This warm and cheesy Zucchini Rollatini is a delicious low carb meal that only takes a few steps to make. Loaded with meat and cheese and baked in a homemade marinara, this is one amazing dish the whole family is going to love!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Zucchini Rollatini Recipe

• Tender zucchini with cheesy filling and baked to perfection
• Healthy low carb substitute for lasagna
• Family friendly and fun for kids
• Perfect for special occasion dinners
• Great way to use up your summer zucchini

This classic Italian dish, also known as involtini, translates to “little bundles.” And while traditionally it’s made using thin strips of eggplant, I took the opportunity to use up some of my summer zucchini to create all those same wonderful flavors with a fun twist.

One of the things you’ll love the most about this zucchini lasagna roll ups recipe is, between the savory Italian sausage, the three cheeses, homemade red sauce and creamy ricotta filling, all your lasagna cravings with a fraction of the carbs!

Even though this recipe takes a few extra steps than your ordinary mix and dump it casseroles, trust me when I tell you it is worth the little bit of extra effort. The result is a mouth-watering meal that’s perfect for a family meal, but fancy enough to serve on special occasions when you want to impress your guests.

If you like eggplant, you can enjoy all these same flavors in this Eggplant Lasagna that is low carb and Keto friendly!

🛒 Simple Ingredients Needed for Zucchini Rollatini

• Zucchini
• Keto Marinara Sauce
• Ricotta cheese
• Italian sausage
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Egg
• Garlic powder
• Basil
• Parsley
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Baking sheet with wire rack
• Mandolin slicer
• Mixing bowl
• 9 x 14 casserole baking dish

🔪 How to Make Zucchini Rollatini

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Slice zucchini using a mandolin or sharp knife into thin strips, thin enough so they’re pliable.  Line them up on paper towels and sprinkle salt over the tops, then add more paper towels over the top, so they are layered.

Allow them to sit for 20 minutes, which will help draw out some of the moisture.

Pat them dry, then add the slices to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Bake for 10 minutes, while you prepare the filling.

This will also help draw out even more moisture, so that when you bake them, they won’t make your marinara sauce watery in the casserole dish.

In a small frying pan, brown the Italian sausage and set aside to cool.

Pat the sausage dry and add them to a mixing bowl along with the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, chopped fresh basil, parsley, egg, salt and pepper.

Stir to combine.

Once the zucchini are out of the oven and cool enough to handle, pat them dry and add some of the filling to the center of each slice, the spread evenly, leaving a small border along the edges.

Take a 9”x 14” casserole baking dish, spray with nonstick spray, then add in about half of the marinara sauce.

Roll up each piece and place seam side down in the casserole and repeat the process with the remaining zucchini.

Pour a little marinara sauce over each rollup.

Lastly, add some mozzarella cheese over the tops and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Mine took exactly 23 minutes.

Tips for Making Zucchini Roll Ups

Variations

For the Meat

You can used ground beef, turkey or chicken instead of the Italian sausage. Because the sausage includes seasoning, if using another type of meat, you may want to add an extra sprinkle of Italian seasonings.

For the Cheeses

If you’re wanting to experiment with different kinds of cheese, keep in mind, you’ll want a creamy cheese like the ricotta, a gooey cheese like the mozzarella and a tangy cheese like the parmesan to get the classic flavor and texture you’re looking for.

And acceptable substitution for the ricotta would be well drained small curd cottage cheese. Be sure and check the carb count on the brand you use.

For the mozzarella, you could use shredded provolone or mild cheddar. You want to make sure the cheese you decide on is a good gooey melting cheese.

The tangy flavor from parmesan is so important. Asiago cheese and pecorino Romano cheese would be good choices to give you the flavor the zucchini roll ups need.

For the Sauce

If you find yourself in a pinch for time and can’t make your own marinara sauce, you can always use store-bought. Read the label to look for added sugars.

All marinara will have natural sugar from the tomatoes used to make it, but you’ll want to look for brands that include as little added sugar as you can find.

Toppings

This dish is completely amazing as it. But if you never tried my Homemade Pesto, you’re really missing out! I love to finish this rollatini off with just a bit of fresh pesto for an extra added touch.

If you grow your own zucchini and want to make great use of the flowers, try this stuffed zucchini flowers recipe! They’re stuffed with a lemon and basil creamy ricotta filling, then air fried.

Is Zucchini Keto?

Absolutely! There are only 4 net carbs in a medium zucchini, making it perfect for a Keto or low carb diet. There are also many health benefits including Vitamin A, you can read more on the health benefits of zucchini in this article on Healthline.

How to Slice Zucchini for Rollatini?

If you have great knife skills, you can just evenly slice the zucchini into ribbons that are thick enough to hold together but thin enough to roll easily. A kitchen mandolin makes this work a breeze and ensures the zucchini is all sliced to even thickness.

How Do You Keep Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups From Being Watery?

Zucchini naturally contains a lot of water. When using it in dishes where you want to prevent extra moisture, it’s best to sprinkle the slices of zucchini with a little bit of salt and let them sit for about 15-20 minutes.

This draws out the water. Then all you have to do is take a few paper towels and pat eat slice dry.

Can You Freeze Zucchini Rollatini?

You sure can. Just place the baked leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. This recipe is also a great casserole to make in advance when meal prepping. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Prepare the dish as directed, but don’t bake it.
2. Once the dish has been assembled, wrap in a double layer of plastic wrap then in a layer of foil.
3. Label the container with what it is and the date you froze it. It should freeze well for about 3 months.
4. To bake it, remove the plastic wrap then cover it backup with foil. Bake until hot and bubbly or about an hour to an hour and a half. If you thaw it overnight in the fridge, bake it for about 45 minutes to an hour in a 375°F preheated oven.
5. About 10 minutes before the casserole is done, remove the foil and allow the top to get nice and brown.

More Keto Zucchini Recipes

• Keto Zucchini Fritters
• Keto Zucchini Lasagna
• Buffalo Zucchini Boats
• Zucchini noodle “pasta” salad
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Lasagna Zucchini Boats