious dish requires marinara sauce. Sure, you can absolutely make your own OR you can just buy your favorite jarred version and call it a night!
Combining the tangy marinara with the luscious cheeses and the tender zucchini rolls – this dish is truly a winner!
Ingredients You Need:
- Zucchini
- Ricotta cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Fresh parmesan cheese
- Marinara sauce
- Italian seasoning + salt and pepper to taste
- Egg
Best Tips for Making Zucchini Rolls
Using zucchini as a low carb alternative has been trendy for a while now. A lot of people, however, don’t have access to a spiralizer to make noodles. Soooo, Haylie to the rescue! Jk. I’m sure I didn’t trademark this idea. BUT, I did completely make up this recipe and IT’S DELICIOUS and all you need to make the zucchini like “noodles” is a mandolin! I’ve also used a sharp knife which works well you just have to be super duper careful!
You can also use a mandolin if you have that on hand!
To be completely honest, as I was recipe testing, I butchered about 2 whole zucchini. The slices weren’t thick enough or they were too thick…the list of problems went on. So, my advice to you, when making this recipe is to:
- Cut the tops and bottoms off the zucchini VERY evenly.
- Cut the zucchini as its laying on a cutting board.
- Cut it in HALF, long ways!
- Use the mandolin to make each slice around 1/4 of an inch thick.
Next…let me put forth another list for you. Zucchini retain A LOT OF MOISTURE. Aka, if you just tried to make this dish with raw zucchini, it would be a watery chaotic mess!
To avoid that….I suggest you:
- Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
- Roast your zucchini slices in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
- Let them cool for about 3-5 minutes.
- Pat them dry with a paper towel to get off any last remaining moisture.
ALRIGHTTT! All of those steps ensure that the zucchini will not be filled with water and SUPER easy to roll. You do those steps, and you’ll be set!
Make sure that you don’t overstuff the rolls with the cheesy ricotta mixture. I know it will tempting because the thicker the better right? But you don’t want it overly stuffed because it will cause the rolls to rip open!
I did about 1 tsp worth of mixture per roll and it was perfect!
Also make sure that you add a few tablespoons of marinara sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish. This will ensure that the rolls don’t stick and you get extra flavor!
If you had a little bit of extra ricotta mixture like me, I simply dolloped it on top of the rolls of zucchini and then gently spread it with a rubber spatula.
Top with the rest of the marinara sauce as well as more cheese because you love yourself!
My favorite garnishes for this dish are fresh basil and of course, red pepper flakes.
These roll-ups are so delicious and honestly even easier than pasta! No boiling water…no draining the pasta. Just these cute little zucchini roll ups filled with allll the cheese.
You should definitely give this recipe a try if you’re looking to do have something different and extra cheesy for dinner! XO – Haylie
Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few more you might like:
Healthy Pad Thai with Zucchini Noodles
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Three Cheese Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
These Three Cheese Zucchini Lasagna Rolls contain 3 different types of cheese, combined with spices and stuffed into a thin slice of zucchini rolled up to perfection. Topped with marinara and EXTRA CHEESE. Hello easy cheesy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini
- 15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning (mix of dried oregano, thyme basil etc)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- cracked pepper to taste
- 1.5 cups marinara sauce (divided)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bottoms and tops of the zucchini very evenly. Slice the zucchini in half long ways. Use a mandolin to slice them into 1/4 inch wide strips. You can also lay them on a cutting board and cut long ways with a very sharp knife. BE CAREFUL with either method you use!!!
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Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Place your zucchini strips on the baking sheet and into the oven for 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, mix your ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Finally, stir in an egg.
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Next, add a couple of tablespoons of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 6x9 or 8x11 casserole dish. I've used both sizes and they both work for me.
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Once your zucchini strips are done roasting, let them cool for 3-5 minutes. After, pat them dry with a paper towel to get out any remaining moisture.
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Add one teaspoon of ricotta mixture to one side of the zucchini strips. Do not overstuff it! Roll it gently. Place it in the casserole dish.
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If you have any remaining ricotta mixture, plop it on top of the zucchini rolls and gently spread it with a rubber spatula.
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Spoon the remainder of the marinara sauce over them and the rest of your mozzarella cheese.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve immediately. Garnish with red pepper flakes and/or fresh basil if desired for extra spice!
I made this and the family loved it! Even the 2 year old. Thanks 😀
Yay!! Thanks, Mary 🙂 So glad to hear everyone loved it!