Broken Meatball Lasagna

Name: Broken Meatball Lasagna
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 large zucchini (about 12 oz.), peeled, finely grated (about 1½ cups); 1½ cups panko; 1 tsp. dried oregano; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1 tsp. paprika; 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. kosher salt, plus more; 1 lb. ground chicken; ½ cup finely chopped dill; ½ cup finely chopped parsley; 1 28-oz. can whole, peeled tomatoes; 1 large shallot, thinly sliced; 8 oz. fresh ricotta; 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest; 10 oz. lasagna noodles, broken into 2–3 pieces; 2 3x2" strips lemon zest, thinly sliced; Finely chopped dill and grated Parmesan (for serving)

By Shilpa Uskokovic

August 9, 2022

Photograph by Vanessa Granda, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua

Lasagna doesn’t always have to be a gut bomb in a casserole dish. This lighter, brighter version shatters the mold and sheds the layers with ground chicken, zucchini, and lots of lemon and herbs. Peeling the zucchini and grating it on the small holes of a box grater ensures that it melts away into the meatballs as they cook, leaving them tender and juicy. Making meatballs, browning them, and then breaking them apart feels counterintuitive, but it’s an easy, efficient way to get deep brown color and the accompanying rich flavor without overcooking the meat. The meatball mixture will be loose and slump as it cooks—that’s okay! Perfection is not the goal here. Shards of regular—rather than no-boil—lasagna noodles are essential in this pursuit of pasta freedom.