No Noodle Keto Lasagna with Spinach and Meat

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This keto lasagna without noodles has all the flavor and none of the carbs. At just 2 grams net carbohydrates a slice, it’s a low carb spinach lasagna recipe perfect for any ketogenic diet meal plan!

I love taking classic comfort foods and making them keto friendly. With a few substitutions, these dishes can easily fit a low carb, sugar free, and gluten free diet. 

Plus they turn out just as flavorful as the traditional version, if not more so!

This keto lasagna recipe is a perfect example of this. With layers of melty cheese, marinara, just the right amount of fresh spinach, and the perfect blend of spices, what’s not to love?

And once you add in the seasoned meat layer, it takes this dish to a whole new level of delicious!

Why I love the recipe

This savory casserole is a big crowd-pleaser. It’s super satisfying, and it’s very simple to make. Prepare the flat meatloaf, layer the ingredients, and bake in the oven. That’s it!

It also freezes well if you like to meal prep or simply want to have a quick casserole ready to go when you need it. 

This low carb lasagna without pasta is one of those perfect dishes that’s easy to make and will be devoured by everyone. 

Ways to make a keto friendly no pasta lasagna

Most people assume that lasagna is off-limits for carb conscious diets. After all, it’s made with layers of pasta noodles.

But when you think about it, the rest of the ingredients in lasagna are pretty low in carbohydrates. Cheese is the star of the dish, and many lasagnas use meat as well. Add in a no sugar added marinara, and you’re well on your way.

So really, the only thing left is to replace the noodles.

You can easily make a pastaless lasagna recipe by simply taking out the noodles. In fact, this is exactly what I do for my keto Instant Pot recipe. The result is super tasty, but also very messy. It’s the kind of dish you eat out of a bowl, not on a plate.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but it is a bit different than traditional lasagna. In my opinion, to make an authentic style pasta free lasagna, you just need to make it in layers.

Substitute for lasagna noodles on a keto diet

There are a few great options to replace the pasta layer when you’re making a low carb lasagna. 

One tried and true method is using a vegetable layer. You could try spaghetti squash, cabbage, eggplant, or even strips of zucchini noodles to replace the pasta layer. But vegetables add extra carbs.

Another option is to use thin slices of deli meat. In Maria Emmerich’s cookbook Quick and Easy Ketogenic Cooking, she has a fantastic recipe for skillet lasagna that uses thin roasted chicken breast to create the layers. You could also try pepperoni or salami for even more flavor.

Replace pasta with meat!

When I was creating this recipe, I decided I wanted to try something a bit different. I wanted a dish that was super satisfying and full of great flavor that didn’t rely on veggies.

So, I decided to replace the pasta layer with meatza! 

If you’re not familiar with meatza, it’s just a term for a low carb pizza crust made out of meat. It holds up really well to sauces and melted cheese, so it’s great for italian cooking. I also use it in my spinach tomato meatza pizza recipe.

The meatza noodle layer adds a ton of flavor and really takes this keto no noodle lasagna to the next level. And it’s quite easy to make!

How to make this keto lasagna recipe

You can prepare the recipe in only a few simple steps.

Making the meat layer

1. Mix together your spices. Set ½ teaspoon aside for the marinara sauce.
2. Place the ground beef in a large platter or bowl, then mix in the remaining seasoning, parmesan cheese, and beaten egg yolk.
3. Transfer the ground beef mixture into two 9×13 baking pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten the beef with a spatula or back of a spoon.
4. Bake at 450°F for 7-12 minutes or until just browned.
5. Remove from the oven, drain the oil, then slice to fit the pan or casserole dish you’ll be baking your lasagna in.

Preparing the other ingredients

1. In a bowl, combine the marinara pasta sauce, parmesan, and remaining seasoning (from the meatza ingredients). Mix well and set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg and then fold in the ricotta cheese.
3. In a skillet on the stove, add olive oil and spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, then season with onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Assembling and baking the lasagna

1. In an 8×8 baking pan, pour 2-3 tablespoons of marinara sauce mixture.
2. Top with the meat noodle slices, then spread more marinara sauce on top.
3. Add all of the sautéed spinach as your next layer.
4. Spread the ricotta mixture on top of the spinach.
5. Cover with half of the mozzarella cheese.
6. Keep layering with remaining meat noodles and marinara.
7. Cover the top layer with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

How many carbs in a serving of keto lasagna

When I make this dish, I cut the lasagna into 9 squares.

At this serving size, each square comes out to 3 grams of total carbs and 1 gram of fiber. This means that a single serving will have just 2 grams net carbs.

Compare that to traditional lasagna, which will have closer to 30 grams of carbs or more! 

And once you try a bite of this keto lasagna with meat noodles, you won’t miss those carb-filled pasta layers one bit. 

The perfect spinach and meat lasagna recipe without noodles

If you or your family have been looking for low carb versions of classic comfort foods, this super tasty dish is for you. 

It’s also great for meal prepping! You can freeze the casserole before or after baking, although I prefer to freeze it before baking. 

Once I’m ready to make my noodle free lasagna, I take it out a few hours early to thaw, then throw it in the oven. So easy! It’s a life-saver when we have surprise company or when I need a quick dinner for the family.

If you have a dish that can safely go from freezer to oven, you don’t even need to let it thaw. Just be sure to adjust the baking time.

Next time you’re craving this classic italian dish, be sure to give keto friendly lasagna a try!

Other low carb casserole dishes

Looking for other easy casseroles to feed the family or a bigger group? Check out a few of these favorites:

• Keto Chicken Broccoli Casserole is a quick and easy recipe made from scratch that’s absolutely delicious.
• Easy Mexican Chicken Lasagna includes plenty of cheese and is flavored with southwestern spices for a fun twist on this classic dish.
• Keto Eggplant Parmesan Casserole with a gluten-free breading is a delicious, cozy dish that’s loaded with cheese and authentic Italian flavor!
• Stuffed Pepper Casserole has all the flavorful ingredients of this classic comfort food combined in a baking dish for a super easy dinner.
• Pumpkin Lasagna also uses meat noodles to replace the pasta layer for a delicious twist on traditional lasagna.

I also love the flavors in the spinach artichoke chicken casserole by my friend Julianne over at Keto Cooking Christian.

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Keto Lasagna with Spinach and Meat

Author: Lisa MarcAurele

4.56 from 29 votes

A low carb lasagna for meat lovers! Rather than try to sneak in a vegetable for the pasta layer, meat is used instead for this no noodle keto friendly casserole.

Recipe Video (Click on Image to Play)

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Print Pin Review Recipe

Servings 9 people

Calories 301

Ingredients

MEATZA INGREDIENTS :

• 2 Pounds Ground Lean Beef2 Pounds Ground Lean Beef
• 1 Egg yolk beaten1 Egg yolk beaten
• ½ Cup Parmesan½ Cup Parmesan
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 2 Teaspoon Ground Sage2 Teaspoon Ground Sage
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Oregano1 Teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
• ½ – 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Powder can be omitted if desired½ – 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Powder can be omitted if desired
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper to tasteSalt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

LASAGNA INGREDIENTS :

• 2 to 2 ½ Cups Marinara Sauce2 to 2 ½ Cups Marinara Sauce
• 10 Ounces Spinach10 Ounces Spinach
• 2 Egg yolks beaten2 Egg yolks beaten
• 1 Cup Ricotta1 Cup Ricotta
• 2 Cups Freshly Grated Mozzarella Cheese2 Cups Freshly Grated Mozzarella Cheese
• ½ Cup Parmesan½ Cup Parmesan
• ¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder¼ Teaspoon Onion Powder
• ¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder¼ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper⅛ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• Fresh Parsley for garnishingFresh Parsley for garnishing

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Making the meat slices

• In a small container, mix onion powder, garlic powder, sage, oregano, thyme and cayenne powder (if using). Reserve ½ teaspoon for marinara sauce.
• Place ground beef in a large platter or large bowl and mix in seasoning. Sprinkle parmesan and beaten egg yolk. Mix well.
• Line two 9×13 baking pans with parchment paper. Transfer seasoned ground beef and flatten with a spatula or back of a spoon.
• In a preheated oven of 450°F, bake ground beef for 7 to 12 minutes or just until browned. Drain oil and slice to fit lasagna container.

Preparing the lasagna

• In a bowl with marinara sauce, add parmesan, reserved mixed seasoning (from meatza ingredients) and mix well. Set aside.
• In another bowl with beaten egg, fold in ricotta. Set aside.
• In a skillet, heat olive oil and spinach until wilted. Season spinach with onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper.
• Assemble lasagna. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoon marinara sauce to an 8×8 baking pan. Top with meatza slices, spread more marinara sauce. Add all sautéed spinach and spread ricotta mixture on top. Cover with half of mozzarella cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients, with mozzarella at the top most part.
• In a preheated oven of 400°F, bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

Notes

Recipe can be split between two loaf pans to eat one now and save one in the freezer for later. The frozen unbaked casserole can be baked right from the freezer or thawed first to shorten baking time. Just bake at 350°F until heated throughout, about 15 minutes thawed and 20 minutes frozen.

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 1square | Calories: 301 | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 154mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 576mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 3535IU | Vitamin C: 9.4mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 3.9mg

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 2 g | % Carbs: 2.8 % | % Protein: 46.5 % | % Fat: 50.7 % | SmartPoints: 8

Values

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    [saturated_fat] => 8
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    [sodium] => 434
    [potassium] => 576
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Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

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First Published: January 5, 2018… Last Updated: January 2, 2020