Tired of zucchini yet? Not me! Flavored with fresh herbs and a creamy ricotta filling, these cheesy Pesto Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups are a light and healthy gluten-free summer side dish or vegetarian entree. Trust me -- you'll never miss the pasta!
Hey, hey! I've got one more zucchini recipe to share with you this season and it's a good one! Plus, it's super-easy and very versatile...making it a great way to use up some garden fresh veggies in a different way.
Since my garden has been overflowing with herbs (and basil in particular), I have stashed away multiple batches of homemade pesto. In an effort to use some of it last weekend, I put together these roll-ups to serve as a side dish when Keith was grilling fish for dinner. They were a huge hit!
How to Make Lasagna Healthier
I've made a healthier and lighter version of lasagna with a summer twist. Instead of pasta, I use strips of zucchini which is not only super delicious but makes this lasagna much lighter and perfect for hot summer evenings.
I also swapped the meat for a creamy ricotta filling which is so simple and packed full of flavor. You can switch it up with different herbs, spices and cheeses.
Whether you're watching your carb intake or just trying to include more vegetables in your diet, these Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups are a must-try this summer!
It's a great vegetarian main dish that still offers plenty of filling protein, or you can serve smaller portions and pair them with grilled chicken or seafood. Oh, and the leftovers (cold...straight out of the tupperware container) are pretty darn good, too! Don't ask me how I know that...
How Long does it Last?
Leftovers will store well in the fridge for a few days, they can even be eaten cold with salad and are really delicious. I wouldn't recommend freezing this because of the dairy. The texture changes when frozen and it can also split and curdle, not good.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the zucchini lasagna roll ups just as they are with some crusty bread as a vegetarian main dish or pair them with grilled chicken, fish or more chilled veggies.
Top Tips to Remember
- Instead of grilling the zucchini you can also roast them in the oven just keep an eye on them that they don't burn as they cook fast.
- The zucchini lasagna rolls can be made in advance, placed in the fridge then brought out and baked when you're ready to eat.
- You can also top the lasagna rolls with extra mozzarella to make it extra cheesy.
- You can use basil pesto or sun dried tomato pesto which will also work well.
More Delicious Lasagna Recipes to Try:
- Healthy Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup
- Quick and Easy Vegetable Lasagna
- Turkey and Pesto Slow Cooker Lasagna
Pesto Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini sliced thin
- ½ cup marinara sauce plus additional for topping
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup pesto
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and spread a thin layer of marinara sauce evenly in the bottom. Set aside.
- Spray a grill or indoor grill pan with cooking spray and grill the zucchini slices for about 3 minutes per side, or until soft enough to roll.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, pesto, salt, and egg until completely combined.
- Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling onto each slice of zucchini, then roll. Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Place an additional dollop of marinara sauce on top of each roll up.
- Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes (or until ricotta filling is heated through and set). Garnish with additional Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Leftovers will store well in the fridge for a few days, they can even be eaten cold with salad and are really delicious. I wouldn't recommend freezing this because of the dairy. The texture changes when frozen and it can also split and curdle, not good.
- Instead of grilling the zucchini you can also roast them in the oven just keep an eye on them that they don't burn as they cook fast.
- The zucchini lasagna rolls can be made in advance, placed in the fridge then brought out and baked when you're ready to eat.
- You can also top the lasagna rolls with extra mozzarella to make it extra cheesy.
- You can use basil pesto or sun dried tomato pesto which will also work well.
Nutrition
I don't think I will ever get tired of zucchini! I basically eat one a day lol! Love this idea of using them as roll-ups! I do eggplant roll-ups every so often, but never tried it with zucchini! Thanks for this recipe!
Oooh, I need to try the eggplant version. Thanks, Bethany!
This might be my favorite zucchini recipe yet! I've been craving it like crazy, and pesto is my absolute favorite, so it's like these roll-ups were made for me! 🙂 Looks so pretty too, Blair!
Thanks, Gayle! Yep -- this is ideal for a pesto-lover like you!
I am loving this, Blair! Zucchini lasagna is such a wonderful idea. And the pesto sounds amazing in it. This is the perfect meal to get pasta fix without those extra carbs!
Thanks so much, Jen!
I love pesto, I love zucchini and I loveee lasagna so this is pretty much perfect! I make a similar thing with my nomato sauce but I need to add pesto into the mix too!
Thanks, Kristy! I really think you would love this combo!
Happy Friday! Just letting you know I featured this recipe today for my weekly Low-Carb Recipe Love on Fridays post. (I also leave these comments so that months from now if I spot this recipe again I can tell I have already featured it, lol!) Hope a lot of my readers will click over and try the recipe.
Awesome! Thanks so much, Kalyn!
Wow - this is simply stunning! What a good use of your zucchini! Must recreate this soon 🙂
Thanks so much, Megan! I loved this dish! I hope that you get to try it!
I'm trying to make this zucchini dish. How do you slice the zucchini length wise evenly? My mandolin slicer makes it too thin & my manual slicing skills need much improvement!
Hi, Sandy! If your mandolin doesn't have a thicker slicing setting, I would just use a really big knife that can easily cut through the length of the zucchini at once (that makes it easier to keep them even). And don't worry if it's not perfect. I've sliced them by hand before too, and they definitely were not uniform. It's no problem, as long as the zucchini is thin enough to roll without breaking. 🙂
This is so summery, what a great way to lighten up lasagna!
Looks delicious! I am watching my carb intake. How many is a serving?
Hi, Kara! The nutrition facts assume 4 servings for the entire recipe. It's hard to know exactly how many roll-ups you will get -- it kind of depends on the size and shape of your zucchini and how much you stuff into each roll. The best way to know is to just divide your pan in fourths and that's your serving size. I think 2-3 roll-ups per serving is a good estimate, though. Enjoy!