I’m on a roll with these comfort food creations.
Happy Tuesday, all! Bringing a super fun, family-friendly skillet dinner to your table this fine day. Back to school is in full swing for most folks down here, and probably some in other regions or states as well. And if not, preparation is underway for the inevitable post labor-day bustle of sports practices, homework help, and wanting to climb into a closet and scream the whole 6-8 hours the tots are in class.
I don’t have kids, but I relate to that feeling anyway. My equivalent is the freezers at work.
Skillet Spinach Ricotta Lasagna Roll-Ups are a weeknight hero when you’re craving a big batch of freezer-friendly pasta but don’t want to be assed with the layering required of a classic pan. Instead, we stuff individual noodles with an easy, cheesy spinach-laced filling (green, because healthy), snuggle each spiral into a pot of sauce, and bake with mozzarella until gooey and gorgeous.
Bonus point: you can go full on chef with a homemade sauce base, or buy your favorite jar from the grocery store. A few little additions at the beginning bulk up whichever option you choose. I don’t judge when it comes to short cuts!
Rolling Into Fall
Typical lasagna recipes call for no-boil noodles, but here, we’ll need the box with boiling required. I like the squiggly noodles because they’re more fun.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then toss in your noodles and cook two minutes shorter than the recommended time for al dente. We finish our rolls in the oven, so the extra bake time will cook them to completion.
Drain the noodles and run under cool water to halt the cooking process. You will likely have a few casualties from stickage or incomplete cooking. This is okay! Those noods don’t need to be seen on the Internet anyway.
In the meantime, make your sauce. Whether you choose full-on homemade or a store bought jar, start by browning vegetarian or regular beef with onion and Italian seasoning. Use an oven-safe skillet if you have one; if not, you can transfer all your components later into a 9 x 13 inch dish or similar.
Pour in your sauce, cover, and simmer gently on a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, just long enough to fuse the flavors. Or, if you are prepping a homemade sauce, follow the directions on that recipe and finish with said simmer once the ingredients are all added and taste to your liking.
Tip: My pomodoro sauce is a favorite for all kinds of pasta! Very simple with just tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and lots of fresh basil. For something fancier, try my vodka sauce.
Your spinach ricotta filling comprises of those two ingredients, plus shredded provolone and grated fresh parmesan cheese. I use frozen and thawed spinach: be sure to squeeze as much of the life liquid (aka water) out as possible! When you’ve successfully throttled your wilted leaves, stir with the other ingredients.
Lay a lasagna noodle on a flat, clean surface. Spoon filling in the center and spread down the length, leaving an inch or so from both short ends. Roll the noodle and place seam-side down into your sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling. You can shove them pretty close together. Personal space is no object.
Place some torn mozzarella on top of the whole shebang. Bake at 425 until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles up the edges, about 12-15 minutes. If you wish, switch your broiler on for a minute or two for a little crisp browning.
Ooh lala!
Leftovers? These roll-ups are awesome meal prep and keep up to 5 days in the fridge. In the freezer, about 3 months.
Serving suggestions? Go for my Pizza Night Italian Chopped Salad for something heartier, or my Basic-Ass House Salad for a simple side of greens. I like a good hunk of baguette and some stamed veggies as well.
Enjoy, friends!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Lasagn-oh ya!
White Pesto Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
skillet spinach ricotta lasagna roll-ups
Ingredients
- 1 lb vegetarian or regular ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups marinara or vodka sauce, homemade or store bought (see notes)
- 1 box boil lasagna noodles
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 10 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
- 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, roughly torn
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions, subtracting about 2 minutes from the recommended "al dente" time. Drain in a large collander and rinse with lots of cool water. Gently unstick any noodles that attach to one another. Some will break, unless you're a fucking god. In that case, just take over this goddamn website.
- In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Stir in the beef, onion, and Italian seasoning, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Brown the meat or "meat" for 8-10 minutes. Pour in the pasta sauce, lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, provolone, and parmesan.
- Lay a lasagna noodle flat on a cutting board or other clean surface. Dollop 2 tablespoons of filling and spread, leaving an inch from each end. Roll lengthwise. Place each roll seam side down in the sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling.
- Spoon the sauce over the roll ups. Top with the torn mozzarella. Bake until gooey and melted, about 12-15 minutes. Serve warm with a crisp green salad, steamed veggies, and fresh basil!
