Gluten-free Italian food is easy to make, and it tastes delicious. This recipe contains my top-secret spaghetti sauce full of tasty herbs and essential oils. It’s free from gluten, sugar, and dairy. If you’re short on time, try my crockpot variation!
Table of Contents:
- 4 Healthy Pasta Options
- Healthy Lasagna Ingredients 101
- Make Mama Z’s Gluten-Free Lasagna
- Tasty Variations, Crockpot & More
4 Healthy Pasta Options
It may surprise you that you don’t have to give up pasta on your journey to better health. Does this mean you should chow down on white, gluten-filled pasta? Definitely not. Here are four fantastic alternatives to pasta that you’re sure to love!
1. Almond Flour Noodles
Almond flour noodles are one of my favorite pasta alternatives because they have a nice “bite” and aren’t mushy. These noodles are usually frozen and can be challenging to find in your traditional grocery store.
We find these lasagna noodles at Whole Foods. Republic of Pasta sells fresh and frozen pasta in the chilled and frozen food aisles.
2. Brown Rice Pasta
Another fantastic option is brown rice pasta. This option is readily available in most stores, and it’s full of healthy carbohydrates.
A recent fad eschews carbohydrates, but the human body needs them to thrive. Carbs can even give you a serotonin boost! (1)
3. Vegetables
Vegetables are an excellent substitute for pasta. They can lighten up a dish and give you an extra serving of vegetables.
Some of our favorite veggie substitutes are spaghetti squash, zucchini (which can be sliced into lasagna or spiralized into spaghetti noodles), spinach, eggplant, and shredded cabbage. These vegetables take on the flavor of any amazing sauce you put on them.
4. Konjac Noodles
Konjac noodles are made from glucomannan and are incredibly filling. They have a low caloric load, which has given them an honored place in many types of diets. They are a fantastic substitute for noodles, especially in casserole-type dishes.
Mama Z Pro Tip: Be sure to rinse them to remove all traces of the liquid they come in.
Healthy Lasagna Ingredients 101
This recipe uses simple ingredients to create a delicious, creamy gluten-free lasagna. Your family and friends will be so impressed by the distinct herbal flavors in my homemade spaghetti sauce! Here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.
Coconut Milk Yogurt Substitute: Traditional lasagnas call for ricotta or cottage cheese, but I had to get creative to keep this recipe dairy-free. I found that an unsweetened coconut-milk yogurt substitute works beautifully! We use this ingredient to create a cheesy layer.
Dairy-Free Cheese: You can’t have lasagna without gooey cheese; thankfully, there are unique dairy-free options on the market.
Good brands of dairy-free cheese include Kite Hill, Daiya, So Delicious, Violife Foods, and Follow Your Heart.
Eggs or Egg Replacer: The creamy cheese layer requires a suitable binder, and eggs fit the bill! If you have egg allergies or follow a vegan diet, you can use an egg replacer. I’ve had great success with both options. Bonus: Eggs are a great source of protein.
Herbs: There is nothing better than fresh herbs in Italian food! Herbs are easy to grow, and I always seem to have an abundance of them in the Summer. This recipe uses basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme to create a unique flavor combination.
Essential Oils: Essential oils bring so much to this recipe. They give the lasagna a delicious flavor, make your house smell like heaven, and can even boost your health.
Basil essential oil is antibacterial, and the fixed oil in this herb can prevent stomach ulcers. (2) Oregano essential oil is antiviral and a powerful tool during sickness. (3)
Safety Disclaimer: Using essential oils in your culinary creations is a great way to introduce them to the entire family. Ingesting essential oils is safe, but you need to use wisdom. Whenever you include essential oils in a recipe, you also need to have a dispersant. Without a dispersant, your mouth would get irritated. Enjoy this recipe, but always remember to never swallow an essential oil neat.
Mama Z’s Spaghetti Sauce: My homemade spaghetti sauce is easy to make and well worth the effort! It takes any Italian dish up a notch. You’ll love how fresh this sauce makes every recipe taste.
Noodles: For this recipe, you can use brown rice lasagna noodles, frozen almond-flour lasagna, eggplant slices, or zucchini slices. If you’re on our Fast Track portion of the Essential Oils Diet plan, you’ll want to use almond-flour lasagna or a veggie alternative.
Make Mama Z’s Gluten-Free Lasagna
This lasagna is a fantastic dish on its own, but we also like to serve it with a side salad. It’s easy to make and serves 9 to 12 people generously. This recipe requires just 20 minutes of prep work.
- 1 (15-ounce) container organic unsweetened coconut-milk yogurt substitute
- ½ cup shredded dairy-free Parmesan or mozzarella-style cheese alternative*
- 2 large pasture-raised organic eggs, or 1 tablespoon egg replacer plus 2 tablespoons purified or distilled water
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 drop basil essential oil
- 1 drop oregano essential oil
- 1 drop thyme essential oil
- 1 drop parsley essential oil
- 8 cups Mama Z's Spaghetti Sauce
- 1 (8- to 12-ounce) package organic brown rice lasagna noodles**
- 1 pound fresh or frozen (and defrosted) organic spinach
- 2 (7- to 8-ounce) packages shredded dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese alternative
- Supplies:
- Mixing bowl
- Jelly-roll pan
- 9 x 13 x2-inch baking dish
- Parchment paper
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt substitute, shredded cheese alternative, eggs, 1 tablespoon each of the chopped basil, oregano, parsley, thyme, and the essential oils.
- Place a jelly-roll pan beneath a 9 x 13 x2-inch baking dish to catch any spills. Spread 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce in the baking dish.
- Top with one-third of the uncooked lasagna noodles, one-third of the yogurt/cheese mix, one-third of the spinach, and one-third of the remaining spaghetti sauce.
- Repeat this layer, but this time add half of the mozzarella-style shreds. Repeat with another layer but omit the mozzarella-style shreds.
- Top with the mozzarella-style shreds, then the fresh herbs. Or sprinkle the herbs between the cheese layers.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper longer than the baking dish (so you can tuck it under on both ends), spray the top of the lasagna with olive-oil cooking spray, cover, and bake for 1 hour. Remove the parchment paper, return the dish to the oven, and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
**Use frozen almond-flour lasagna or 1 medium eggplant or zucchini, peeled and cut into skinny slices, while on Fast Track
If you can find fresh almond-flour pasta or brown-rice pasta, go for it. Republic of Pasta sells both fresh and frozen pasta at Whole Foods in the chilled and frozen food aisles. It absorbs less moisture, giving it a nice "tooth." DeBoles is another option. Avoid gluten-free products made from corn or soy.
Step One: Prepare the Cheese Mixture
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt substitute, shredded cheese alternative, eggs, 1 tablespoon each of the chopped herbs, and the essential oils.
Step Two: Create the Gluten-Free Lasagna Layers
Place a jelly roll pan under a 9 x 13 x2-inch baking dish to catch any spills. Your oven will thank you! Spread 1 cup of my homemade spaghetti sauce in the baking dish. Be sure you use a red or blue spatula, as the sauce can discolor white utensils.
Top with one-third of the uncooked lasagna noodles, one-third of the cheese mixture, one-third of the spinach, and one-third of the remaining spaghetti sauce.
Repeat this layer, but add half of the alternative cheese shreds. Repeat with another layer, but omit the cheese shreds.
Step Three: Bake the Gluten-Free Lasagna
Top with the remaining mozzarella-style cheese, then the fresh herbs. Or you can layer the herbs between the cheese layers.
Cut a piece of parchment paper longer than the baking sheet. You want to be able to tuck it under on both ends. Spray the top of the lasagna with coconut oil or olive-oil cooking spray. Cover the lasagna, and bake for 1 hour.
Remove the paper, return the dish to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes. Let the lasagna sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Tasty Variations, Crockpot & More
You’ll love these variations if you’re short on time or serving a meat-loving crowd!
Slow Cooker Lasagna Variation
There’s nothing better than coming home to the smell of a delicious dinner! This recipe comes from an old co-worker of mine. She handed me this notecard with instructions to make it healthy! I did just that. This is one of our favorite recipes to prepare on busy days.
Step One: Arrange Lasagna Layers in the Crockpot
To make this recipe, prepare the sauce and cheese mixture as above.
Divide the dry noodles into three groups and break each into thirds to fit in the slow cooker.
Layer the sauce, yogurt-cheese mixture, spinach, and almond-flour noodles (or vegetable slices) in the slow cooker instead of a baking dish, ending with the mozzarella-style cheese shreds.
Cook for 4 to 6 hours at Medium or Low until you can put a fork through the contents to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Meat-Lovers Lasagna Variation
This version is popular with those who have to have meat in their spaghetti sauce. You should note that this variation falls under the Lifestyle category in the Essential Oils Diet plan.
Mix 1 pound grass-fed ground beef or free-range ground turkey with 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence and cook on the stovetop until browned. Spread one-third of the meat mixture on top of each spinach layer.
