Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
These Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups are ultra cheesy, made with a flavorful three cheese filling. They’re a delicious meatless meal that you can make ahead.
Lasagna roll ups are the perfect way to enjoy the flavors of a classic lasagna without all of the layering. These spinach lasagna rolls are simple to make. You can prepare them ahead of time and bake them right before dinner. These lasagna roll ups also freeze well for a quick meal later on.
The filling for these roll ups is made with spinach and three cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan. The filling is rolled up inside lasagna noodles and then the rolls are topped with marinara sauce and more cheese. Bake the dish until it’s hot and bubbly and then enjoy one of the best comfort food meals!
For other dinner ideas with a similar flavor profile to these spinach and cheese lasagna rolls, try my Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna. My Stuffed Pasta Shells are another of our favorite pasta dinners.
How to Make Lasagna Roll Ups
The first step to making this recipe is to cook the lasagna noodles. Follow the package directions to cook them to al dente. Be careful to not overcook the noodles, because you don’t want them to fall apart. If your spinach is still frozen, thaw it on low power in the microwave.
Next, prepare the spinach and cheese filling. Combine an egg, the thawed spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir everything together to mix well.
Prepare your baking dish by spreading 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of the dish. I use store-bought marinara to save time. Now, you’re ready to roll the noodles!
Spread 1/4 cup of the cheese filling evenly over each lasagna noodle.
Roll up and then place the lasagna rolls in the baking dish, seam side down. Spread more marinara sauce over the tops of the roll ups and sprinkle with more mozzarella.
You can bake the lasagna roll ups now, or refrigerate or freeze and bake later.
Make Ahead and Freezer Instructions
To Refrigerate:
After assembling everything in the baking dish, cover the dish. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You may have to add a few minutes to the bake time when cooking lasagna rolls that are cold from the refrigerator.
To Freeze Lasagna Roll Ups:
You can freeze these lasagna roll ups for up to 2 months before baking. Freeze them in an oven-safe baking dish. To prevent freezer burn, you can cover the rolls with plastic wrap, pressing it down close to the rolls to keep air exposure to a minimum. Then cover the dish with a lid or wrap tightly.
Thaw frozen lasagna roll ups overnight in the refrigerator and then bake as directed in the recipe. You may need to add 5 to 15 minutes to the bake time when the dish is cold from the refrigerator.
Recipe Tips for Spinach Lasagna Rolls
- Cook an extra noodle in case one breaks.
- Lay the cooked noodles out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool and to keep them from sticking together.
- If you remember to plan ahead, thaw the spinach overnight in your refrigerator. Put the package in a bowl or on a plate to catch any drips. You can also thaw the spinach in the microwave using the defrost setting or very low power, when you prepare the recipe.
- If you have extra marinara sauce after spreading some on top of the lasagna rolls in the baking dish, save it for serving with the roll ups.
Try my other delicious Lasagna Recipes:
More delicious dinner ideas!
Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach
- 1 egg
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 25 ounce jar marinara sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions for al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and lay noodles out in a single layer on a sheet of parchment paper to cool and to keep them from sticking together.
- Meanwhile, thaw the spinach in a microwave safe bowl using the defrost setting or very low power in the microwave. (Alternatively, you can put the frozen spinach in the refrigerator the day before to thaw overnight.) Then wrap spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Crack the egg into a large bowl and use a fork to beat the egg slightly. To the bowl, add the spinach, ricotta cheese, all but 1 cup of the mozzarella, the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a large rectangular baking dish, such as a 13x9-inch dish. Spread ¼ cup of the cheese and spinach mixture evenly over each of the lasagna noodles. Roll up and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
- Spread remaining sauce over the tops of the roll ups and sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella cheese. (If you have extra marinara sauce, save it for serving with the roll ups.)
- Cover the dish with foil (you can spray the underneath side of the foil with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese). Bake for 30 minutes and then uncover and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Notes
- To refrigerate and bake later: After assembling everything in the baking dish, cover the dish. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You may have to add a few minutes to the bake time when cooking lasagna rolls that are cold from the refrigerator.
- To freeze: You can freeze these lasagna roll ups for up to 2 months before baking, in an oven-safe baking dish. To prevent freezer burn, cover the rolls with plastic wrap, pressing it down close to the rolls to keep air exposure to a minimum. Then cover the dish with a lid or wrap tightly. When you are ready to bake, thaw frozen lasagna roll ups overnight in the refrigerator and then bake as directed in the recipe. You may need to add 5 to 15 minutes to the bake time when the dish is cold from the refrigerator.
These are so good. as a vegetarian option or I sometimes add some Italian sausage.
Can you use cottage cheese instead of the ricotta? i have some to use up!
I think that will work great. Enjoy!
Can you use fresh baby spinach?
Yes, I would recommend first cooking the spinach in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat until it wilts. Then squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to the filling.
Can I freeze after cooking? I have leftovers. Delicious and many compliments!
Yes, you can freeze these after cooking. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Had this tonight! Made ahead of time and substituted fresh spinach and cottage cheese. Took a little longer to cook as it was chilled and had to sit a bit to set but tasted amazing. Will definitely be adding this to my meal planning calendar regularly.
This recipe turned out fabulous! I added some butternut squash down the middle of each roll up! Yum yum yum. I will make this again and again and again!
Made them with leftover spinach and homemade marinara sauce I was looking for manicotti noodles but your dish is so much easier thank you.
Can you add shredded carrot?
Yes, that should work well. Enjoy!
Been making these fire years….I always add artichoke hearts to mine & sometimes chopped grilled chick
If I refrigerate before baking, how long would we cook them for?
You will probably need to add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time. Enjoy!
Can you use fresh spinach steamed & chopped?
Yes, just squeeze out any extra moisture. 🙂
This was really good, it’s going to be a keeper . The only modification I did was adding Italian seasoning to the cheese mixture.
I have all the ingredients except the Ricotta cheese. Can I substitute cottage cheese, well drained?
Yes, you can. The texture may be a little different.
This is the second time making this recipe and we still love it! Great recipe!
I have never found that ricotta or cottage cheese added all that much flavour or substance to my lasagna and it is so expensive now. So I substituted a 3 cheese blend of parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella mixed in with the spinach and egg and added a tbsp of Italian seasoning. They were absolutely delicious!. Thanks for this recipe.
Love the idea of this! Do you think it will work without the egg? As have egg allergy?
Thanks!
The egg helps to bind the cheese mixture together, but I think it would still turn out ok without the egg. You might also enjoy my stuffed shells recipe, which is a similar flavor profile but without the egg.