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OMG this recipe was awesome! I cooked it for my whole family at the beach and it was a hit! I did substitute Gluten Free lasagna noodles but couldn’t tell the difference!
So that settles it.
This vegetable-loaded, sweet, creamy, spicy Sausage Zucchini Sweet Potato Lasagna is the only dinner I’m making for the rest of 2014. It’s simple, seriously yummy (who knew sweet potato sauce could make a certain food blogger lick the inside of the blender while happy-jigging around the tiny kitchen?), and comfort food-esque while also being healthy because somma that ZUCCHINI up in there.
I’ll just go ahead and call myself out on posting two zucchini recipes in a row this week. I know it. I’m almost going to apologize about it to you, my wonderful and hopefully zucchini-loving readers, except that both of these recipes = my life right now and I seriously think you are going to lovey-love them. Can we still be friends?
I made this dish-o-joy twice – once at the peacefully quiet cabin for my family, and once at our house for Bjork and I on the day that the concrete guys were here to basically destroy our messy jungle of a yard in preparation for laying a new not saggy and not crooked sidewalk. Such a good idea, because nothing says Awesome Lasagna Cooking Experience like a team of men taking to your sidewalk with jackhammers right. next. to. your rattling kitchen window as you tenderly layer slices of zucchini with creamy sweet potato sauce and spicy sausage.
I tried to get into some kind of zen lasagna-creating state of mind with lasagna meditation and calming self talk, and even though I could hear zero percent of my podcast, I kept just turning the volume up up up and pretending any ounce of sound was going into my brain. Which maybe didn’t help the zen state of mind thing, and possibly explains the neighbors peeking out their windows with binoculars to see what in the name of Sweet Potato Zucchini Lasagna was going on over here.
Then we followed up the Demolished Yard and Permanently Ringing Ears Day by going to the annual National Night Out picnic/potluck/grill + mingle for our sweet little Yum Sweet Home neighborhood (which I could not love more – thank you, neighbors, for being wonderful and just be warned that we might try to live here forever) and we proceeded to introduce ourselves to a few neighbors that we hadn’t met. –> Which house do you live in? Ohh, THAT one. I was wondering what all that racket was about this afternoon.
Yes, that’s the one, friends. I think that’s called memorable first impression. Or something.
Food time! Here’s how it’s done:
This lil’ ol’ lasagna is going to give you a choice —> whole wheat lasagna noodles OR zucchini noodles. You can go light-and-healthy-veggie or chewy-carb-loaded or both! Either works – I’ve made it both ways, and although the zucchini noodles only version was initially hot soup thanks to my HUNGRY GIRL inability to let it rest and set before slicing, when I went back to the pan a little while later for thirds, I was happy to see that the slices held together enough to make it actually count as lasagna. *fist bump* That being said, whole wheat lasagna noodles will really make this thing hold (in addition to being yumyumyum), so that would be your best bet if you need it to turn out more like a slice and less like an deliciously overwhelming creamy, gooey cheese bomb on a plate.
Regardless of what you choose for your noodles, this thing is getting topped with ancho chili and cumin spiced sausage, mild Mozzarella cheese, fresh green onions and cilantro, and the most luscious sweet potato sauce. Hello beautiful.
So today when they come back to pour the concrete, I will be ready to watch calmly, sitting at the window with a large slice of this Sausage and Sweet Potato Zucchini Lasagna wonderfulness, enjoying it one beautiful bite at a time while daydreaming about what our yard will be like when it’s done being a dirt bomb zone. That won’t creep them out, I’m sure.
Lasagna4life, friends!
Also, now taking zucchini donations.
Sausage and Sweet Potato Zucchini Lasagna
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
Description
This Sausage and Sweet Potato Zucchini Lasagna features ancho chili spiced sausage and a sweet potato sauce that is uniquely sweet and savory.
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchini
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 2 large sweet potatoes (4–5 cups when cooked and cut)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder (in the spice aisle)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella or Provolone cheese
Instructions
- Cut the zucchini into thin strips lengthwise. I did this without any special peeler – just a knife (see picture in post). Lay them on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let rest while you prep the other ingredients – the excess moisture will seep out of them and you can press them with paper towels when they’re ready. While the zucchini is resting, in a large skillet, brown the ground pork with 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, wash the sweet potatoes, poke with a fork several times, wrap once in a paper towel, and microwave for 5-7 minutes or until soft. You can also bake them in the oven if you prefer. Cut into chunks, transfer to a blender, and puree with the milk, chicken broth, olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer the zucchini noodles, sauce, sausage, chopped cilantro and green onions, and cheese; repeat layers three times. End with a final layer of zucchini noodles covered with a little sauce and cheese. Cover with greased foil so the cheese won’t stick and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 15-20 minutes. This does not cut into perfectly clean squares, especially if you cut into it before it has time to cool and set a little bit (which I did – SO HUNGRY). For a cleaner cut slice, see notes about using regular lasagna noodles.
Notes
To customize this, you can use any kind of ground meat (pork, turkey, beef, etc) and any kind of cheese. I like Mozzarella and Provolone because they melt nicely.
For a more traditional lasagna (and one that holds together a little easier) you can also use cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles in place of or in addition to the zucchini. If you do this, you’ll need to add a little more chicken broth to the sweet potato sauce to help the lasagna stay moist. The noodles soak up excess liquid whereas the zucchini noodles *add* liquid. I’ve made it both ways with delicious results – just a different texture and slice-ability.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: sweet potato zucchini lasagna, zucchini lasagna, squash lasagna
I would love to make this! Do you think ground chorizo would be tasty? I have some in the freezer and not a clue what to do with it!
Apologies if I missed this in the comments, but do you have a recommendation for substituting the pork to make this vegetarian? I’ve had the recipe for years but have yet to make it since we switched to a vegetarian diet. Thank you!
You could try more veggies or a plant-based ground “meat” option!
This was SO good! I will probably use 5-6c of sweet potatoes next time because I love them so much š I subbed one zucchini for an eggplant (sliced thin and āsweatedā as written). Worked super well! Pinning this and will definitely make again. 10 stars!
I made this last week for my boyfriend and I on a whim. I have to admit being a lover of classic lasagna I was a wee bit nervous as I layered the vibrant orange purƩe with zucchini and lasagna noodles. The final result was incredible though! The flavour is as vibrant as the colour of all the yummy layers! It has been requested that we have it again! Thank you for such a creative recipe:)
YES! Glad you enjoyed the lasagna, Greta! š
Hubby and I made this last night, and it was PHENOMENAL! We added some spinach too. This one is definitely in the rotation!
I made this today and I have just had 2 players and hmmmm! Dang, not only amazing but healthy too, Thanks! I keep on making your recipes! š
Absolutely delicious! I am trying to become a healthier eater and this recipe is helping to make that super-easy!! This recipe was simple, colorful and the flavors were wonderful! Easily, the best lasagna I’ve ever, EVER eaten! Thanks so much for sharing????
Hi Lindsay – Do you think this will freeze well if I use the zuke pasta? I’ve made this previously and loved it. Now I’m coming back because my friend is 8 months pregnant and I’d like to bring her a freezer lasagna (think that’s what adults do). Thank you! -Ellen
Hi Ellen! We haven’t tried freezing this so can’t say. Since there aren’t real lasagna noodles, it could get a little mushy! If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out!
Me encanta, sana y fƔcil, gracias
I made this a couple of nights ago and it was absolutely delicious. Everyone had seconds which was upsetting because I like taking leftovers for lunch. There were none š
That sauce, though. I could put it in a tropical smoothie cup and sip on it.
Haha! Thanks, Jordan. Glad you liked it!
Great great flavours in this! I wish I had used the lasagna noodles to have a more solid lasagna, but the appeal of this recipe is that it’s made healthier by the zucchini noodles. I kept the sweet potato mixture pretty thick and I grilled my zucchini slices, but it still ended up being too soupy. I think covering the lasagna with foil while it bakes was a mistake. Maybe without it the liquids would have evaporated better instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish. But great recipe overall!
Thanks for the feedback, Smadar!
Made some adjustments that avoided the soupy problem. First, I sliced and roasted eggplant for the noodles. Second, sauted the zucchini (I spialized it to help it break down better) with mushrooms and onions and 1/2 cup tomato sauce, cooking until the juices were reduced and thickened. I ground up turkey breakfast sausage because that is what I had, and added it to the sweet potatoe sauce. I used less cheese because it didn’t need as much of a binder. The results – Delicious! My husband loved it – couldn’t stop complimenting the meal. Great way to use up lots of veggies. Thanks so much for posting this recipe!
Great tips, Gayle! Thanks!
Hi! I’ve had this recipe twice when my friend made it, and LOVE it! I’m planning on making it for a a friend that just had a baby. Can you suggest a few side items that would go well with this dish and can be made ahead of time?
Many thanks for a wonderful blog!
I made this tonight and it got raves all around. Well, except for the picky pre-schooler. I pureed the sweet potatoes with skin, no problems in the food processor. Ended up with two layers of stuff plus a top layer of zucchini. Diabetic hubby thought this was tops!
I did broil for a minute or two to brown the top cheese after 35 minutes in the oven. š
Thanks for the comment – I’m so glad to hear that you liked it Mandy!
In a word: SWOON. We made this yesterday and nearly died from an overdose of delight! Definitely a recipe to write home about, and in fact, that’s what I just did. I wrote my parents and sister and said, “Make this, ya chowderheads!” š
Thank you so much for your sweet, encouraging email! Hearing from readers like you is just the best! You totally made my day. š
Take care!
I made this with white sweet potatoes and half and half instead of milk. My DH had no idea sweet potatoes were involved….unfortunately it was off plan for our THM diet… (too many carbs or too many fats) but it was super delicious!
I love hearing that! Thanks for the comment Lynne!
This is super yummy. I made it last night and it looked kinda weird and I was nervous but wow, yum. I like the idea of using vegetables like this – it may not be zero calories but it’s definitely less than using pasta and the puree – COME ON, so good.
I agree with all the comments that this looks like a great recipe to try, but hasn’t anyone had unanswered questions about this recipe? For starters, the title is “sausage” and sweet potato zucchini lasagna, yet the ingredients list ground pork. Which is it? The two are quite different. Also, should the sweet potatoes be peeled? Can you suggest substitutions for those of us are ancho chili-deprived?
Ground pork with seasonings = my own version of sausage! You could also use premade sausage, which is usually pork unless otherwise specified. And the sweet potatoes don’t need to be peeled. š Enjoy!
I took this in a different direction and used turkey sweet Italian sausage out of the casing, which eliminates the need for cumin and chili powder and cilantro. It was delicious. I did peel the sweet potatoes since I do not have a high power blender.
If you want to keep the flavors closer to the written recipe, sub in regular chili powder for the ancho to season the plain ground pork. (Thereby turning it into bulk sausage).
The beauty of the recipe is it’s highly customizable.
Thanks for the comment Cristina! Appreciate all the tips!
no ancho chili powder! Can I substitute?
Yes, I’d just sub chili powder.
Delicious! Guests loved this dish!
Thank you!
OMG this recipe was awesome! I cooked it for my whole family at the beach and it was a hit! I did substitute Gluten Free lasagna noodles but couldn’t tell the difference!
Thanks for the comment Brent! Glad you liked it!
mmmm my favorite lasagna is here. woaa lindsay. love this recipe. have to have cook on sunday.
Thanks Hardik! Enjoy!
Dear lord. This is delicious.
My life – CHANGED.
So glad to hear that Caitlin! š
I made this a couple nights ago for dinner, and my entire family ate half the pan in one sitting…(my boys are only 3 & 19 months….) between my husband and I, this disappeared so fast! I had to use lasagna noodles, because I didn’t have enough zucchini on hand, but I did chop up some zucchini, and just toss it in with the pork. Andddd I had to use cheddar because, again, it’s what I had. It was flipping amaziiing! My hubs already wants it again! Thanks so much, your recipes are always a hit!
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for the comment Alaina!
too bad it turns to, ahh, what was it? Oh yeah…soup…instead of (resembling, maybe) lasagna. Readers interested in getting this rec correct should go to other, more informative sites and blogs where the “soup” question is not ignored. Maybe let the zuke slices dry out overnight…rinse the salt off the slices, too. Way too much jive.
I didn’t have the soup issue at all. Try adding less liquid to your sweet potato sauce. If it’s nice and thick you won’t have soup. Otherwise, if you are left with a question about a recipe and can’t figure it out yourself, Google is always a click away.