This sheet pan lasagna is a lighter, summer-friendly twist on a classic—loaded with zucchini ribbons, dollops of lemony spinach ricotta, and a swirl of pesto. All the cozy lasagna vibes, none of the layering.
Love easy summer pasta dishes? Me too! Try this Pasta al Limone and this classic Bucatini Alla Amatriciana
We are calling this the lasagna of summer
- ✅ Perfect for summer – no heavy red sauce or long oven time
- ✅ High in protein and easy to adapt – use sausage, turkey, chicken, or keep it vegetarian
- ✅ A little lazy (in the best way) – no layering, no fuss
- ✅ Packed with seasonal veggies and bright flavor
- ✅ Great for meal prep or weeknight dinner
Let's Get Cooking!
Ingredients and Helpful Substitution Tips
This recipe keeps things simple and nourishing, with plenty of room to riff. Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Lasagna sheets – gluten-free or traditional both work well
- Zucchini ribbons – mixed into the pasta for a lighter bite, and to use the 400 lbs. of zucchini currently in your fridge (just me?)
- Ground sausage – or swap for ground turkey, chicken, or your favorite plant-based alternative
- Pesto – store-bought or homemade
- Ricotta cheese – Dairy free? Use Kite Hill dairy free Ricotta, looking to add more protein? You can easily sub whipped cottage cheese
- Fresh mozzarella – for that melty top layer (or skip it if dairy free)
- Parm + parsley + black pepper + lemon – finishing touches that add flavor and freshness
Tools
- Sheet Pan
- Food Processor
- Cutting Board
- Knife or Mandolin or Y-Peeler
- Large Skillet
👩🍳 SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
A complete meal in one (veggies! protein! carbohydrates!) but also delicious served with:
- A crunchy crisp romaine salad with my easy Caesar-ish dressing
- A Luscious tomato basil salad
Step by Step Photos:
Although I call this “lazy lasagna” it still does require some effort (all lasagna does!) do not fear, the effort pays off in spades!
Step One: Boil the lasagna noodles (I have not tested this recipe with no boil noodles and I honestly do not think it would work here, without the traditional layers there will not be enough liquid to “cook the noodles”
Step Two: Saute the ground sausage or your protein of choice
Step Three: Peel the zucchini into large ribbons
Step Four: Add the zucchini ribbons, sausage, and noodles to a large bowl
Step Five: If you are making pesto fresh do this now – here is my favorite fool proof, perfect every time, pesto recipe (bonus: you can make pesto in advance and freeze in ice cube trays, just pop the pesto cubes out and allow them to defrost before using.
Step Six: Toss together the pesto, noodles, zucchini, and sausage until well combined
Step Seven: Spread the noodle mixture on a large sheet pan
Step Eight: Using the same bowl (why dirty another one!) mix together ricotta, lemon zest, parm, pepper, and chopped spinach (fresh or frozen, if using frozen squeeze out liquid, if using fresh dice small)
Step Nine: Assemble! Place big dollops of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (you can use shredded or fresh).
Step Ten: Bake! In a 400° oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the noodles are golden brown.
Reader Love ❤️
“This is my all-time favorite lasagna recipe! My husband declared we will never make traditional lasagna again.” — Stir It Up Society Member
Storage Tips:
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Reheat in the microwave or covered in a toaster/oven
- Leftovers hold up surprisingly well and get even more flavorful by day 2
Abra’s Tips & Riffs
- Vegetarian? Skip the sausage and add extra pesto or mushrooms.
- Dairy-free? Use your favorite dairy-free ricotta (I like Kite Hill) and skip or sub the mozzarella.
- Gluten-free? Brown rice noodles work great—just rinse well after cooking.
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-Free – Easily, use GF noodles
- Vegetarian – Remove sausage, no problem works well.
- Vegan – Eliminate sausage and use a dairy free ricotta and dairy free mozz – works well.
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and comment!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Sheet Pan Lasagna (AKA Pesto Lazy Lasagna)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces lasagna sheets gluten free or traditional
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 lb. ground chicken sausage or your preference of ground meat
- 1 cup pesto homemade or store bought *see notes for homemade recipe*
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 4 cups frozen spinach thawed and excess moisture squeezed out
- 2 tsps lemon zest
- 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese grated or sliced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° Prepare a baking sheet by lightly greasing with a bit of olive oil – set aside.
- Cook Noodles: Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to package instructions for al dente (don't forget to salt your pasta water!). Drain, and quickly rinse with some cold water to cool the noodles, set aside in a large bowl. While pasta is cooking complete step 3 and 4.
- Prepare Zucchini: Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into lengthwise ribbons. Peel off several ribbons from one side, then turn the zucchini and peel off more ribbons. Continue to turn and peel off ribbons until you get to the seeds at the core of the zucchini. Discard the core. You can also do this on a mandolin, adjusted to a very thin slice. ALTERNATIVELY, you are welcome to use "zucchini spirals" or "zucchini noodles" but zucchini ribbons are the best textural fit in this recipe.
- Cook Sausage: In a large skillet, add the ground sausage or ground meat and cook, breaking up into small chunks along the way, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. If using ground beef or ground turkey season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Combine: In a large bowl combine lasagna noodles, zucchini ribbons, ground sausage and pesto. Stir to coat noodles in pesto. Spread lasagna mixture onto a standard baking sheet.
- Prepare Ricotta: In a medium bowl combine ricotta cheese, spinach, fresh parsley, lemon zest, a lot of ground black pepper, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Stir well to combine. Place dollops of ricotta on top of the noodles, add sliced or shredded mozz on top, and a bit more parmesan (if desired)
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and noodles are crisping up. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving (a large spatula and/or large serving spoon works best).
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Absolutely! Assemble everything on the sheet pan, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
Yes! Thinly sliced eggplant, summer squash, or even shredded kale could work here.
Nope. Frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed) works beautifully and makes prep quicker.
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