Zucchini or Summer Squash and Turkey Lasagna
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to participate in Joelen’s Tasty Tools blogging event, and it’s good to be back! I got some ground turkey at the farmer’s market from a local turkey farmer during Color Week. I got a pound out this morning and thought about what to make with the turkey. I always make turkey burgers or pasta with ground turkey but I wanted something different. I didn’t want to make chili because we have a bunch in the freezer. I went to my Google Reader and sure enough I found something that had been starred not too long ago.
I’ve been trying to cut carbs recently so this lasagna with zucchini instead of noodles fit the bill perfectly. I set off to the farmer’s market to get some zucchini. Apparently we must be past the season because no one there had any. Instead I grabbed two big summer squashes. This substitution worked out great. The lasagna was so tasty. I used all dairy-free cheeses in mine so that I could eat it. I doubled the recipe and it just barely fit in my purple 8×8 Pyrex pan.
Zucchini and Turkey Lasagna – from A Good Appetite – I doubled this recipe for 8-9 servings
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
salt
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced – I used 6 for my double batch
1 large zucchini – I used 2 large summer squash for my double batch
15-oz tomato sauce (about 2 cups) – I just used one large jar of sauce for my double batch
3/4 c grated mozzarella – I used Veggie Shreds Mozzarella
freshly grated Parmesan – I used Veggie Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a skillet cook the turkey, red pepper flakes, salt to taste, onion & garlic until the turkey is cooked through & the onions are translucent. I cooked the garlic and onions for a bit first then added the turkey.
Using a peeler or a mandolin, slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin ribbons. The only peeler I could find was on the side of my box cheese grater. It wasn’t very pretty or clean, but it did the job. I didn’t get long continuous ribbons but it was fine.
Spoon just enough tomato sauce onto the bottom of a 5″ x 6″ (8×8 for double batch) baking dish to coat it. Lay 1/3 of the zucchini slices on top of the sauce overlapping as you go.
Spoon 1/2 of the turkey mixture on top of the zucchini. Then top with 1/3 of the remaining tomato sauce & sprinkle with 1/4 c of mozzarella. Add another layer of zucchini slices, using 1/2 of what you have left) then the rest of the meat, 1/2 the remaining sauce & 1/4 c mozzarella. Use the last of the zucchini slices to make one more layer. Top with the remaining tomato sauce & mozzarella & then some grated Parmesan.
Bake for 45 – 60 minutes until the cheese is melted & brown & the sauce is bubbly. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes before slicing & serving.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
How cool! These look delicious!
This totally takes me back to childhood. We ALWAYS used fresh rhubarb from our backyard to make yummy breakfast treats!
I think I will have to make these for my parents next time they visit. They will LOVE them!
Those look amazing! I’m always on the lookout for new rhubarb recipes, the season for it is so short in Western Ma, that I tend to buy WAY too much and stick in the freezer..
I have never had rhubarb before, but these look great!
They’re so pretty – I love family recipes!
I never know what to do with Rhubard, but these looks awesome!
divine. i want one. right now. pretty please?? 🙂
I love your recipes, lactose free and awesome, I will def. have to try this. Ps. we should team up and do something lactose free together in solidarity!
Thanks everyone – seriously if you have rhubarb hanging around. Make these. You won’t regret it.
I’m a little lost. The ingredients list mentions 5 c. rhubarb (and you break it into 3 c. for the filling and 2 c. for the sauce) but I don’t see in the step-by-step instructions when/where/how the 2 c. of rhubarb are used. Please help!
Thanks!
alexandjess – thanks for catching my mistake. I added the instructions about the sauce into the post, but you make the sauce by boiling 2 cups cut rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/3 cups water. The rhubarb for the sauce can be cut in large chunks because it all falls apart anyways.
Your sisters made the rhubarb rolls and stuffed dates yesterday for our Memorial Day cookout. They were delicious!!!! Can’t wait to have another piece tonight for desert. I have a new recipe for potato salad that is delish….let me know if you want me to pass on.
i made these tonight and they went awry for a series of reasons that were my fault and won’t go all into…. one thing i did though was use half rhubarb and half strawberries, which sounded delish but i didn’t cut the sugar enough and i think that also made things more watery. my question though, is whether by ‘shortening’ you specifically mean something like crisco or whether you just mean butter or margarine or anything like that. i used butter and didn’t see how i could get away with a little ‘stirring’ before rolling. i tried to cut it in with a pastry blender, but in the end maybe that was too much action for the dough as it seemed a little gummy after cooking….
i’d appreciate any advice!
natasha – I use Crisco for the dough. I think that’s what my dad always uses as well. Hopefully that is what caused the gumminess. Sorry they didn’t turn out for you.
My family has been making these for years. I have used butter or margarine to cut into the flour mixture for the dough and have never had a problem. I always roll my dough out into a rectangle and when I cut the rolls they NEVER look as neat as the ones you have pictured! I have added strawberries but only in the sauce. My mom liked to add red food coloring to make it look more rosy. We bake for 20 minutes before pouring on the sauce and then another 20 minutes. I have to make it every spring in honor of my mom.
my grandma recipe calls thesr soringtime rollypoly, and can ad what ever frozen berries you have , frozen is the least messy
sorry thats springtime rollypolly