“JUST LIKE THE REAL THING” LOW CARB KETO LASAGNA

This low carb keto lasagna recipe is easy to make and tastes just like the real thing. In fact, over the years, I have been told many times that it should be called “Better Than the Real Thing” lasagna. When I was first starting a low carb, ketogenic lifestyle, I really wanted a low carb and gluten free pasta substitution. But at the time, they were really hard to find, and the keto pasta recipes that I could find, we just plain no good!

I was tired of wasting food trying low carb recipes that fell flat. Sound familiar? I knew I had to set out to make my own low carb, real food versions. There were two recipes that I immediately knew I wanted to make – a low carb mac and cheese and a low carb lasagna. So, I did exactly that. They were two of the very first recipes I ever wrote for this site and 6 years later, they are still among the most popular.

The first time I made this low carb keto lasagna, I served it to Jon without telling him that it was an impasta (get it? impasta?) and he had no idea. Once I told him, he was even more impressed. It is low carb comfort food at it’s finest. Although it does take a little meal prep work, it is definitely worth it to have a healthier version that you can eat whenever you want.

Vegetables make an excellent low carb alternative to various grains. Cauliflower can be substituted for rice, spaghetti squash for spaghetti, and lettuce for sandwich wraps.

Zucchini is another vegetable commonly used to replace a high carbohydrate favorites, particularly pasta. With a simple spiralizer, a whole zucchini can be transformed into an entire plate of angel hair pasta.

Sliced another way (pun intended), zucchini can be cut into strips and layered with mozzarella cheese, ground beef, and pasta sauce to make a bubbly, meaty lasagna. You’ll follow this exact process today to bake a low carb, keto lasagna suited for the whole family.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 20 oz. ground beef
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ cup water

Keto pasta

• 8 eggs
• 10 oz. cream cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp ground psyllium husk powder

Cheese topping

• 2 cups crème fraîche or sour cream
• 5 oz. shredded cheese
• 2 oz. grated parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Nutrition

• By Anne AobadiaAnne Aobadia, photo by Emma ShevtzoffEmma Shevtzoff
• RecipesMealsKeto lasagna

Instructions

1. Start with the ground beef mixture, perhaps even the day before, for a more flavorful result.
2. Peel and finely chop onion and garlic and fry in olive oil until soft. Add the ground beef and fry until golden. Add tomato paste and spices.
3. Stir thoroughly and add water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes or until most of the water has evaporated. Since the lasagna sheets used here don't soak up as much liquid as regular ones, the mixture should be quite dry.
4. Meanwhile, make the lasagna sheets according to instructions below.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Mix shredded cheese with sour cream and most of the Parmesan cheese. Reserve one or two tablespoons for topping. Add salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
6. Place lasagna sheets and pasta sauce in layers in a greased 9" x 13" baking dish.
7. Spread the crème fraîche mixture and the remaining Parmesan cheese on top.
8. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the lasagna has a nicely browned surface. Serve with a green salad and your favorite dressing.

Lasagna sheets

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Add eggs, cream cheese and salt to a medium-sized bowl and mix into a smooth batter. Continue to whisk while adding in the ground psyllium husk powder, a little at a time. Let sit for a few minutes.
2. Spread the batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper using a spatula. Place another parchment paper on top and flatten with a rolling pin until the batter is at least 13" x 18" (33 x 45 cm). You can also divide into two batches and use another baking sheet for an even thinner pasta.
3. Let both pieces of parchment paper remain in place. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool and remove the paper, slice into sheets that fit your baking dish.