Zucchini Lasagna

This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own

Lasagna for me growing up meant one thing. Garfield the Cat.

What?

Yeah, so unlike most American kids my introduction to Garfield was not through the comic strip, rather it was through the syndicated cartoon show that was on every morning before I went to school. As a result, I loved watching Garfield and his gluttonous ways. His fat kitty ways spoke to the adolescent fat kid that loved to stuff his face. Garfield’s main food of choice? Lasagna.

I loved lasagna growing up as a kid, but lasagna in a Iranian-American household is not what you would call “traditional.” Nonetheless, I loved my Mom’s lasagna even if she used American and cheddar cheese instead of the classic Italian cheeses. Honestly, I don’t remember ever really eating an Italian cheese lasagna until we started buying the frozen kind. Despite the fact that my lasagna experience was let’s say less than traditional, lasagna was always one of my favorites. It was a cheesy gooey dish that was always bursting with flavorful meat sauce.

So my lasagna memories have led me to today’s post which is a zucchini lasagna. Instead of delicious lasagna noodles, I used zucchini. Instead of American cheese (hahaha) I used actual Italian cheeses. While not quite Mom’s 1994 lasagna this still hit the spot.

The recipe came to me via the fine folks at Marley Spoon.

Zucchini as a pasta substitute isn’t a new thing, in fact I’ve covered it here on the blog. Zucchini lends itself to being a pasta substitute with it’s rather bland flavor and ability to carry other flavors it’s the perfect pasta substitute. This dish worked in so many ways, the fresh mozzarella gives it a almost sinful cheesiness that doesn’t take it over the top. Meanwhile the Parmesan panko crust provides you with a tasty crunchy bite that’s busting at the seams with flavor.

The best thing about this dish is that it really took no time to make, I literally put this together after I got home with zero preparation ahead of time.

Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients

2 Large Tomatoes

1 Clove of Garlic

1 Fresh Sprig of Thyme

2 Large Zucchinis

8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella

1/2 Oz. Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Oz. Fresh Basil

1/2 Cup of Panko

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Course salt

Method

Grate your tomato into a saucepan , crush your garlic and add it to the pan. Then add your a tablespoon of olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Simmer it and cook for about 10 minutes.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4 slices, brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper then broil on a baking sheet until well browned.

While they are cooking, prep your mozzarella by cutting into thin slices.

Once your zucchini is cooked, layer a third of your zucchini into a baking dish, then add some of your suace, then the mozzarella and finally the basil. Try for three layers, then top with your parmesan cheese and panko crumbs.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and enjoy!