Lasagna Roll-Ups

Lasagna roll-ups are the perfect answer for when you want the taste of classic lasagna on a weeknight. They come together much more quickly than when layering the traditional pasta dish, but they totally hit the cheesy, gooey spot. This version from Natasha’s Kitchen is also make-ahead, freezer-friendly and reheats well.

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook time: 42 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 12 minutes | Servings:  Makes 12 lasagna rolls

Ingredients

Dry lasagna noodles
Lean ground beef
Marinara sauce
Onion
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano
Ricotta cheese
Egg
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh parsley

 Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Boil 12 lasagna noodles in salted water according to package instructions. Drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the noodles from cooking further, and to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.

Heat a large pan over medium-high and cook 16 ounces of ground beef until it’s no longer pink (about 2 min), using a wooden spoon to break it up. Add 1/2 cup of diced onion and cook until softened (about 3 min). Add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp dried oregano. Sauté for one more min. Add a jar of your favourite marinara sauce, bring to a simmer and turn off the heat.

Spread a 1/2 cup of the meat sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish and set the remaining sauce aside.

In a large bowl, mix together 15 ounces ricotta, 1 egg, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley.

Lay out the noodles side by side on a large baking sheet. Spread a 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture evenly over each noodle. Add 1 heaping tbsp of the meat sauce over the cheese mixture and spread down the centre of each noodle. Roll the noodles up one by one and place them in the prepared casserole dish, with the ends tucked underneath so they don’t unravel.

Spread the remaining meat sauce evenly over the roll-ups and top with 1 1/2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese.

Cover the casserole dish with foil, making sure it doesn’t touch the cheese (you can use toothpicks if needed to keep the foil away from the cheese).

Bake at 375 F for 40 min. Remove the foil and broil for another 2 to 3 min or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

Served garnished with freshly chopped parsley.