Lasagna is one of my favorite dinners, especially in the colder months. While lasagna tastes wonderful and is a great meal to serve for a large family, it’s time consuming to put together. Lasagna roll ups are a bit easier to handle and have all the same flavors as your traditional lasagna, without as much fuss. Combining all the filling ingredients instead of having to layer them saves quite a bit of time in this family favorite.
I promised that I would share my Bailey’s Friendsgiving menu with you, and these roll ups were the main course. I already shared the appetizers, which were a chopped salad and this delicious bruschetta. For dessert I made these amazing Bailey’s Tiramisu Parfaits.
This first set of a pictures is simply a tip. Whenever your recipe called for chopped or minced garlic, don’t wrestle with trying to peel the skins off. Simply lay your knife down flat on top of the garlic clove, hit it a couple of times with the heel of your hand, then lift the skin right off and get to mincing!
First you’ll brown and drain your ground beef. Then to get your sauce ready, saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil and add the canned tomatoes, basil, oregano and fennel seeds. While that’s simmering mix together the ricotta, egg, parsley and salt. Add your cheeses then combine with the drained meat.
Add a cup of cooled sauce to the ricotta/meat mixture and your filling is ready. After preparing your noodles in a quick flash boil, add the filling to the noodles and spread out, leaving a little room at the end.
Roll them up, then place them in a sauce lined pan, seam side down. Cover with sauce, then foil, then bake. Remove foil, top with cheese and broil it to brown the cheese. Yum!
I also recorded a video of the process where I share several talking tips as well. Just click play below to watch :)
More pasta casseroles
If you liked this, you may also like some of my favorite pasta casseroles I have hand picked for you below. Or you can browse all of my pasta recipes here and my casserole recipes here. I also put together my favorite ground beef dinner ideas!
Try my baked manicotti for an impressive and delicious meal.
Ingredients
- 14 no boil oven ready lasagna noodles
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage casings removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic smashed and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 28- oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 15- oz container Ricotta cheese
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage together. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Over medium heat, saute the garlic and red pepper flakes in the olive oil just until soft. Add both cans of tomatoes, basil, oregano and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not over cook and dry out the sauce. Remove from heat.
- To make the filling, in a large bowl mix the Ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, and salt together. Add in 2 cups of the Mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Mix the drained and cooled meat into the Ricotta cheese mixture. Add 1 cup of the cooled sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile line work surface with a clean kitchen towel. Add 3-4 noodles to the water at a time. Using tongs, remove noodles after 30 SECONDS (just long enough to soften them and make them pliable) and lay them on the kitchen towel. Continue until all noodles are ready.
- Turn water off and carefully pour some of the boiled water into a bowl. Keep near your work surface to dip noodles in if they are not pliable enough to roll.
- Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce into a 13×9 baking dish.
- Spread a heaping 1/3 cup of filling mixture onto bottom 3/4 of each noodle, leaving top 1/4 of noodle uncovered. Starting from the end with cheese, roll into the noodle into a tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down.
- Top evenly with remaining sauce, covering each noodle completely.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack until the sauce bubbles, about 40 minutes.
- Remove roll ups from the oven and adjust the oven rack to the highest position. It should be about 6 inches from the heating element. Sprinkle remaining Mozzarella and Parmesan mixture evenly over each individual roll up. Do not replace the foil. Broil until cheese starts to brown (watch carefully, only a minute or so!). Cool 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the roll ups to set.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Amanda Formaro
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Lisa Lysholm says
Please, please, permit us the opportunity to print and save this recipe WITH the recipe image. Please.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Lisa :) Most people ask me to turn them off to save their ink. I wish there was a way to make everyone happy! I have made the suggestion to the software developer to see if there’s a way to make it an option that readers can pick.
Cheryl King says
I guess I’m lazy because I don’t want to have to dirty a pot and cook my no cook noodles, besides I’m always cooking for two. I freeze my prepared cheese mixture and sauce separately in servings of two. I just thaw, layer enough sauce to cover my greased pan, place my no cook noodles, then all my cheese mixture, noodles, rest of sauce, mozzarella cheese and grated Romano and bake. Easy:)
Beth Anne says
This looks similar to Manicotti. I actually do this often with eggplant instead of lasagna noodles. It’s really good. I should blog it some day.
Liz says
I really like the idea of roll-ups. I’m definitely going to try them this week!
Amanda Formaro says
Hope you like them Liz!
Helen says
looks so sooo good.
Amanda Formaro says
They are delicious Helen, hope you get a chance to try them!
[email protected] says
These look great! We love lasagna rollups and make them frequently! So delicious!
Curt says
Wow, these look really delicious! I thought they were enchiladas at first glance, but I see it;s much much better!
dan says
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannelloni
Amanda Formaro says
Yes, Cannelloni is sometimes made by rolling up lasagna noodles :)
jamie says
It’s called manicotti.
Amanda Formaro says
Actually it’s not. Manicotti is a tubular noodle that you stuff. These are lasagna noodles that you roll and they end up LOOKING like manicotti.
MaryBeth says
I love the look of the roll-ups, it also must be easier to dish up then the regular lasagna.
jennifurla says
wow
wow
wow
Please freeze and send to san diego asap!
Sumee says
Love this twist of making rollups. Nice pictures too. One pot meal for the day! Yumm
Katrina says
Lasagna is one of my favorite meals, too. Love the idea of making rolls!
Jessica says
omg! looks so so so good!