Lasagna is one of those dishes, that for me, is just pure, delightfully sinful comfort food. I love the smell of the tomato sauce, the feel of the heavy pan as you put it in the oven, all of it. It is just delicious! Lasagna is one of those dishes that is good for the soul. As much as Papa Bear and I love lasagna (let’s be real, all things Italian), sometimes you need to change it up to keep a dish exciting. Since lasagna is one of those dishes that I cook in bulk and freeze, we can sometimes get too much of it in a single month (it’s hard, but it happens). Though the ingredients are the same, the simple act of changing the shape of the dish makes it seem new and exciting.
I saw this idea on Pinterest years ago (if you are the original pinner, let me know and I’ll cite you!) and gave it a try. It is amazing, I can get the kids to eat things in a lasagna roll that I can’t get them to eat in a lasagna! The rolls are easy to make and can be chock full of healthy vegies and light on the meat, which makes is much more healthy than the original dish.
For this recipe you will need:
1 box of lasagna noodles, cooked
1 jar tomato sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion
Ricotta cheese (16 oz)
Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.
Method:
Thinly dice and sweat your onions before adding your ground beef adding salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Brown the ground beef and cook onions until tender. Drain beef. Add 1 T Italian Seasoning, 1 t. garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to ricotta. Mix well.
On a clean surface, lay lasagna noodles flat. Layer Ricotta, beef, then a thin layer of sauce.
Roll noodles into a tight spiral and lay in baking dish. Top with pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and sauce is warm. Serve with green salad and garlic bread.
Other variations include adding frozen spinach, mushrooms, or using thin strips of zucchini rather than pasta to lighten up the dish.
The kids absolutely love this recipe and specifically ask for it now. Buen provecho!
I love lasagna roll-ups. This recipe sounds so good! Growing up my moms lasagna was my favorite, so I love trying new lasagna recipes.
I am a pasta addict! These were really fun for the kids, and there are so many ways to customize this recipe!
I loooovvvve lasagna! This recipe looks super easy – not to mention delicious. Will have to give this one a try.
It was really good, and so so easy. I love that I can make it in a double batch and freeze one for a busy night!
I used to make these all the time when my kids were little. I had kind of forgotten about them. I need to make them again.
The kids love them. I don’t know why rolling it makes it special, but it does!