One ingredient that I've found extremely versatile on Keto is Zucchini. This lovely vegetable can be used for pasta, for bread, for tots, and many other recipes. I find myself going to Zucchini weekly for prepping my meals! Because Zucchini virtually has no taste, it's a perfect slate to add everything to! I hope you enjoy this recipe just as much as I did!
INGREDIENT
· 1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
· 1/2lb spicy Italian sausage or sweet Italian sausage
· 15 oz. ricotta cheese
· 2 tablespoons coconut flour
· 1 medium-large egg
· 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon pepper
· 1 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1 large clove garlic (finely chopped)
· 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
· 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
· 4 large zucchinis (sliced long ways to 1/4” pieces)
· 16 oz. low-carb marinara sauce
· 1 tablespoon mixed Italian herb seasoning
· 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you want this dish)
· 1/4 cup basil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Slice the zucchini and sprinkle generously with sea salt. Place your salted zucchini on a paper towel for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, gently wring the zucchini noodles with a paper towel one last time to extract any moisture.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter or fat of choice in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble and brown Italian sausage. Remove from heat and let it cool.
3. Preheat oven to 375℉ and coat a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
4. Add ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, 1 egg, coconut flour, salt, garlic, garlic powder, and pepper to a small bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to a jar of marinara, stir well. Set aside.
5. Add a layer of sliced zucchini to the bottom of the greased dish. Spread 1/4 cup of cheese mixture over the zucchini, sprinkle with 1/4 of the Italian sausage and then add a layer of sauce. Repeat process 3-4 times until ingredients are all gone, ending with a layer of sauce. Add remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh basil or oregano if desired.
Nutrition
· Calories: 364
· Fat: 21g
· Carbohydrates: 12g
· Protein: 32g