Prepare the Zucchini – Preheat your outdoor grill, grill pan, or large skillet to medium/high heat. Slice the zucchini into 1/4” thick long slices or rings, discarding the ends. Lightly spray or brush both sides with olive oil and season generously with 2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Grill for about 2 minutes on each side until they are crisp-tender and have nice grill marks.
Make the Meat Sauce – Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a deep saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium/high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spatula until browned (around 5 minutes). Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pan.
Add the chopped yellow onion to the pan, sautéing for about 5 minutes until it becomes translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Then, pour in the pasta sauce, reserving half of the basil or parsley.
Season the sauce with 1 tsp of fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Adjust the seasoning to your taste, then remove from heat and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 1 egg. Add the remaining basil or parsley, along with 1/2 tsp of fine sea salt. Stir everything together until well combined, creating a rich cheese filling.
To assemble, spread 1/2 cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Arrange a layer of grilled zucchini slices over the sauce, then spread 1/3 of the remaining meat sauce on top and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
On top of the layers, spoon and spread half of the cheese filling you prepared. Repeat the layering process until you have three layers of zucchini slices, using up all the ingredients.
To keep the foil from sticking, poke 9 to 12 toothpicks over the surface of your lasagna. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes. This allows all the flavors to meld beautifully.
Once done, remove the foil and broil for an additional 3 to 4 minutes to create a golden, bubbly top. The bubbling cheese is a sight to behold!
Let your Zucchini Lasagna rest for about 15 minutes before slicing. Garnish with additional basil or parsley, if desired, and serve!
