Keto Lasagna
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This keto lasagna is comforting, delicious, and tastes like the real thing! Layers of low-carb lasagna noodles, meat sauce, ricotta cheese, and plenty of mozzarella cheese, it’s keto comfort food at its finest!
I’ve been eating lasagna for as long as I can remember, and I see no reason why being keto should change that. If you’ve tried my zucchini lasagna, then surely you’d agree.
My recipe is similar to a traditional lasagna. I swap the regular lasagna noodles for a keto alternative: a mixture of cheese and egg that forms a sturdy, pasta-like texture. I did test out a store-bought “miracle noodle” style lasagna sheets, which were convenient but tasted NOTHING like noodles.
The results in my homemade version speak for themselves: thick, savory lasagna sheets stacked between a rich filling of beef, red sauce, and even more melted cheese. Altogether, it’s one of my favorite keto dinner ideas that’s always a hit–just ask my whole family!
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- Incredible flavors. We’re talking layer upon layer of cheese, savory red sauce, and juicy ground beef. What could be better than that?
- Quick and easy. Yes, you need to make the lasagna sheets from scratch, but even then, the total cooking time is less than that of a traditional lasagna.
- Deceptively low-carb. For how decadent this lasagna is, you’d never believe it has only 2 grams of net carbs per serving.
Enjoy it on its own or pair it with some keto cheese bread or keto garlic bread for a well-rounded meal.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my keto lasagne recipe, along with kitchen notes. The complete list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
For the keto lasagna noodles
- Cream cheese. I recommend using cream cheese from a block over a tub, as it has a thicker texture and no added water.
- Mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella has a mild flavor and stretches beautifully, making it the perfect cheese for the noodles. Do not use cheddar or any other cheese, as they are prone to forming a film on the exterior.
- Parmesan cheese. Use finely grated Parmesan or fresh Parmesan. Some supermarkets sell a powdered version, which won’t work well and will leave the noodles gritty.
- Eggs, room temperature eggs. I recently tested this with an egg substitute, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out at all.
For the filling.
- Onion and garlic. Necessary additions to any good bolognese sauce or marinara recipe.
- Ground beef. I used lean ground beef, but any cut of ground beef works.
- Marinara sauce. Use a marinara sauce with no added sugar. You can also use my keto pizza sauce or keto spaghetti sauce.
- Salt and pepper. to taste.
- Ricotta cheese- To layer the lasagna and give it creaminess. It is like a mock bechamel. Please opt for full-fat ricotta, as the lower-fat versions contain added water and thickeners that also increase the carbs.
- Mozzarella cheese. What is a lasagna without mozzarella?
How to make a keto lasagna
Step 1- Prepare the lasagna noodles. Start by adding the cream cheese, mozzarella, and parmesan, then microwave in 30-second spurts until the mozzarella has mostly melted. Whisk in the eggs until a thick and creamy batter remains.
Step 2- Bake the noodles. Next, bake the lasagna for 15 minutes, until it’s just golden around the edges.
Step 3- Make the meat sauce. Now, add the onions and garlic to a pan and saute for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the marinara sauce, salt, and pepper, and continue pan-frying for a further 5 minutes.
Step 4- Assemble and cook. Finally, add tin foil to a pan, leaving half an inch overhanging on each side. Slice the lasagna sheet into six even pieces. Place two pieces on the bottom of the pan, followed by a third of the ricotta, a third of the meat sauce, and a third of the mozzarella. Repeat until all the noodles are cooked. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top. Slice, then serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Let the noodles cool. Make sure the lasagna noodles have cooled for a few minutes before layering. Otherwise, you risk melting the ricotta and compromising the lasagna’s structure. I find 3 to 4 minutes to be plenty.
- Use freshly grated cheese. Admittedly, I usually don’t heed this advice, but grating a block of fresh cheese makes for a better overall texture.
- Save time. I find making the lasagna noodles in advance saves a ton of time when I go to assemble the lasagna.
- Add some heat. If you’re a spice fiend, add a few dashes of red pepper flakes to the meat sauce.
- Amp up the seasonings. Depending on how flavorful your red sauce is, it might need a little flavor boost. I usually stir in some salt, black pepper, and oregano or, at the very least, garnish the lasagna with fresh basil.
How to store leftovers
To store: Leftovers should be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
To freeze: Place individual portions of lasagna in airtight containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or add more reheating time.
To reheat: Reheat leftover lasagna in the microwave or oven at 350F until warm.
Frequently asked questions
There are just 2 grams of net carbs in each serving of lasagna. This is made as written, including the low-carb lasagna noodles.
As mentioned earlier, I tested these with keto-friendly lasagna noodles, but I wasn’t a fan. It had no flavor and also tasted like you were chewing on plastic (sorry). Instead, I suggest replacing the noodles with low carb vegetables, like zucchini or eggplant. Summer squash is also a good option.
If you’d like to make this lasagna in advance, it’s easy! Just prep the layers as instructed, but allow them to cool completely before assembling. Then, assemble the lasagna, cover it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If refrigerated, add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time. If frozen, let it thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
✅ Nutrition reviewed
“Lasagna is one of the foods many clients assume they have to give up on keto. This version swaps traditional pasta for low-carb layers and focuses on protein and fats that promote satiety, making it a comforting meal that fits well into a ketogenic lifestyle without spiking blood sugar.” – Felicia Newell, MScAHN, RD, CPT.
Keto Lasagna
Video
Ingredients
For the keto lasagna noodles
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 large eggs
For the lasagna
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 cup marinara sauce * See notes
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add your cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese, and microwave in 30 second spurts, until the cheese has mostly melted. Add the eggs and whisk together, until a smooth batter remains.
- Transfer the batter onto the lined sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are firm. Remove at let cool.
- In a non-stick pan, add some oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and mix for 3 minutes, before adding the marinara sauce. Continue cooking for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Start assembling the lasagna. In an 8 x 8-inch pan, cover it completely with tin foil. Slice the keto lasagna sheets into 6 even pieces. Place two pieces on the bottom of the pan, followed by a 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, a third of the meat sauce, and a 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the process until the entire lasagna is assembled.
- Place the assembled into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, before serving.
Notes
- Sauce options: You can also use keto spaghetti sauce, keto pizza sauce, pomodoro sauce, or sugo.
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best low carb lasagna.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge for up to one week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
More keto dinner recipes to try
- Keto beef stroganoff– Tender sirloin cooked in a creamy sauce and served over a bed of keto pasta.
- Keto chicken parmesan– Crispy, juicy chicken baked in red sauce and covered in layers of melted mozzarella cheese.
- Zucchini boats– A kid-friendly, low-carb dinner everyone will love.
- Keto meatballs– These seriously taste so good, you’d never guess they’re low-carb.
Good recipe but step 5 says Vegetarian Bolognese sauce.
Sorry Brenda! What a silly error on my part, it’s been fixed 🙂 The original recipe did use a keto/vegan mock mince, but they discontinued it!
This was truly DELICIOUS. Would make again and again. Thanks!
Is this also gluten free?
Thank you!
It sure is! 🙂
I do not own a microwave, could i use a saucepan on the stove, or a double boiler?
Yes, Julie! The double boiler method is what I’d recommend if you don’t have a microwave. In testing, using a saucepan left a very narrow margin for error.
Can I ask you how many sheets of lasagna should you have to set at least 3 layers? how many cm each sheet? Thankyou. I have sent you a few messages but can’t find where youe replies are now. Rose.
I made this for Chrsitmas for my husband who is on keto diet and he loves it! He asked me to make it again this week. I am not on keto diet and I loved it as well. I have found a new regular recipe.
This is a game changer. Arman, you genius
Hehe, thank you so much, Elaine!
What if you don’t have enough cream cheese on hand?
You’d be best to pick some up instead of swapping it for something else. This recipe works best when made as written 🙂
5 stars + !
WOW! AMAZING!
I was looking for dinner ideas yesterday and my son said “why not lasagna?” I wasn’t too excited about the idea since I’m trying to slowly reduce/cut carbs in my family’s diet and already had a heavy pasta meal planned for later in the week. So, I googled “keto lasagna” and found this. It looked and sounded good, and all the reviews I read were positive, so I thought “why not?” Also, it uses stuff I already had on hand, so no need to go to the store for any special or new ingredients.
For a family of 5 I doubled this recipe. I cooked the meat separately from everything else, adding some garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano, but then decided 2LBS meat was too much and only mixed in about 1LB. Since I had kept the meat at 1LB, I kept the sauce at 3/4 cup. I also added the garlic powder, dried basil, and dried oregano to the ricotta. I cooked the cheese/egg noodle mix on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
My husband and 1 child came home saying they ate a late lunch and were not hungry, but said it looked good. Another child was “mmming” and talking about how yummy mommies homemade noodles were. With that, my husband and child who were not hungry decided to at least try a bite and ended up having a small piece too.
It’s rare to find a recipe that all 5 of us will agree and rate as 5 stars, but this certainly is one of them!
Can I use parchment instead of foil? I don’t like baking with it. Thanks!
Hi Sharon! I did test this with parchment paper, and I really struggled to avoid excess water pooling at the sides. It will work, but it just won’t have those tender edges you’d expect from a lasagna.
Quick and delicious.
This recipe is amazing. Seriously. Can’t believe there’s no noodles in it.
Aw, thanks so much July. I’m so glad you think it tastes like the real thing. That was super important when developing this recipe 🙂
My husband requests this over and over after the first time I made. We like more meat sauce so we do double up on that.
I’ve made zucchini lasagna and cabbage leaf lasagna in the past, but this one takes the cake.
This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had. My husband agrees and he can’t get enough.
I doubled the recipe so that we can eat it all week. The leftovers are even better.
I used a combination of breakfast sausage and Italian sausage for the meat and added a layer of spinach just under the top layer of mozzarella.
This is my forever go to for lasagna now. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
I’ve made zucchini lasagna and cabbage leaf lasagna in the past, but this one takes the cake.
This is the best lasagna I’ve ever had. My husband agrees and he can’t get enough.
I doubled the recipe so that we can eat it all week. The leftovers are even better.
I used a combination of breakfast sausage and Italian sausage for the meat and added a layer of spinach just under the top layer of mozzarella.
This is my forever go to for lasagna now. Thanks Arman.