I love lasagna in all its forms, especially these cute little Lasagna Roll Ups that are perfectly portioned for meal prep. Stash a few portions of these in your freezer for a rainy day and you will THANK yourself later. Promise. Lasagna roll ups are flexible and you can fill them with whatever you like, sausage, beef, or even make them vegetarian as I have here with a light spinach-ricotta filling. No matter the flavor, they’re delicious and fun to eat!
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“I can vouch that this lasagna is delicious. I have been married 47 years and my husband declared that this was the best meal I have ever served. I won’t lie. This is a labor intensive preparation; but worth it in the end, with that kind of compliment!”
Patti
Delicious Spinach and Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups
Lasagna roll ups have all the same components of lasagna, but they’re combined in a different form. Instead of layering the ingredients into a casserole dish, the filling is spread onto each lasagna noodle and then rolled into a perfect little portion. Sauce is poured over the top and then they’re baked to perfection! This recipe I’m sharing here has a vegetarian ricotta and spinach filling, but it’s honestly so easy to customize, and I’ve shared some ideas for different variations at the end!
Recipe Success Tips
- Prep your spinach first. I like using frozen chopped spinach here because it’s budget-friendly and lasts for ages in the freezer. Thaw one 10 oz. package (microwave defrost works, or let it thaw in the fridge overnight), then squeeze out as much water as humanly possible. You should end up with about 1 cup tightly packed spinach after squeezing.
- Boil a little extra pasta. I recommend boiling the whole pound of pasta because it’s inevitable that some will tear or stick together! The extra pasta gives us a little wiggle room. Stir gently, and only boil until just al dente. Overcooking makes them too delicate to roll. If you end up with broken pieces or extra noodles, don’t toss them. Layer them at the bottom of the dish with some pasta sauce to stop them drying out in the oven.
- Don’t overfill the noodles. A little goes a long way. This recipe makes 16 rolls, and I stick to roughly a heaping ¼ cup filling per noodle (spread it thin from edge to edge). If you pile it on, the noodles are way more likely to split, and the filling will squish out the sides when you roll.
- Use the noodles right away. Lasagna noodles love to stick together and dry out fast once they’re drained. I roll mine as soon as they’re cool enough to handle. If you need a minute, gently toss the drained noodles with a tiny bit of oil, so they stay mostly flexible and easier to work with. Don’t leave them too long though!
- To make this recipe extra easy, I used a simple jar of pasta sauce. If you prefer to make your own, you can use my slow cooker spaghetti sauce, or my quick weeknight pasta sauce for a meat option.
- Prep it ahead. You can assemble the lasagna roll ups, cover the dish tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, let the dish sit out while the oven preheats so it can take the chill off. You may need a few extra minutes in the oven since everything is starting cold, but it’s an easy win for busy nights.
Lasagna Roll Ups
Cost $13.12 recipe / $1.64 serving
Ingredients
Lasagna
- 16 oz. lasagna noodles ($1.84*)
Spinach and Cheese Filling
- 15 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese ($2.67)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, $1.74)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (grated, $0.45)
- 1 large egg ($0.16)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.02)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)
- 10 oz. frozen spinach (thawed, $1.26**)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded, $1.74)
Homemade Marinara (Optional***)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced, $0.70)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced, $0.08)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.44)
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste ($0.18)
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes ($1.67)
- ½ tsp dried basil ($0.05)
- ½ tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- 1 tsp brown sugar (optional, $0.02)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste, $0.03)
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- If making homemade marinara (optional), start it first so it can simmer while you prep the roll ups: Sauté onion, garlic, and olive oil over medium until soft (5 min). Stir in tomato paste and cook until darkened (3-5 min). Add crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, brown sugar, and salt, then bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 30 min, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings (simmer longer or add more sugar if too acidic).
- To make the rolls ups: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 1 tsp salt to season the water, then add the lasagna noodles. Boil the noodles just until al dente (they become too delicate to roll if they are too soft). Drain the noodles in a colander.
- While the noodles are boiling, drain the thawed spinach, squeezing out as much of the excess water as possible. Add the spinach to a bowl with the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Once the lasagna noodles have cooled enough to touch with your hands, lay a few noodles out onto a clean surface. Spread about ¼ cup of the spinach and cheese filling onto each noodle, spreading it from edge to edge. It's okay if the filling is thin or doesn't create a solid layer. Roll the noodles up, then place in a large casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles until you've used all of the filling. You should get about 16 roll ups and you may have a few noodles left over (those will be back up in case any tear).
- Once all of the noodles are filled, rolled, and placed in the casserole dish, pour the pasta sauce over top. Top the lasagna roll ups with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake the lasagna roll ups for 30 minutes in the preheated 400ºF oven. Serve hot and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Lasagna Roll Ups Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Make the filling: Add the thawed and squeezed 10 oz. frozen spinach to a large bowl with 15 oz. ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir everything together until evenly combined.
Now add 1 large egg. Stir until evenly combined.
Cook the noodles: Boil 16 oz. lasagna noodles until al dente, then drain in a colander. Do not let the noodles overcook or they’ll be too delicate to work with. You’ll only need 16 noodles, but you’ll likely have a few more if you boil an entire 16 oz. box. It’s always good to have a few back up in case they tear as you’re filling and rolling.
Fill the noodles: Lay a few of the lasagna noodles out onto a clean surface and spread a thin layer of the cheese filling onto each noodle from edge to edge. The filling does not need to be thick or in a solid layer because it adds up when the noodles are rolled. I used a heaping ¼ cup of filling per noodle.
Add the baking dish: As you fill and roll the noodles, place them in a large casserole dish.
Pour one 23 oz. jar of marinara sauce over the roll ups. You can also make my homemade marinara sauce if preferred!
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella evenly over top.
Bake: Cover the baking dish and bake the roll ups for about 30 minutes in the preheated 400ºF oven, or until the sauce and cheese are bubbling up around the edges. Serve and enjoy! (Garnish with parsley for a little extra color, if desired.)
Variations to Try!
If you want to play around with this recipe, you’ve got options. A few of these ideas are ones our readers have shared or ones I’ve tried out over time. Here are some delicious variations to try:
- Try mascarpone, cottage cheese, or cream cheese instead of ricotta
- Sauté 1 diced yellow onion and 2 cloves minced garlic in a little olive oil until soft, then mix into the ricotta filling
- Add about 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ½ tsp garlic powder, and/or ½ tsp onion powder to the filling. If you want heat, add ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- Swap the spinach for browned Italian sausage or ground beef for a meatier version (not as budget-friendly, but very filling)
- You can also brown Italian sausage or ground beef and add it to the pasta sauce
- Swap the sauce for vodka sauce, a spicy tomato pasta sauce, or whatever jarred sauce you love most
- Add some basil pesto to the filling for a herby flavor
- Sauté thinly sliced mushrooms, diced red peppers, shredded zucchini, and/or shredded carrots, then fold into the filling (similar to my garden vegetable lasagna roll ups)
- Leave the egg out to make it egg-free. The egg helps bind the cheese filling and keeps it moist and rich. I’ve forgotten the egg before, and the roll ups still turned out delicious, just not quite as moist!
Serving Suggestions
Some homemade garlic bread and a nice side salad would be perfect to pair with this meal and will add some color and freshness to the plate. If you want another easy bread option, my no-knead focaccia is SO good here. Some simple veggie sides wouldn’t go amiss either. Roasted broccoli is a favorite of mine because you can pop it in the oven right alongside the roll ups at 400ºF and let everything cook at the same time. Sautéed Brussels sprouts are also a great choice when you want something a little crisp-tender and healthy. But the roll ups are pretty filling on their own, so you won’t need to add much to make it a meal!
Storage & Reheating
These pasta roll ups will stay good in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days, so make sure to portion them out into airtight containers after cooking for quick grab-and-reheat meals for the rest of the week. After the portions are chilled in the refrigerator you can transfer some to the freezer for longer storage (up to three months).
To reheat the frozen lasagna roll ups, either let them thaw in the refrigerator over night before reheating in the microwave, or go straight from the freezer to the microwave, making sure to use the defrost function first.
More Baked Pasta Recipes
Our Lasagna Roll Ups recipe was originally published 16/1/11. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 2/8/26.
Subbed mascarpone for ricotta… super rich & a huge hit with my picky family.
Delicious!! Made with one and half pound pkg of Italian seasoned venison sausage and no spinach. I did add a bit of the jarred traditional spaghetti sauce to the filling. I prepared 20 noodles, placed the four extra in bottom of pan adding a small amount of filling and sprinkle of cheese. After placing the rolls perpendicular to the bottom noodles, made two cuts before adding the sauce and cheese topping. Very neat serving presentation. Don’t forget to toss your cooked noodles in your preferred oil. This takes a bit longer than traditional lasagna but oh so worth it.
Oops, 3 cuts!
Absolutely fantastic! My husband raved about this one, and has asked that we put it in the regular rotation! Much easier (in my opinion) than a whole lasagna, and easier to portion out for servings or prep. We used a 12 oz package of lean ground turkey in place of the spinach, just browning it with some seasonings before following the rest of the instructions. We substituted part skim ricotta and mozzarella for the whole milk versions, and used a spicy jarred sauce, and it was quick, easy, and very delicious. Thank you Beth, another home run from you!
Any tips if I’d rather add hamburger instead of spinach?
We’d have to test that out first! You could also check out our Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef! https://www.budgetbytes.com/stuffed-shells-with-ground-beef/
Are you able to prep this the evening/morning before then pop into oven in evening for dinner? At which step would I stop/resume for this?
I would make them through filling, rolling, and placing in the casserole dish. Then cover and refrigerate and top with sauce and cheese right before baking!
I’m making these today. So excited! I always cook Italian on Sunday! Thnx for this. Let you know how it turns out. Ciao
Trying your lasagna roll ups recipe. Very excited. 😆
These were so delicious!! I plan to make portion size meals for my lunches. I was wondering if I could freeze the uncooked rolls and when I’m ready to heat, add the sauce and cheese, or add the sauce and cheese before freezing the rolls? Thank you!
I think you could definitely freeze the rolls and then add the sauce and cheese when you heat! If you do it let us know how it works out!
It works freezing them without sauce. I realized that you can waste jarred sauce unless you plan to heat the individual portions until you run out of sauce. Results, delish!! Thank you.
Just made these and they are delicious! Recipe is super simple and very cost effective. Noticed other post about not having enough filling for 16 rolls. I didn’t change recipe I was just mindful to use only about 2 to 2 1/2 tbsps per noodle. Last couple were a little heavier but filling was able to fill all. Thank you for recipe, I will definitely make this again.
Im going to buy 500 of these
Super easy but I only got 8 instead of 16. I think I overstuffed
Can I do this with raw baby spinach?
You probably could, but it would be pretty difficult to roll them up with uncooked spinach, and you’d end up with a lot less spinach in there. You might also run into an issue with the spinach releasing a lot of water as it cooks, making things a bit soggy.
I decided to use Italian sausage instead of spinach. I added it in coming. But I feel like maybe I should have put it in the sauce. Any thoughts?
I think you could go either way! It might be harder to roll up with the chunks of sausage, depending on how small you crumble it as it cooks.
This recipe is good for week night meals and for special occasions. For a buffet that included a number of vegetarian guests, I sauteed diced mushrooms, small dice eggplant, onions, and small dice butternut squash along with some garlic and added in a small can of tomato paste plus a jar of fire roasted tomato sauce and cooked until it was a little thickened. I used whole wheat lasagna noodles that seem to hold up better than regular. Then I proceeded as outlined in your recipe with spreading the ricotta/cheeses/spinach mixture and a layer of the tomato cooked vegetables, rolled them up, topped with more tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and baked covered for 30 minutes then uncovered for 5 to let the cheese brown up some. Everyone loved this dish.
I cooked the pasta, left it in the strainer and went to do the grocery shopping. I think that was a mistake, because when I got back they were all stuck together and dry in the middle. I should have listened to you and rolled them when they were just warm enough to handle. As I had already defrosted the spinach, I ended up making a sort of messy pasta casserole.