Description
Lasagna Roll Ups are a delightful twist on classic lasagna, featuring individual rolled noodles filled with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese mixture layered with savory ground beef marinara sauce. Baked to bubbly perfection and topped with melted mozzarella, this dish is perfect for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Lasagna Rolls
- 12 dry lasagna noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound ground beef
- 24 ounces marinara sauce (1 jar)
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese (1 container)
- 3½ cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley and/or basil
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat and cook noodles: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions until al dente.
- Drain and cool noodles: Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Lay them flat on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and ½ teaspoon salt, cooking until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic and seasoning: Stir in minced garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook beef: Add ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as you go.
- Combine sauce: Pour in marinara sauce, stir to combine, then remove the skillet from heat.
- Prepare cheese filling: In a bowl, mix ricotta, 1½ cups mozzarella, parmesan, chopped herbs, egg, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper until well combined.
- Assemble base layer: Spread about ½ cup of the meat sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Fill noodles: Spread 3-4 tablespoons of the cheese mixture evenly over each cooked lasagna noodle.
- Add meat sauce: Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the meat sauce over the cheese layer on each noodle.
- Roll noodles: Carefully roll up each noodle and place seam side down in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
- Top rolls: Pour the remaining meat sauce over the lasagna rolls and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and bake: Cover the dish with foil, making sure the foil does not touch the cheese, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and finish baking: Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until edges are browned and cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Optional broil: For extra toasty tops, broil the lasagna rolls for 1-2 minutes watching carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- Use dry lasagna noodles rather than no-boil for better rolling texture.
- Let the noodles cool after boiling to prevent tearing while rolling.
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for ground beef if preferred.
- Fresh herbs like parsley and basil add wonderful flavor but can be substituted with dried Italian seasoning.
- Cover the pan with foil loosely to prevent cheese from sticking and burning during baking.
- Broiling at the end is optional but gives a deliciously crispy cheese top.
