Lasagna Roll Ups
Casseroles… the ultimate comfort food 🥰! They can be anything from Meatloaf, Lancashire Hotpot, Cod au Gratin, Chicken Vesuvio, Baked Ziti, Shepherd’s Pie, Turkey Tetrazzini, etc. They’re delicious, satisfying and nostalgic as they bring us back to our childhood.
There’s a long list of tasty casseroles on the website and here’s another one to add to it… my Lasagna Roll Ups! These cute little bundles of deliciousness are filled with yummy ingredients 😋! It’s a great way to enjoy lasagna without being so messy when serving.
There are a few steps to do but if you know how to manage your time and have your “mise en place” ready, everything goes pretty fast. While the noodles are cooking, the filling is mixed and then start making the sauce. It’s just a matter to be organized!
After the pasta is cooked according to package directions minus 1:30 minutes ⏳, they’re placed in a large bowl filled with cold water. Not only will it stop the cooking process but also prevent them from sticking together… just give a little swish to make sure they don’t.
The filling for the Lasagna Roll Ups is so delicious and easy to make 👩🍳👨🍳. The only thing you have to pay attention to is how wet your ricotta is. I use a good quality cheese but if yours is too wet, you can drain it for a few hours. Check out my method… Ricotta Cheese • How to Drain
Like most of my recipes, I use more freshly ground black pepper than salt. I like the taste plus it has great health benefits 💚 such as high in antioxidants, prevents cancer, has anti-inflammatory properties, rich in vitamin B, detoxifies the body, improves brain function, lower cholesterol, etc.
Often, I use Grana Padano 🧀. The reason is we buy it at Costco and it’s huge! On the other hand, Parmesan is a great substitute. When it comes to using Parmigiano Reggiano in the casserole, it’s a waste of great quality. Here’s the difference between these three…
-Parmesan: can be made with pasteurized milk, skim milk, concentrated skim milk or water. Good to cook with but not really great to enjoy on its own.
-Grana Padano: made with partially skimmed raw milk from grass fed cows, has a softer note compared to the next one. It’s aged anywhere between 9 to 16 months. It’s a great cheese to cook with but also on its own.
-Parmigiano Reggiano: uses only raw milk from grass or hay fed cows 🐄 making it the King of the Cheese. It’s aged from 12 to 40 months and the longer it matures, the stronger the flavors are.
When it’s time to assemble the lasagna, I use a couple of large baking sheets so it’s less messy to clean 🧽 after I’m done. I also leave about 1-inch on both ends as well as some on each side of the noodles when spreading the filling and the meat sauce. As we roll the pasta, the mixture will be pushed out.
Way back when, I ordered some ribbed lasagna and it came in a 10 lb. box. It’s not really a problem as I like making a few recipes with them such as 8 Cheese Vegetable Lasagna, Seafood Lasagna, Lasagna Soup, Mexican Lasagna or Meat Lasagna. The only thing is the final result doesn’t look as neat as the regular ones…
Casseroles are so cozy especially when it’s cold outside and this delicious Lasagna Roll Ups recipe is exactly what we are looking for 👀. It’s satisfying and a dish that makes us feel good inside! This is another amazing comfort food that you and your family will love!
Bon Appétit! 🍽
Check out these other incredible casserole recipes… 😀
– Chicken Divan
– Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole
– Tuna Casserole
– Pastitsio
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
– Pepper & Sausage Casserole
– Chicken Vesuvio
and for even more pasta recipes 🍝, click on this link… Recipe Category • Pasta & Pizza
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
Lasagna Roll Ups
Hover to scale
Ingredients
FILLING
- 2 cups ricotta cheese, drained if needed tips & tricks
- 1 large free-range egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated tips & tricks
- 1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 5 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (I always use mixed peppercorns), or to taste
MEAT SAUCE
- 1 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 1/2 cup white onions, finely chopped
- ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste and divided
- 1/2 cup red peppers, finely chopped
- 2 cups (5 ounces) cremini mushrooms, washed and finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste and divided (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- 3 cups marinara sauce see Recipe
- 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning see Recipe
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
ASSEMBLY
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated tips & tricks
- 1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
Directions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions minus 1:30 minutes.
- Drain well into a colander, transfer to a large pot and fill it up with cold water; set aside.
FILLING
- In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir until nicely blended.
SAUCE
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil. When hot, add onions and season with salt; sauté for 1 minute. Add red peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, season with freshly ground black pepper and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and season with black pepper. Cook halfway, breaking the meat into small pieces before adding garlic; cook until no longer pink.
- Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes; stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
ASSEMBLY
- Evenly spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; set aside.
- Lay the cooked lasagna noodles onto 2 large baking sheets. Spread a layer of filling over each, leaving 1-inch on both ends as well as some on each side of the noodles.
- Spread 2/3 meat sauce over the filling (1/3rd per tray), leaving the same spacing.
- Starting from one end, roll up each noodle to the other end and transfer them in the prepared baking dish, seam side down.
- Spread the remaining 1/3 meat sauce on top and sprinkle on Mozzarella followed by Grana Padano.
- Cover the dish with foil that has been greased and transfer the dish to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheeses are melted and turn golden brown.
- Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before sprinkling on chopped parsley.
Don't forget to rate and comment on this recipe!
