Lasagna Roll Ups
These easy lasagna roll ups are a simple way to make classic lasagna. It’s a great make ahead, freezer-friendly recipe that is easily divided into individual portions for weekly meal prep.
I started making lasagna roll ups as a quick and easy solution for lasagna for two people and over the years it’s just become my preferred way to make lasagna. You get all of the same classic flavors and textures without making a huge, deep dish of lasagna
It’s great for meal prep because you can make the lasagna rolls ahead of time and then freeze individually for quick lunches or dinners during the week. I’ve even adapted the recipe into chicken alfredo lasagna roll ups.
I even make them for dinner parties because it’s so simple for people to grab a roll or two rather than bothering with cutting out pieces of lasagna. If you like the idea of serving them at parties you can also try these mini lasagna rolls or mini chicken parmesan lasagna rollups as appetizers!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need for these lasagna rollups:
- Lasagna Noodles – You can use your favorite brand.
- Ground Beef – If you like, you could sub in ground turkey or chicken for a slightly less fat version.
- Garlic – We recommend fresh garlic.
- Onion – You can use white or yellow.
- Salt
- Cottage Cheese – If you don’t want to use cottage cheese, ricotta works just as well and is a bit more traditional.
- Pasta Sauce – You can use your favorite brand or make your own.
- Mozzarella Cheese – You need to either shred it yourself or get the bagged variety.
- Fresh Basil – This is an optional garnish.
Instructions
Step 1 – Prepare the noodles. First bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the lasagna noodles. You’ll need to cook them until they are al dente or just a bit chewy but still soft.
Once they are ready, carefully drain the water and spread the noodles out onto a flat surface. To help prevent sticking, we recommend spreading out a piece of parchment paper.
Step 2 – Brown the meat. As the noodles cook, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. You do not need to cook it all the way through before draining any excess fat and returning it to the skillet.
Once you removed any extra fat,mix in the garlic, onions, salt, and 1 cup of the pasta sauce and continue cooking for 5 to 10 minutes
Step 3 – Prepare the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 4 – Fill the rolls. Spread about 2 ounces of meat sauce on each noodle. Make sure to leave about ⅓ of the noodle bare.
Next, top the meat sauce with about 2 ounces of cottage cheese. Make sure your cottage cheese is well drained before using so it doesn’t make your roll ups soggy.
Once you add the cheese, start at the covered end of the noodle and carefully roll it up towards the bare side. Repeat the process until all the noodles are stuffed and rolled.
Step 5 – Prep the dish and bake. Add about a 1/4 cup of pasta sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish and then place each lasagna roll up into the casserole dish.
Pour the remaining cup of sauce over the lasagna roll ups and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Finally, cover the dish with foil and place it into the oven to bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Serve immediately with fresh basil garnish, garlic bread Texas toast, cheese twists, or your favorite lasagna sides.
Cottage Cheese vs. Ricotta Cheese
Both of our moms always made lasagna with cottage cheese because they didn’t like the texture of ricotta. Now that we’re grown and making my own lasagna, we make it both ways. When we make lasagna with ricotta like our Instant Pot Lasagna, we’ve found the key to lasagna with ricotta is using good quality, whole milk ricotta (not the fat free or reduced fat stuff).
Cottage cheese lasagna is just a comfort thing for us, since it’s how we grew up eating it. Other people use cottage cheese because it has less fat and calories than ricotta, which helps to lighten up the lasagna if you’re counting calories.
Either way, you will get delicious roll ups, so you can try them both ways to see which one you like better.
How to Make it Ahead of Time
For an easy, fast dinner later in the week, you can make the lasagna rolls ahead of time.
To freeze your lasagna roll ups, separate them into individual, freezer-safe containers. We put 2 lasagna rolls in each container, but you can portion them out in a way that works best for you. Once you have them in an airtight container, place them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to eat them, grab a container from the freezer, place the lasagna roll ups on a plate, and warm them up in the microwave. Time will vary based on the microwave, but we do about 3-4 minutes on high if they are frozen solid.
If they have been in the refrigerator and have defrosted it typically takes less time.
Looking for More Easy Pasta Recipes?
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Chicken
- Creamy Chicken and Bacon Pasta
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Lasagna
- Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups
- Spicy Chicken Pasta
- Pasta Carbonara
- Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
- More Pasta Recipes…
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Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 8 Lasagna Noodles
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 16 ounces Cottage Cheese, well drained
- 2 1/4 cups Pasta Sauce, divided
- 8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- Fresh Basil for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a large pot bring water to a boil.
- Add lasagna noodles and cook until al dente.
- Drain water from the pot and spread noodles out on a flat surface. ( I suggest using a piece of parchment paper).
- While noodles are cooking brown ground beef in a skillet. Once the beef is mostly browned drain it and return it the the skillet.
- Add garlic, onions, salt, and 1 cup of the pasta sauce.
- Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- With the noodles laid on a flat surface spread 2 ounces of meat sauce on each noodle. Leave 1/3 of the noodle bare.
- Top the meat sauce with 2 ounces of cottage cheese.
- Starting at the end of the noodle roll it up rolling towards the bare end of the noodle.
- Add about 1/4 cup of pasta sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish.
- Place each lasagna roll up into the casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup of sauce over the lasagna roll ups.
- Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes remove the aluminum foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I have made lasagna for many years, and I can’t believe that it could be made in 30 minutes. It takes nearly half that time for the noodles to boil.
Hi Diane this recipe takes a total of 50 minutes. 20 minutes to get your noodles and meat ready (our Noddles boil for approximately 10minutes and we make the ground beef at the same time). Then 30 minutes in the oven.
Can these be made the day before & refrigerated until baking?
Yes! These are one of my favorite make ahead recipes.