Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (or Italian sausage)
- 1 cup low-carb marinara sauce (sugar-free)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese, full-fat)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise (or eggplant for layers)
- ½ cup sliced pepperoni
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook Meat Sauce: In a skillet, brown the ground beef. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in marinara sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a bowl, mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, and half of the mozzarella until creamy.
- Layer Pizzagna:
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce at the bottom of a baking dish.
- Add a layer of zucchini slices.
- Spread some ricotta mixture over the zucchini.
- Add more meat sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni slices.
- Repeat layers until ingredients are used up, finishing with mozzarella and pepperoni on top.
- Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest & Serve: Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley.
✨ This dish combines pizza flavors with the lasagna-style layers, making it cheesy, hearty, and low-carb!
Would you like me to also create a quick skillet version (no baking) for faster keto dinners?