Description
A delicious and healthy dish combining roasted zucchini, creamy ricotta, and savory marinara sauce for a fantastic meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 medium zucchini (approx. 2 lbs), sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 oz ricotta cheese (full-fat or low-fat)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus ¼ cup for topping
- 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil leaves for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Arrange zucchini slices on the baking sheets in a single layer.
- Mix olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, then brush onto zucchini slices.
- Roast zucchini for 15 to 20 minutes until tender yet pliable, then let it cool slightly and lower the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Combine ricotta cheese, beaten egg, chopped basil, parsley, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and ½ cup Parmesan cheese in a mixing bowl, mixing until smooth.
- Spread ½ cup marinara sauce at the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Layer a portion of zucchini slices slightly overlapping on top of the marinara.
- Spread half of the ricotta mixture over the zucchini, sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella and add another ½ cup marinara sauce.
- Repeat these layers with the remaining zucchini, ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and marinara.
- Finish with a final layer of zucchini topped with marinara, remaining mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let sit for about 10 minutes before slicing, garnish with fresh basil leaves, and serve warm.
Notes
This dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 50mg