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This lasagna roll ups recipe is a creative way to change up traditional lasagna! It has all the classic flavors you crave and three kinds of cheese for a cozy family meal.
You might also want to try my Classic Homemade Lasagna, this Easy Skillet Lasagna or Creamy Chicken Lasagna Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
My favorite thing about lasagna rolls is how you get all the comforting lasagna vibes with marinara, spinach, and loads of ooey gooey cheese, but they’re not nearly as time consuming to make and have a faster bake time. There’s no layering necessary, and it feeds a crowd.
I have to admit that it actually is pretty fun and satisfying to roll up the lasagna noodles in this one. They’re just perfect individually portioned pasta parcels. Also, if you want to include the little ones in the process, this is a fantastic recipe to let them help and introduce them to cooking! Much like my Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups.
What you’ll need
- Lasagna noodles – we’re using the uncooked kind in the dry pasta aisle
- Marinara sauce – it’s a simple shortcut. Use your favorite brand, or if you’d prefer homemade, try my Easy Marinara Sauce.
- Spinach – for convenience we’re using frozen so you don’t need to sauté it separately
- Cheeses – our kitchen used a trio of parmesan, mozzarella, and ricotta. Always use whole milk ricotta, and freshly grate the parm.
- Egg – it binds the cheese and spinach mixture together and adds moisture
- Salt & pepper – be generous with both
- Garlic – to add more savory flavor. I use this garlic press so that it’s super simple to mince without the need to peel.
- Italian seasoning and dried oregano – our fragrant seasonings. Italian seasoning is a blend of dried herbs that comes in one jar for ease.
Pro tip
Lay out and prep all your ingredients first to make the whole thing go more smoothly. When prepping the frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze out all the water so that you don’t end up with watery roll-ups.
How to make lasagna roll ups
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. Boil the noodles in a large pot, and cook until just al dente. Drain them, don’t rinse, and place each noodle separately on parchment paper without overlapping. Add an even layer of the marinara sauce to a deep 9×13″ lasagna dish. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, make the cheese and spinach filling.
Spread the spinach ricotta mixture evenly onto each noodle. I find it’s easy enough to do with a spoon. Roll them up one by one, and place them in the baking dish seam-side down.
Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over top, and then sprinkle on the rest of the mozzarella. Cover and bake until hot and bubbly, and remove the foil and broil if desired. Let it rest, and serve with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Helpful hints
- Did you know? Not rinsing the lasagna noodles after you drain them helps keep the roll-ups together. The residual starch makes them stickier and also lets the sauce better adhere to the pasta.
- Use a large pot for boiling the lasagna noodles! A too small pot is awkward, can lead to the noodles sticking together and not cooking evenly, and it and can even be dangerous if you try to push the noodles down and splash some boiling water on yourself. I’ve been there.
- A deep casserole dish is ideal since these rolls are quite tall, and you don’t want the cheese to stick to the foil. If you’re in a pinch, hold the foil up with toothpicks inserted into the lasagna rolls.
How to make this ahead
- You can easily make lasagna roll ups ahead of time. Assemble up until right before the baking step, and cover the baking dish tightly.
- Leave in fridge overnight and cook the next day, or freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge. It may need a bit of additional cooking time coming from the refrigerator.
Substitutions and variations
- This is a pretty classic flavor profile of a homemade lasagna, especially with the spinach and ricotta. We haven’t tested any variations on it, but you’re welcome to experiment.
- You could swap the marinara for another jarred or homemade pasta sauce to change it up. One with meat would work if you want to go that route!
- Like a spicy kick? Throw in some crushed red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.
What to serve with lasagna roll ups
- They are absolutely delicious along with a big slice of Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread or garlic knots.
- A side salad is another great option. Personally, I always enjoy a big Caesar salad with Homemade Garlic Croutons and my Easy 10 Minute Caesar Dressing.
- Another delicious salad is spring mix with this Creamy Pesto Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- You can keep lasagna roll ups leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days, but keep in mind that as time goes by, the noodles will lose their firmness.
- Reheat in microwave on low in 30-second increments until warmed through. You could also reheat in a saucepan over a low heat or in the oven in the same casserole dish you baked them in if you have a lot left over.
- I wouldn’t recommend freezing leftovers. The pasta texture won’t be quite right when thawing.
More delicious pasta recipes
If you made these lasagna roll ups, please leave me a review below! You can always tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram with any of your creations.
Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 16 ounces frozen spinach thawed
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- For serving: fresh basil, chopped parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Boil a large, salted pot of water and cook the lasagna noodles al dente according to package directions. Once they're done, drain them (don't rinse them), and as soon as they're cool enough to handle, lay them flat (beside each other, not overlapping) on a piece of parchment paper or foil.
- Meanwhile, add about 1 cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom of a deep 9×13 casserole dish and spread it in an even layer.
- Thaw the spinach and squeeze the water out thoroughly. Add it to a prep bowl along with the parmesan, ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, egg, salt & pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, and oregano. Stir together.
- If the lasagna noodles are a bit wet, pat them dry with paper towel. Spread about 1/3 cup of the cheese/spinach mixture onto each noodle, and then roll it up (I roll it away from myself), add it to the casserole dish (seam side down), and repeat until all 12 noodles are done.
- Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over top and sprinkle on the rest of the mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Optional: take the foil off and brown the cheese for a few minutes (watch it carefully).
- Let it rest for a few minutes and then serve with freshly chopped parsley and/or basil sprinkled over top and extra salt & pepper if needed.
Notes
- See blog post for step-by-step photos if any of the steps seem confusing.
- Some of the prep time is counted within the cook time since you can do other steps while the pasta is cooking.
- 1-2 rolls per person is a typical portion size, especially if it’s served with something else.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My husband and I really loved this delicious recipe! It was a new twist to traditional lasagna, and the rollups make a beautiful presentation. The addition of the spinach was especially good, too. I usually have leftovers, and it’s equally as good the second time around!
I’m so pleased you two enjoyed it, Linda!! 😀 Appreciate your review!