This One Pan Zucchini Lasagna Skillet is what happens when you want everything you love about lasagna without the noodles, the layers, or the hour you don’t have on a random weeknight. It’s loaded with lean ground beef, sautéed mushrooms and zucchini, and a blanket of melty mozzarella and parmesan, with dollops of cottage cheese that turn almost ricotta-like once they hit the broiler. One skillet, minimal cleanup, and dinner is done in well under 40 minutes.
‘Friends, zucchini season might be my favorite stretch of the year in the kitchen, and this skillet dinner is exactly why. I wanted all the cozy, cheesy comfort of a big pan of lasagna, minus standing over a pot of boiling water for noodles. So I made this instead: ground beef seasoned simply, a mix of mushrooms and zucchini, and a jar of marinara doing most of the flavor work.
The cottage cheese gets dolloped over the top and run under the broiler. It gets soft and slightly golden, almost like a ricotta topping without any of the extra steps. Combined with the mozzarella and parmesan, you get that stretchy, bubbly cheese pull without the dish needing to bake for 45 minutes.
This one has turned into a real family favorite around here, and I love that it’s high in protein without tasting like it. It’s works on any weeknight but also for having people over, since most of the work happens on the stovetop and the broiler finishes everything off in just a couple of minutes.
What You Need to Make This One Pan Zucchini Lasagna Skillet
- Avocado Oil: A neutral, high-heat oil that’s perfect for browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables.
- Lean Ground Beef (90/10): The 90/10 blend keeps things lean without drying out as it cooks, and it holds up well under the broiler.
- Italian Seasoning: This dried herb blend gives the skillet that classic lasagna flavor without having to measure out a handful of individual spices. Check the label if you’re keeping this strictly gluten-free, since some blends include anti-caking agents.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt seasons the beef evenly and dissolves easily into the pan.
- Ground Black Pepper: Adds a bit of warmth and depth to the beef. Freshly cracked pepper makes the biggest difference here if you have it on hand.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Feel free to scale up or down depending on your spice tolerance, or leave them out entirely for a milder dish.
- Yellow Onion: Diced small so it melts into the sauce as it cooks.
- Cremini Mushrooms: These bring an earthy, almost meaty texture to the skillet. Sliced thin, they cook down quickly alongside the zucchini. White button mushrooms work here too if that’s what you have.
- Zucchini: This is essentially your noodle replacement.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic adds a punch of flavor you really can’t replicate with the powdered version.
- Fresh Basil: Chopped and stirred in toward the end, basil brightens up the whole dish and adds that classic Italian flavor. Fresh really does make a difference here over dried.
- Marinara Sauce: This is the base of the sauce, so use a jar you really like the taste of. A fat-free marinara keeps the macros in line with what’s listed, and it’s worth checking the label for added sugar if that matters to you.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated and sprinkled on top before broiling, parmesan adds a salty, sharp finish,
- Cottage Cheese: Low-fat cottage cheese is dolloped over the top of the skillet and melts into a texture that’s close to ricotta once it’s under the broiler. It also adds a significant boost of protein to the dish.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Shredded mozzarella is split between the sauce and the top of the skillet, giving you that classic, stretchy cheese pull in every bite.
How to Make This One Pan Zucchini Lasagna Skillet
To make this skillet, start by heating 1 teaspoon of the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef along with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces as it goes, until it’s fully browned and cooked through. Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
Add the remaining teaspoon of avocado oil to the same skillet, then add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, zucchini, and minced garlic. Sauté everything for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and the mushrooms and zucchini have cooked down.
Stir in the chopped basil, the cooked beef, the marinara sauce, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, mixing until everything is well combined. Dollop the cottage cheese evenly over the top of the mixture, then sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella along with the parmesan.
Let the skillet cook for about 4 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling around the edges. While that’s happening, turn your oven’s broiler to high. Once the broiler is ready, transfer the skillet directly to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping an eye on it, until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown in spots. Remove the skillet from the oven, let it cool for a couple of minutes, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can brown the beef and sauté the vegetable mixture up to two days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it in the skillet, top with the cottage cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan, and broil right before serving.
It really is. Since most of the work happens on the stovetop before anyone arrives, all that’s left once guests show up is dolloping on the cottage cheese, sprinkling the cheese on top, and broiling for a couple of minutes.
It can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months, though the texture of the cottage cheese and zucchini will soften slightly once thawed. I’d reheat it in the oven rather than the microwave to help bring back some texture.
Ground turkey or ground chicken both work. For a vegetarian version, a plant-based ground crumble or extra mushrooms in place of the meat will still give you a hearty, satisfying skillet.
Yes, as written this recipe is naturally gluten-free. Just double check the label on your marinara sauce and Italian seasoning blend, since some brands include gluten-containing additives.
Each serving comes in at roughly 32 grams of protein, 11 grams of carbs, and 15 grams of fat, based on 6 servings from the recipe as written.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
- 2 Teaspoons Avocado Oil, divided
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef, 90/10
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ Cup Yellow Onion, diced
- 1 ½ Cups Cremini Mushrooms , sliced
- 2 Cups Sliced Zucchini, about 2 to 3 zucchini, depending on size
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
- 24 Ounce Jar Marinara, choose fat-free to achieve the macros above
- ½ Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 1 ½ Cups Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
- ¾ Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- To make this skillet, start by heating 1 teaspoon of the avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the ground beef along with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Cook, breaking the meat into small pieces as it goes, until it's fully browned and cooked through. Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
- Add the remaining teaspoon of avocado oil to the same skillet, then add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, zucchini, and minced garlic.
- Sauté everything for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and the mushrooms and zucchini have cooked down.
- Stir in the chopped basil, the cooked beef, the marinara sauce, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese, mixing until everything is well combined.
- Dollop the cottage cheese evenly over the top of the mixture, then sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella along with the parmesan.
- Let the skillet cook for about 4 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling around the edges. While that's happening, turn your oven's broiler to high.
- Once the broiler is ready, transfer the skillet directly to the oven and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping an eye on it, until the cheese is melted and just beginning to brown in spots.
- Remove the skillet from the oven, let it cool for a couple of minutes, and serve.
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