Ah, lasagna, that comforting, hearty delight we all turn to on a chilly winter’s night. It’s a tried-and-true crowd-pleaser in my household, a dish that not only serves a small army but also ages like a fine wine as leftovers. Because, really, who can resist the allure of reheated lasagna? To me, a day-old lasagna is a victory, especially when it’s as delicious as this.
Now, I’ll admit, the notion of making lasagna roll-ups used to give me the jitters. It seemed like a daunting task, more work than it’s worth. And, well, I won’t sugarcoat it—it is a bit more effort. But trust me, the payoff is worth every extra minute in the kitchen. The beauty of these roll-ups lies in their ability to keep portions tidy and plating a breeze. Plus, it’s a kid-friendly twist on traditional lasagna that my own little ones absolutely adore.
What’s more, I love concocting meals like this because it gives me a sneaky opportunity to load up the sauce with veggies, and nobody’s the wiser.
Let’s kick things off with that scrumptious cheese mixture. You can whip this up in advance and pop it in the refrigerator until it’s showtime. In a medium mixing bowl, combine a half cup of parmesan cheese, a half cup of mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, two eggs, half a teaspoon of onion powder, and the same amount of parsley. Mix these ingredients until they’re well-acquainted, then tuck that bowl into the refrigerator to chill while you prep the pasta.
As you probably know by now, I’m a fan of the Mirepoix technique—a fancy French term for a veggie base. It’s typically a combination of one part celery, one part carrot, and two parts onion, all diced and sautéed in some sort of fat. In our case, it’s olive oil. And, because I’m all about layers of flavor, I like to sneak in some garlic. Garlic, as you well know, has the power to transform any dish.
So, grab a deep saucepan, or go all-out with a Dutch oven like I do, and warm up a generous glug of olive oil as you chop your veggies. For this recipe, you’ll need one carrot, one stalk of celery, and one onion. Sauté these beauties until they’re tender, and the onions turn translucent, sprinkling them with salt and pepper as you go. Then, introduce your garlic and let it work its aromatic magic for another minute or two. Now, it’s time to add the ground beef and cook it until it loses that pink hue. Once that’s sorted, drain off any excess oil.
But wait, we’re not done! Stir in some Italian seasoning or oregano and crushed tomatoes, letting everything simmer for at least ten minutes. This is where the sauce gets its depth and complexity, so don’t rush it.
While that sauce is simmering, let’s get your lasagna noodles ready in a spacious pot. Here’s a tip: take each noodle out one by one and lay them out on a colander or cutting board. It’s crucial to prevent them from sticking together. So, avoid draining the water; in fact, draining pasta is never a good idea. Why? Because when you do, you lose those precious starches that help the sauce cling to the pasta. In other words, drained pasta equals bland pasta, and we don’t want that.
Now, the grand finale: assembly time. In a 9×13 casserole dish, spread half of that tantalizing tomato mixture across the bottom. Next, take your cheese mixture, dollop a layer onto each lasagna noodle, and start rolling. This part might take a bit of practice to get just right. You want enough cheese to make it delicious, but not so much that it oozes out. And remember, it’s better to err on the side of generosity. For a 9×13 dish, aim to fit in sixteen of these tasty rolls. Once they’re snug in the dish, ladle the remaining tomato mixture on top.
Now, into the oven it goes—35 minutes at 375 degrees should do the trick. When you pull it out, scatter some shredded mozzarella cheese on top and let it bake for another five minutes until that cheesy crown gets all golden and bubbly. I usually pair this dish with a crisp salad and some warm garlic bread.
And there you have it, a hearty meal that’s sure to impress. Now go forth, roll up your lasagna, and savor the smiles it brings to your dinner table!
Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
1.5-2 lbs. of ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 (28 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
½ tsp of Italian herbs/oregano
½ cup of parmesan
Mozzarella cheese
32 ounces ricotta cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ tsp parsley
½ tsp onion powder
Lasagna noodles
1-2 tsp of minced garlic
Directions
- Combine ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, onion powder, and parsley. Mix thoroughly and set in the refrigerator until later. (32 ounces of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, 1/2 cup of grated mozzarella, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp. parsley, 1/2 tsp. onion powder)
- In a saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil and cook onion, celery, and carrot until vegetables are soft and onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper throughout the cooking process. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. (1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery-all diced, 1-2 tsp. minced garlic)
- Add the ground beef to the vegetable mixture and cook until no longer pink, and drain. (1.5-2 lbs. of ground beef)
- Add Italian seasoning or oregano, salt and crushed tomatoes and simmer for at least ten minutes. (2 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, salt to taste)
- Cook the lasagna noodles and place onto a cutting board.
- Pour half the tomato mixture into a 9×13 dish.
- Evenly spread the cheese mixture onto each noodle and carefully roll the noodles and place the roll up in the meat sauce
- Once all the roll ups are in the dish, pour the rest of the meat sauce on top.
- Cook at 375 degrees for 35 minutes, top with mozzarella cheese and cook for another five minutes
- Serve with a salad and garlic bread.
Grateful Grits 
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