Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups

Name: Cheese Lasagna Roll-Ups
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 52 min
Total time: 1 h 32 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 14 noodles (about 12 oz) (340 g) dried lasagna noodles, regular, not no-boil; 1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; 1 tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil; 2 cups (15 oz) (425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese, well drained; 1 cup (4 oz) (115 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 egg (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten (pasteurized if you prefer); ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; ⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional); 3 cups (24 oz jar) (680 g) marinara sauce, at room temperature; 1 cup (4 oz) (115 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded; 6 leaves (3 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender lasagna noodles are spread with a creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan filling, rolled up, and baked in marinara under a blanket of bubbly cheese. They give you all the comfort of lasagna with easy, built-in portions and no slicing.

Prep: 40 min
Cook: 52 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 42 min
Makes: 12 roll-ups (6 servings of 2)

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Ingredients

6 servings

14 noodles (about 12 oz) (340 g) dried lasagna noodles, regular, not no-boil
1 tablespoon (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
1 tablespoon (14 ml) olive oil
For the filling
2 cups (15 oz) (425 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese, well drained
1 cup (4 oz) (115 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 egg (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten (pasteurized if you prefer)
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
⅛ teaspoon (0.3 g) ground nutmeg (optional)
To assemble
3 cups (24 oz jar) (680 g) marinara sauce, at room temperature
1 cup (4 oz) (115 g) low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely shredded
6 leaves (3 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Large pot (at least 6 quarts / 5.5 L)
Colander
Large mixing bowl
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Rimmed baking sheet or large cutting board for laying out noodles
Aluminum foil
Fine-mesh sieve (optional, for draining ricotta)

Steps

Before you start

Use whole-milk ricotta and drain it in a sieve for 10 minutes if it looks watery. Wet ricotta makes a loose filling that leaks out of the rolls.
Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block if you can. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
Boil 14 noodles even though you need only 12. A couple usually tear or stick, and this gives you spares.
Have a 9×13-inch baking dish, a large pot, and a clean work surface (a baking sheet or cutting board) ready before the noodles finish cooking.
The filling contains a raw egg, so don't taste it before baking. Use pasteurized eggs if you like, and wash your hands and tools after handling the raw egg.

1
Heat oven and waterOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 375°F (190°C).
- Fill a large pot with about 5 quarts (4.7 L) of water, add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt, cover, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface constantly, even when you stir.
Tip: Salt the water well. The noodles are the only part of the dish seasoned this way.
2
Cook the noodles
- Add all 14 lasagna noodles to the boiling water, stirring gently for the first minute so they don't stick together.
- Cook 1 minute less than the package directions, usually 8 to 9 minutes.
- Lower the heat slightly if the pot threatens to boil over.
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Ready when: Noodles are pliable and bend without snapping but still have a slightly firm bite in the center.
Tip: They finish softening in the oven, so overcooked noodles turn mushy and tear when rolled.
3
Drain and lay out
- Carefully drain the noodles in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water, just until you can handle them.
- Toss gently with the 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Lay the noodles flat in a single layer on a baking sheet or cutting board, without overlapping.
- Set aside the 2 best-looking spares.
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Ready when: Noodles are cool enough to touch and slick with oil, not sticky.
Tip: If noodles start sticking, drizzle a little extra oil or water between them.
4
Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, stir together the drained ricotta, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, the Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg if using.
- Mix with a spatula until evenly combined and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Do not taste the raw filling because it contains raw egg; the measurements given are seasoned to work once baked.
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Ready when: The filling is thick, spreadable, and uniform, with no streaks of egg or pockets of dry cheese.
Tip: To check seasoning, cook a small spoonful in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds until it reaches 160°F (71°C), let it cool briefly, then taste and adjust the salt in the remaining filling. Don't use a blender or food processor, as over-mixing makes the filling loose.
5
Sauce the dish
- Spread 1 cup (about 230 g) of the marinara over the bottom of an ungreased 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish in an even layer.
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Ready when: The bottom of the dish is fully covered with a thin layer of sauce.
Tip: This sauce layer keeps the roll-ups from sticking and drying out on the bottom.
6
Fill and roll
- Pat each noodle dry with a paper towel if wet.
- Spread about ¼ cup (a heaping 3 tablespoons, 55 g) of filling evenly over each of 12 noodles, leaving a ½-inch (1.25 cm) border at one short end.
- Starting at the filled end, roll the noodle up snugly like a jelly roll.
- Place each roll seam-side down in the baking dish, standing upright so the spiral shows, in 2 rows of 6 so they fit snugly.
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Ready when: You have 12 firm rolls with no filling squeezing out the sides, and the filling is used up.
Tip: Spread the filling in a thin, even layer to the edges. A thick mound makes the roll bulge and unroll.
7
Top with sauce and cheese
- Spoon the remaining 2 cups (about 450 g) marinara over and around the roll-ups, covering the exposed pasta tops so they don't dry and harden in the oven.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- If you like, spray the underside of the foil lightly with oil so cheese won't stick.
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Ready when: All pasta tops are covered in sauce and the cheese forms an even layer.
Tip: Uncovered noodle edges turn crisp and chewy, so be sure every exposed piece is sauced.
8
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the dish in the 375°F (190°C) oven and bake covered for 25 minutes, until the sauce is hot and starting to bubble around the edges.
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Ready when: Sauce bubbles at the edges of the dish and the filling reaches 160°F (71°C) in the center of a roll.
Tip: Set the dish on a baking sheet if your oven runs hot or your dish is very full, to catch drips.
9
Uncover and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Remove the foil carefully, angling it away from you to avoid steam.
- Return the dish to the 375°F (190°C) oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes more.
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Ready when: The mozzarella is completely melted with golden-brown spots, and the sauce is bubbling vigorously.
Tip: For deeper browning, finish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
10
Rest and serve
- Let the roll-ups rest on a wire rack or heatproof surface for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the filling firms up.
- Scatter with torn basil, if using.
- Lift each roll-up out with a wide spatula, scooping some sauce from the dish onto each plate.
- Serve 2 per person.
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Ready when: The bubbling stops and the sauce clings to the rolls instead of running off.
Tip: Cutting in too early makes the rolls collapse and the filling slide out.

Good to know

Tips

Use ordinary dried lasagna noodles, not no-boil. No-boil noodles are too brittle to roll and won't soften enough in this amount of sauce.
Using a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off to pipe the filling onto the noodles is faster and neater than spreading with a spoon.
Cut the noodles in half crosswise for mini roll-ups that make great appetizers. Bake 5 minutes less.
Add 10 oz (280 g) thawed, squeezed-dry chopped spinach to the filling for a Florentine-style version.

Make ahead

Assemble through step 7 up to 24 hours ahead. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge at 375°F (190°C), covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more, until the center of a roll reaches 160°F (71°C). You can also freeze the assembled, unbaked dish for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Fridge: cover tightly and keep up to 4 days. Freezer: wrap the cooled baked dish, or individual roll-ups in sauce in airtight containers, and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes (about 40 minutes for a whole dish) until steaming hot at 165°F (74°C), or microwave single portions, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Substitutions

whole-milk ricotta cheese → small-curd cottage cheese, drained and pressed. Gives a slightly tangier, less smooth filling. Blot it well with paper towels.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper, so reduce the added salt in the filling to ¼ teaspoon.
fresh flat-leaf parsley → 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil. Dried parsley is milder. Basil gives a sweeter note.
marinara sauce → homemade tomato sauce or a vodka sauce. Use the same total of 3 cups (700 ml). Avoid very thin sauces that can make the dish soupy.