Do you ever find yourself with a hankering for lasagna but just don’t feel like making such a large amount… I do sometimes. Thats when I knew lasagna roll-ups would be the perfect way to satisfy my so-called lasagna craving. The best part about this recipe is that you can eat them individually or freeze for a later date.
I used whole wheat lasagna noodles combined with ground beef, mixtures of cheeses and homemade tomato sauce…. It was DELICIOUS!!! Even the kids ate them all up… and you and I both know if that happens then its a WINNER! 😉
To make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In a skillet, cook ground beef, until meat is no longer pink.
Once the ground beef is cooked through, drain and set aside.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, ground beef, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Mix it all together until combined.
You can use any kind of lasagna noodles for this, I chose a healthier route, with whole wheat lasagna.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite.
Drain the noodles.
Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish.
Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface.
Spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle.
Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll…
keep rolling….
Doesn’t that look like a beauty. 🙂
Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture.
Spoon 1 cup of tomato sauce over the lasagna rolls.
Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls.
Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer.
Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tomato sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.
Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Lasagna Roll-Ups
(adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis)
Ingredients
Béchamel Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Lasagna:
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 1 lb ground beef, lean
- 1 large egg, beaten to blend
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 2 cups simple tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
Directions
To make the béchamel sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, ground beef, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.
Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.
Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the béchamel sauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of tomato sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining tomato sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.
Enjoy!
The roll ups are so fun to make and eat:)
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