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Home / Recipes
1 hour 30 minutes
4.44 from 16 votes
10 Comments

Lasagna Roll-Ups

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  • 190
by: Joanna Cismaru
11.28.21

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Incredibly delicious Lasagna Roll-Ups that are totally delicious and a true comforting dish presented in a fun new way. Take the guesswork out of portion control.

two lasagna roll-ups on a white plate

Lasagna Roll-ups

I’m sure everyone has their favorite lasagna recipe, but this is my easy recipe that I use whenever I am in the mood for lasagna. So whether you make it as a regular lasagna, or lasagna roll ups, this recipe is very easy to make. Why? Because the ingredients are simple ingredients you already have in your pantry or fridge.

These individual lasagnas are filled with a spinach cheese mixture and a delicious homemade meat sauce that are family-friendly and perfect for portion control. Take the guesswork out of portion control.

This is a recipe I shared with you back in 2012 but I redid it with better pictures, I created a video for it and gave you more information to help you.

step pictures for how to roll lasagna roll-ups

What Kind of Sauce Should I Use for Lasagna Roll-ups

While you can definitely buy a store bought pasta sauce such as a marinara sauce, the best sauce is always a homemade sauce. The sauce I made here is a meat sauce with ground beef. While it’s relatively easy to make, these sauces taste better the longer you simmer them.

You’ll notice I used both a big can of diced tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce. You could also use a can of crushed tomatoes too and if you want more of a concentrated tomato flavor, throw in some tomato paste.

Don’t skimp on the onion, garlic and herbs. This is how we build flavor in the sauce. You can also use fresh herbs instead of dried herbs.

What Kind of Cheese Should I Use for Lasagna Roll-ups

For the spinach cheese mixture that’s used as the filling, ricotta cheese is a must. I also love to add some mozzarella to it as well. Again, don’t skimp on the cheese. After all, lasagna is about the cheese. At least in my humble opinion.

To top over the casserole, I used more mozzarella cheese. If you want you can add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese as well!

How to Make Lasagna Roll-ups

There are basically 4 main steps to making these lasagna roll-ups. Make the sauce, the filling, assemble, and bake.

Make the sauce: The secret to making a great sauce besides using great ingredients is simmering it for a long time. In the recipe I mention to simmer it for 30 minutes. However, if you’ve got more time, go ahead and simmer it for 1 or 2 hours, you won’t regret it. Also don’t be afraid to add more herbs for greater flavors, such as fennel seeds.

Make the filling: The filling is the easiest part of this recipe. Simply combine the spinach with the ricotta and the mozzarella cheese and you’re good to go.

Assemble: Assemble the roll-ups as stated in the recipe. I decided to use a little bit of the meat sauce in the roll-ups as well, to get some of that delicious meat sauce all throughout the casserole, but it’s totally up to you.

Bake: Cover the lasagna dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 30 minutes at 375 F degrees. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

step pictures for assembling lasagna roll-ups

How Do You Store Leftover Lasagna?

Cool the lasagna first, then cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil or if it’s cooled completely you can use plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

How Do You Freeze Lasagna Roll-ups?

Lasagna is freezer friendly and great for make ahead. You can freeze them individually or the whole dish.

Individually frozen: Follow the assembly directions but instead of placing them in the casserole dish, place them on a cookie sheet, then flash freeze them for about 1 hour. Take them out of the freezer and take each roll and gently place them in a freezer bag, then freeze. Freeze the meat sauce separately in an airtight container or freezer bag.

To serve: Heat up the frozen meat sauce in the microwave for a few minutes until it’s no longer frozen. Spread a couple ladles of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Place frozen lasagna rolls in the dish, then ladle the remaining sauce over the rolls. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the sauce, then follow baking instructions, as noted in the recipe.

Casserole-style freezing: Follow the instructions completely as noted in the recipe, but do not preheat the oven. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. You can also use disposable aluminum pans with lids. Label the lasagna and include the date on which it was assembled. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To serve: Defrost the lasagna in the refrigerator overnight. Bake as instructed in the recipe. If the lasagna still feels a bit frozen when you take it out of the fridge, you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.

lasagna roll-ups in a white casserole dish

More Delicious Lasagna Recipes To Try

  • Taco Lasagna
  • Skillet Lasagna
  • Zucchini Lasagna
  • The Best Lasagna
  • Lasagna Dip
  • Skillet White Chicken Lasagna
  • Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)
  • Easy Beef Lasagna

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2 lasagna roll ups in a bowl

Lasagna Roll-Ups

4.44 from 16 votes
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 30 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 12
Print Pin Rate
Incredibly delicious Lasagna Roll-Ups that are totally delicious and a true comforting dish presented in a fun new way. Take the guesswork out of portion control.

Ingredients

  • 12 lasagna noodles cooked
  • 2 cups mozzarella shredded

Meat Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon basil dried
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 28 ounce diced tomatoes 1 can
  • 14.5 ounce tomato sauce 1 can

Filling

  • 10 ounce frozen spinach thawed and squeezed well (1 pkg)
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Cook noodles: Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  • Make sauce: In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and using a spoon, break the meat into small pieces. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, should take about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, basil, salt and pepper and cook another 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. 
  • Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and stir. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Prepare spinach/cheese filling: In a medium sized bowl add the spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Prepare oven: Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
  • Assemble lasagna roll-ups: Spread a couple ladles of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Lay out lasagna noodles, make sure they are dry. Spread about 2 to 3 tbsp of the spinach/cheese mixture and 1 or 2 tbsp of the meat mixture over each lasagna noodle, and roll it up. Make sure you divide the spinach/cheese mixture evenly over the 12 noodles. Place each roll seam side down over the sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles. 
  • Ladle remaining sauce over the lasagna rolls, then sprinkle with the 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
  • Bake: Cover the lasagna dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. 
  • Top with fresh basil or parsley if preferred, then serve while warm.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Leftovers: Cool the lasagna first, then cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil or if it’s cooled completely you can use plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
  2. Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
 

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1rollCalories: 383kcal (19%)Carbohydrates: 30g (10%)Protein: 25g (50%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 71mg (24%)Sodium: 606mg (26%)Potassium: 594mg (17%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 3400IU (68%)Vitamin C: 11.1mg (13%)Calcium: 322mg (32%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Italian
Keyword:italian food, lasagna, lasagna roll ups
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 190

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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Comments

  1. Sara Vee says

    March 12, 2021 at 7:04 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! The Italians in my family have never heard of “rollups”?! Fantastic! We all loved it!

    Reply
  2. Christine says

    July 19, 2019 at 8:30 am

    5 stars
    I made these last night for dinner and they were fantastic!!!! So easy and I didn’t think to messy at all. The only thing I did different was I did not boil my noodles. Instead I laid them all Putin a sheet pan and covered them with Hot water, then covered the pan with tinfoil left it for 15-25 minutes and they were perfectly done. Very easy and no stove time. I did dry the noodles off before putting on the toppings. This will definitely be my go to lasagna dish from now on!

    Reply
  3. Shona says

    March 8, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    I just have a question. Could you make with sausage? Has anyone tried it.

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      March 8, 2019 at 3:38 pm

      You can absolutely use sausage!

      Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    March 5, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    5 stars
    I made this recipe exactly as is and I gotta tell ya, it’s a winner! It was a big hit in our family. Thanks for the excellent recipe! I think next time I would probably use more of a Bolognese sauce and blend the canned tom’s before adding them in because it was a bit chunky but other than that we loved it!

    Reply
    • Joanna Cismaru says

      March 6, 2019 at 10:16 am

      So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  5. Traci Fannin Poole says

    August 14, 2014 at 2:19 am

    5 stars
    I made this for my best friend and my family too. It was a great hit! So much lighter tasting than the traditional lasagna!! You can bet this version will be our traditional version from now on!!

    Thank you!!

    Traci

    Reply
    • jo says

      August 14, 2014 at 3:45 am

      You’re welcome! Glad you liked them!

      Reply
  6. shoop exhale says

    May 27, 2013 at 4:18 am

    5 stars
    Salwa’s friend will come for dinner tonight, Miss Jo, so here I am busy browsing your fabulous website, I think I will make antojitos and this lasagna tonight plus your chocolate magic cake. Now, I saved a lot of time, I cam still listen to music and make my exercise, thanks to you!

    Reply
    • jo says

      May 27, 2013 at 4:30 am

      Sounds like a great dinner, have fun 🙂

      Reply

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I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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