Description
This Italian Meatball Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe combines tender meatballs with creamy ricotta and melted mozzarella cheese, all wrapped in al dente lasagna noodles and baked with flavorful marinara sauce. Perfect for a comforting family dinner, these roll-ups offer a delightful twist on classic lasagna with individual portions that are easy to serve and enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Lasagna Roll-Ups
- 12 lasagna noodles, cooked until al dente
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 cups marinara sauce, divided
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking the roll-ups later.
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef or Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, beaten egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly and form into small, evenly sized meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, roughly 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Assemble the roll-ups: Lay out the cooked lasagna noodles flat on a clean surface. Spread a small amount of ricotta cheese evenly over each noodle. Place 2 to 3 cooked meatballs on top of the ricotta on each noodle. Carefully roll the noodles up around the meatballs to form tight roll-ups.
- Prepare the baking dish: Grease a baking dish lightly. Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the dish. Arrange the lasagna roll-ups seam-side down in the dish on top of the sauce.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the top of the roll-ups. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over everything.
- Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Notes
- For a twist, use spicy Italian sausage to add a kick to the meatballs.
- Make sure to cook the noodles al dente to prevent them from becoming too soft when baked.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese enhances the flavor more than pre-grated.
- Leftover roll-ups can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
- For a lower-fat option, substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef or sausage.