Fresh spinach lasagna roll-ups

Spinach lasagna roll ups are actually easier to make than a traditional lasagna. Instead of fussing with all of the layers, you just spread ricotta on the noodles, roll them up, cover with sauce and top with shredded mozzarella.

But how much spinach and ricotta filling should you use? Recipes vary quite a bit, so I tested different amounts to find the best balance.

I settled on 16 ounces of fresh spinach and ⅓ cup of ricotta filling per roll. You get plenty of spinach and cheese without the filling spilling out when you cut into them.

This recipe makes 12 roll ups, enough to fill a 9x13-inch baking pan with the same number of servings as traditional lasagna.

How much spinach and ricotta filling to use

The amount of spinach can be adjusted to match the spinach intensity you're looking for. But the amount of filling you spread on each roll up is less flexible if you want the filling to stay intact and not spill out.

How much fresh spinach should you use?

First, you have to decide how much fresh spinach to use. I tested several different amounts of spinach, all mixed into the same amount of ricotta cheese.

• 8 ounces: subtle spinach flavor
• 16 ounces: good balance of spinach and ricotta - my recommendation
• 24 ounces: strong spinach flavor

I settled on 16 ounces, as shown above. It's enough that you notice the spinach flavor, but without it taking over.

I found you can go up to 24 ounces with this recipe for a stronger flavor, but more than that and it can cause the filling to ooze out when you cut through a piece with a fork. If you don't mind that, go ahead and add the extra spinach!

Cook spinach to release water

I cook the fresh spinach ahead of time to prevent my lasagna rolls from turning out watery, which also helps keep the filling from spilling out.

It only takes 6-8 minutes to fully wilt the spinach on the stovetop. Then squeeze excess water out once it's cool enough to handle.

Last time I did this, I squeezed ⅓ cup of water out of 16 ounces of spinach.

How much ricotta mixture per lasagna roll up?

I tested out different ratios of ricotta filling for the lasagna roll ups. Here's how they turned out:

• ¼ cup was under-stuffed and my least favorite
• ⅓ cup found a good balance between maximizing the filling without it oozing out when cutting
• ½ cup was delicious, but the filling oozed out when cutting each bite.

I designed this recipe to use ⅓ cup ricotta filling for 12 lasagna noodles.

However, if you want to stuff them with a half-cup (I can't blame you for wanting to try it), make the same amount of filling but only use 8 noodles in an 8x8 pan. You can also reduce the sauce down to 2 cups instead of just over 3 cups.

How to make the spinach lasagna roll ups

Like I mentioned earlier, lasagna roll ups are actually less fussy than traditional lasagna. Or at the very least, they aren't any more work. So let's take a look at how to make and assemble them.

Prepare the noodles

First, you need to boil the noodles according to the directions on the package. You want them soft to make rolling easier. After you drain them, lay the noodles flat on your work surface.

Don't rinse them after they're done cooking. The extra starch on the noodles works in your favor to give the sauce something to cling to.

How much sauce to use

Traditional lasagna uses more sauce than lasagna roll ups because it needs to be spread on each layer as well as on the top.

For the roll ups, you need sauce to cover the top to prevent the noodles from drying out in the oven, and a little bit extra for a general saucy dish.

As an example, I use 3 cups of total sauce for these roll up, compared to 6 cups of sauce for my traditional spinach and meat lasagna recipe.

You can also play with other sauces, like this butternut squash sauce over lasagna roll ups from Skinny Taste.

How to assemble and bake the roll ups

1. Pour 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of your pan to prevent the roll ups from sticking.
2. Lay a cooked noodle flat on your counter
3. Spread ⅓ cup ricotta mixture over it
4. Roll it up and place it seam-side down in the pan.

Repeat with all of the roll ups, then pour remaining sauce over the top. At this point, you'll cover the pan with foil to lock in the moisture while it bakes. When you have about 15 minutes left, you'll remove the foil and top it with mozzarella cheese and bake until it's bubbly.

How to keep them from falling apart

These lasagna roll ups stay together really well, even when you cut through them with a fork.

That's because this recipes takes the extra steps to make that happen:

• Spinach is cooked ahead and squeezed dry
• The filling is properly portioned (⅓ cup per roll up)
• The roll ups rest 15 minutes before serving to firm up

Easy to make ahead or freeze

Just like lasagna, these roll ups are a great make-ahead meal. Walk through the entire assembly, including pouring the sauce over the top. Store it in the fridge, covered with foil. It will be good for a couple of days.

When you're ready to bake it, just pop it in the oven along with the foil. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to the initial cook time since it will be cold from the fridge.

You can also freeze it after assembly. A whole pan might need 24-48 hours to fully thaw before baking.

Recipe

More recipes & resources

If you want, you can also try to make lasagna roll ups entirely in a skillet. Check out this recipe for Kale pesto roll ups from The Kitchn.

I add spinach to a lot of dishes, so I have a few other spinach recipes for you to check out too.