Keto Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups (Printable Copy)

Zucchini strips filled with ricotta, Parmesan, and herbs, baked in marinara for a low-carb Italian-inspired meal.

# What You Need:

→ Zucchini

01 - 3 large zucchini

→ Ricotta Filling

02 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
03 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Marinara and Topping

11 - 1 1/2 cups sugar-free marinara sauce
12 - 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese for topping
13 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping
14 - Olive oil spray

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Trim zucchini ends. Using a mandoline slicer or sharp knife, slice zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Arrange slices on paper towels and lightly sprinkle with salt. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to release excess moisture, then pat dry thoroughly.
03 - In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
04 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish to create a base layer.
05 - Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta filling onto one end of each zucchini slice. Roll up tightly from the filled end and lay seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining slices and filling until all zucchini is used.
06 - Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the zucchini roll-ups, ensuring even coverage. Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan cheese across the top layer.
07 - Lightly spray the top with olive oil. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like real lasagna but actually fits your macros without the guilt spiral.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, which means you can have dinner ready before the hunger headache kicks in.
  • Zucchini becomes so silky when sliced thin that you forget you're eating vegetables.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep that doesn't taste like punishment.
02 -
  • If you skip the salt-and-rest step on the zucchini, you will end up with a watery, falling-apart mess that tastes sad—I learned this the hard way at 6 PM on a Tuesday.
  • Don't overfill your rolls because the filling will squeeze out and you'll have ricotta puddles instead of proper roll-ups, but 1 tablespoon is actually the perfect amount.
  • Marinara sauce quality matters more than you'd think; cheap sauce with hidden sugars will compromise the whole dish, so read those labels like you're looking for a typo.
03 -
  • Use a mandoline slicer if you have one because knife work at 1/8-inch thickness is tedious and your slices will be uneven; even thickness means everything cooks at the same rate.
  • Pat the zucchini slices completely dry after the salt step, or they'll release moisture during baking and make everything watery.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest after baking because the filling needs to set slightly or your roll-ups will fall apart when you move them.
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