Vegetarian Lasagna Roll Ups
When I think of comfort food, my Vegetarian Lasagna Roll Ups are always the first thing that comes to mind. They’re packed with all the flavors of classic lasagna and it's ready in under an hour. Covered in a rich marinara sauce, these healthy lasagna rolls are not only family-friendly but also an ideal make-ahead meal for busy days.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 422kcal
Ingredients
- 8 uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper more to taste
- 1 tsp salt more or less to taste
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried italian seasoning
- 10 oz bag frozen chopped spinach
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 red onion diced
- 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 25-28oz jars of marinara sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lasagne sheets to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, drain and lay out the noodles flat in a single layer (on aluminum foil or parchment paper) so they don't stick together.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and the red pepper - sauté with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the spinach and all of your spices. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add one of the jars of sauce to your veggie mixture - simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix the ricotta and 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl. To assemble, place cooked noodles on a flat surface. Spread 1/8 cup of the cheese filling. Then add 1/8 cup veggie mixture over each noodle. Repeat with each lasagna sheet (top with ricotta mixture and then veggie mixture).
- On your work surface, Roll up the lasagna sheets, jelly-roll fashion, starting with the short side. Place the rolls, seam side down, in a small baking dish that has been smeared with 1/4 cup of sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over each roll and top each of the lasagna roll-ups with 1 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted and is golden brown.
Notes
- To make the best vegetarian lasagna roll-ups you have to avoid overstuffing them. When I first made these, I couldn’t resist loading up each noodle with extra ricotta and veggies, I mean, who doesn’t love more filling, right? But I quickly realized that too much filling made the rolls fall apart and left a mess in the dish. Now, I stick to just 1/8 cup of ricotta and veggies per noodle, and the difference is amazing! The rolls stay perfectly intact, cook evenly, and are so much easier to serve. It’s a simple trick, but it’s the key to lasagna roll-up perfection!
- I always cook lasagna noodles al dente so they have a little bite and don’t turn mushy during baking. It makes all the difference.
- I like to cook 2-3 extra noodles just in case some tear while boiling. It’s a simple trick to avoid last-minute frustration.
- When I’m short on time, I buy fresh lasagna noodles from the deli section, they’re ready to use and save a ton of effort.
- I always shred cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded. It melts better and tastes so much fresher.
- After boiling, I lay the noodles flat and keep them from touching to avoid sticking. I skip rinsing them in cold water since it can dull the flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 2rolls | Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 898mg | Potassium: 601mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g