Ingredients
Lasagna Noodles
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked to package instructions
Meat Sauce
- 16 oz ground beef (85% lean)
- 24 oz marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Noodles: Preheat your oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Avoid overcooking to maintain firmness. Drain the noodles and immediately submerge them in cold water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare the Meat Sauce: In a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula, until it’s no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, and dried oregano and cook for another minute. Pour in the marinara sauce, bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat. Spread half a cup of this sauce evenly on the bottom of a casserole dish.
- Mix the Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella, and chopped parsley. Stir until well combined to create a creamy filling.
- Assemble the Roll Ups: Lay the cooked lasagna noodles flat on a large baking sheet to keep them separate. Spread about 1/4 cup of the cheese filling evenly over each noodle. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of meat sauce down the center of each noodle. Carefully roll each noodle up tightly and place seam-side down in the casserole dish over the sauce.
- Top and Bake: Spoon the remaining meat sauce evenly over the assembled roll ups. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover the dish with foil, making sure the foil does not touch the cheese—if necessary, use toothpicks to hold the foil up. Bake covered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- Finish Under the Broiler: Remove the foil and broil the roll ups for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Remove from the oven and garnish with extra chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Always cook a few extra lasagna noodles to account for any breakage during cooking.
- Make Ahead: Prepare roll ups fully, cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze up to 3 months.
- To bake from refrigerated or frozen, simply bake without thawing or after thawing in the fridge overnight.
- Storage: Keep cooked and cooled roll ups in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Microwave individual portions until warm or reheat the entire casserole in a 350˚F oven until heated through.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Halal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 lasagna roll up
- Calories: 333
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
