Sausage and Sweet Potato Zucchini Lasagna

Steps

1. Cut the zucchini into thin strips lengthwise. I did this without any special peeler – just a knife (see picture in post). Lay them on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let rest while you prep the other ingredients – the excess moisture will seep out of them and you can press them with paper towels when they’re ready. While the zucchini is resting, in a large skillet, brown the ground pork with 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, wash the sweet potatoes, poke with a fork several times, wrap once in a paper towel, and microwave for 5-7 minutes or until soft. You can also bake them in the oven if you prefer. Cut into chunks, transfer to a blender, and puree with the milk, chicken broth, olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Layer the zucchini noodles, sauce, sausage, chopped cilantro and green onions, and cheese; repeat layers three times. End with a final layer of zucchini noodles covered with a little sauce and cheese. Cover with greased foil so the cheese won’t stick and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 15-20 minutes. This does not cut into perfectly clean squares, especially if you cut into it before it has time to cool and set a little bit (which I did – SO HUNGRY). For a cleaner cut slice, see notes about using regular lasagna noodles.