Lasagna Roll-Ups

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian Inspired, Southern

Keyword easy-lasagna-recipes, lasagna-recipes, lasagna-roll-ups

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 45

Stand time 5

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 250kcal

Cook lasagna noodles in salted water per package directions until al dente. Carefully drain, and separate laying flat on parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium size pot, cook onion and ground beef (or Italian sausage) in olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Add salt and garlic, cooking for 1 minute longer.
Drain fat from pan adding marinara sauce. Simmer uncovered over medium heat for 10 minutes, then set aside. (This can be done in advance and chilled until assembling).
In a small mixing bowl blend together spinach, ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, basil pesto, red pepper flakes and beaten egg.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Assemble: Spread each lasagna noodle with spinach-ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with one half of shredded mozzarella cheese. Starting at one end roll ending seam side down. (Divide 2 cups cheese between roll-ups reserving 1 cup for the top.)
Ladle half of meat sauce onto bottom of dish. Arrange lasagna roll-ups side by side in the dish seam side down. Repeat until all noodles have been used, then ladle reserved meat sauce on top.
Lay foil loosely on top and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with reserved 1 cup shredded cheese and 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.
Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and cheese is golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Pesto - Prepared basil pesto is a simple way to add extra flavor to the filling. It can be easily found in the Italian section of most any grocery store. Choose a brand that you know and already enjoy.
Make Extra Noodles - It's always a good idea to have extra cooked lasagna noodles on hand in the event one or more of them tear.
Tip For Working with the Lasagna Noodles - After cooking the lasagna noodles. I find it helpful to remove them from the pasta water and lay flat on parchment paper in a single layer. When doing so, it stops the cooking and they cool slightly making them easier to handle. Plus, no sticking together.
Protein - The meat sauce for this recipe is simple by design. You may choose to use half ground beef and half Italian sausage. You could also use ground chicken or ground turkey for the meat sauce.
Short Cut - You could omit the meat and use marinara sauce straight from the jar, if you're in a hurry. The main thing to consider is; to choose a quality brand that you enjoy. A thicker sauce, not thinner works best.
Cheese - I used a blend of mozzarella cheese and provolone for this recipe. You may opt to use one or the other in the same amount, without any other adjustments needed.