Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 lasagna sheets
Filling
- 1 10-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sauce and Topping
- 1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup low moisture mozzarella, grated
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Cook Pasta: Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Filling: Thoroughly drain the thawed spinach to remove excess water. In a medium bowl, combine the drained spinach with ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, grated garlic, chopped basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well, breaking up any spinach clumps for even distribution.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spread about ½ cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish to create a flavorful base.
- Assemble Roll Ups: Lay one cooked lasagna sheet flat on a clean surface. Evenly spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta-spinach filling over the noodle. Roll it tightly into a spiral and place it seam side down in the baking dish over the marinara. Repeat with all noodles, arranging the rolls in 4 rows of 3.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce over the assembled roll ups and sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese on top evenly.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes until heated through and bubbly.
- Uncover and Finish Baking: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and brown slightly, creating a deliciously gooey topping.
Notes
- Be sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the spinach to prevent watery filling.
- Use low moisture mozzarella for best melting results without excess moisture.
- Lasagna noodles can be boiled ahead and kept covered with a damp towel until ready to fill.
- Add extra basil or fresh herbs on top after baking for a fresh garnish and added flavor.
- This recipe can be doubled for a larger crowd; use a bigger baking dish accordingly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll up (approx. 1/12 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
