Lasagna roll-ups are a fun play on the classic Italian casserole. Yummy lasagna noodles rolled up with meat sauce and cheeses make for a delicious family dinner meal. Also, great for individual portions and freezing for a quick make-ahead meal!
Lasagna Roll Ups with Meat
I have a tried and true classic lasagna recipe that I absolutely love. It hits the spot every time with it’s hearty meat sauce and tasty cheese blend. But, every now and then it’s fun to switch things up.
These easy lasagna rolls ups with meat make my classic old lasagna taste like and a brand new recipe. Bonus! My kids love these. For whatever reason, the rolled up version of lasagna is just so much “cooler” than regular old lasagna.
This is a great recipe for family dinner. Serve it up with a side of garlic bread and a hearty dinner salad, and you have an all-out Italian restaurant pasta dinner. All you need is a decadent dessert, like cheesecake or chocolate lasagna to make this the perfectly balanced meal.
Lasagna Rolls Recipe Ingredients
Meat Sauce Ingredients:
- 10 to 12 lasagna noodles, cooked per package instructions
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ tablespoon Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
Ricotta Filling Ingredients:
- 15 oz Ricotta
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Substitutions for Meat Lasagna Roll Ups
Ground beef: You could swap out the ground beef for ground Italian sausage, ground chicken, or ground turkey if you like. It will work out the same as far as texture but will offer a different flavor to the ground beef. Ground Italian sausage will give it a very nice flavor!
You can also opt for no-meat to make this a vegetarian or cheese lasagna roll-up!
Onion: You could choose to leave the onions out of this recipe if you’re not a fan. I prefer to leave them in, as they add tons of flavor. But, it will still be delicious without.
Ricotta: I have seen many lasagna recipes that swap out the ricotta cheese for cottage cheese. Personally, I absolutely love ricotta. But, cottage cheese will work well and adds a bit of a different texture.
How to make Easy Lasagna Roll Ups
- Cook the noodles according to directions on the package.
- Spread a layer of the meat/marinara mixture on the bottom of a baking dish
- Make the meat/marinara mixture and set aside.
- Make the cheese mixture and set aside.
- Lay out half of the noodles on a baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture on the noodles and then the meat/marinara mixture on top.
- Roll up the noodles tightly and place them next to each other in baking dish.
- Repeat with the other half of the noodles and top with remaining sauce.
- Bake covered for approximately 40 minutes on 375 degrees
Pro-Tips for this Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe
Tip 1: Make a few extra lasagna noodles in case you break or tear while preparing your roll-ups.
Tip 2: Don’t overfill the lasagna noodles before rolling them. It will be hard to roll them and can create a really big mess if you do.
Tip 3: If you have a larger baking dish you could make 12 total roll ups. You would just need to stretch out the ricotta and meat sauce a bit.
Lasagna Roll Ups – Easy Make Ahead Meal
This is a big dish! We love to bake half the day we are going to eat it and freeze the other half for another day!
You just need to put half in the freezer totally prepared up until the baking step. The night before, just thaw it in the freezer and then throw it in the oven! You can freeze this for up to three months. Two meals for the price of one!
You can also make this ahead of time and refrigerate it over night if you want to get a head start to your day! You may want to just add about 5 minutes more baking time if you are going from the fridge to the oven.
FAQs for Easy Lasagna Roll Ups
Yes, you should cook the meat before rolling it in the lasagna.
I usually cover my lasagna to start so the top doesn’t overcook and then I will remove the foil for the last few minutes of cooking.
Fresh ingredients make all of the difference between a good lasagna and a great lasagna. Fresh garlic, fresh herbs and hand shredded cheese (not the packaged stuff) will take your dish from good to great.
What to serve with Lasagna Roll Ups
The only department this delicious dinner is lacking in a bit is the vegetables. Because of that, I love to serve this up with roasted vegetables or a hearty dinner salad. Something green! I will also usually make a side of our pull-apart garlic bread. You can’t have pasta without the bread, right?
Check out some more easy dinner ideas! This is a huge list that could keep you busy for weeks, if not months!
More Great Casserole Recipes
Pizza Casserole | Million Dollar Spaghetti Casserole | Chicken Pot Pie Casserole | Dorito Casserole | Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Rollups
Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe
Video
Ingredients
MEAT SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
- 10 lasagna noodles cooked per package directions
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ tbsp Italian seasonings
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ yellow onion finely diced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 24-oz jar marinara sauce
RICOTTA FILLING INGREDIENTS:
- 15 oz ricotta
- 1 large egg beaten
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
GARNISH:
- Fresh parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot cook noodles according to package directions. Once the noodles are soft and cooked, drain hot water. With noodles still in the pot, add cold water to the noodles to stop the cooking process and to keep noodles from sticking together.
- In a large deep sided skillet cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain grease and return beef to skillet. Add onion, Italian seasonings, garlic salt, minced garlic, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Stir and let cook for 5-7 minutes, or until onions are soft and tender.
- Add marinara sauce to the meat mixture and stir well. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.
- In a separate large mixing bowl combine ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, ¾ of the mozzarella cheese, and dried parsley flakes. Stir to combine.
- On a large baking sheet lay out 5 lasagna noodles. Spread ¼ cup of ricotta filling on the lasagna noodle. Use a rubber spatula to spread mixture the entire length of the noodle. Add 3 tbsp meat sauce to each lasagna noodle on top of the ricotta mixture. Use a rubber spatula to spread the meat sauce the entire length of the noodle.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Add ½ cup of meat sauce on the bottom of the baking dish and use the rubber spatula to spread evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- Gently roll each lasagna noodle from one end to the other, and place in the baking dish. Repeat the process with the remaining 5 noodles and place them in the baking dish.
- Top the rolled lasagna noodles with the remaining meat sauce. Add remaining mozzarella cheese to the top of each lasagna roll.
- Cover with tin foil and place in the oven. Cook at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove tin foil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned.
- Serve immediately.
Jenn’s Notes
- The box of lasagna noodles typically comes with more than 10 in a box. You may want to make 2 or so additional noodles in case any noodles break or tear while cooking or rolling.
- If you have a larger baking dish you could make 12 total roll ups. You would just need to stretch out the ricotta and meat sauce a bit.
Nutrition Info
These lasagna roll ups are a fun new way to eat a classic Italian dinner dish. My family was already a huge fan of regular lasagna, but these roll ups are a great twist, making it seem like a new recipe altogether. This is a filling, delicious dinner that the whole family will love!
Looks great
I made this but used Italian sausage instead of the ground beef and it was delicious and so much easier than classic lasagna
Made this on Father’s Day. My family loved it. They were talking about for a few days. It was absolutely delicious. Will be making again. All your recipes are a big hit in my house.Your desserts are also amazingly delicious
How well would this cook in the microwave, instead of the oven, from frozen to thawed?
Hello! Made this recipe tonight for dinner. Delicious! Made the 10 rolls. But it’s just me and my husband. We ate 1 1/2 rolls each. Will more for dinner tomorrow! But…
Can this be frozen after its been sauced and baked? I hope so!
Yes! You can freeze it!
Thank you.This looks so delicious,and easy to make.I always substitute low-fat cottage cheese for the ricotta to lessen fat and salt.I’ll certainly be reading your other recipes too.
Love it. Being organized is the key. Chop onions & garlic, measure spices in separate dish. Then begin cooking the meat. Shred cheeses in a bowl. Mix egg & cottage cheese ( I did add salt & pepper to taste) in separate bowl. Once prepared, it’s a breeze. I put cling wrap on the counter to cover area of noodle prep. Everyone loved this. It’s fun & Delish! Thank you.
Thanks so much! This is a family favorite!!! Appreciate the review!