Lasagna Roll-Ups Recipe (Make-Ahead, Meal Prep)

Name: These Retro Lasagna Roll-Ups Are So Fun To Make (and Eat)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing baking dish; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water; 16 dried lasagna noodles (from a 1-pound box); 1 medium yellow onion, chopped; 1 pound 85% lean ground beef; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided; 1 (32-ounce) jar marinara sauce (such as Rao’s), divided; 1 (16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish; 1 large egg; 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided; Fresh basil leaves, optional

While I love making a traditional homemade lasagna every now and then, sometimes it’s fun to mix things up. Lasagna roll-ups have all of the classic lasagna flavors, with the noodles filled and rolled up into neat little cylinders instead of forming lots of layers.

Filling and shaping the lasagna roll-ups this way offers more textural contrast than a classic lasagna, offering perfectly cooked noodles that wrap around a creamy, meaty, savory filling. After broiling the roll-ups, some of the edges of the pasta get a little bit crispy, while the filling remains soft and tender. Each serving is a perfectly portioned package of deliciousness.

Key Ingredients for Lasagna Roll-Ups

The ingredients for these creamy lasagna roll-ups are similar to a classic lasagna, but designed to optimize their rolled-up shape:

Lasagna noodles: You’ll need to use traditional lasagna noodles here, not the no-boil kind, as they’ll need to be pliable to roll up all of the goodness inside. And make sure not to oil the noodles after boiling—this creates a slippery surface that prevents the sauce from sticking to the noodles.
Meat sauce: This recipe for lasagna roll-ups features an easy meat sauce made with sautéed ground beef and store-bought marinara sauce. It makes the roll-ups hearty, savory, and satisfying.
Cheese filling: A creamy seasoned cheese filling made with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan helps the roll-ups stick together and keep their shape, while offering tender, plush softness inside. An egg added to the ricotta mixture prevents it from separating and becoming runny.
A cheesy lid: Extra mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top provides a gooey, melty topping to the roll-ups, and broiling it at the end of cooking makes it into a browned, crispy lid that takes this dish up and over the top.

A casserole dish with lasagna rollups topped with melted cheese and basil one rollup being served — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

Make Ahead for Meal Prep

The beauty of this dish is that each portion is super easy to serve or to dole out for meal prep, making lasagna roll-ups a great choice for make-ahead meals. Servings portioned out into airtight containers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can feed your family or pack to-go lunches all week long.

You can also freeze the roll-ups before topping with cheese and baking. Let thaw in the fridge overnight, then top with cheese and bake.

What To Serve with Lasagna Roll-Ups

With the gooey, cheesy richness of these creamy lasagna roll-ups, you can’t go wrong with serving them alongside a fresh green salad or slices of crispy, crunchy garlic bread. For a dose of green, try some broiled green beans, simple steamed broccoli, or easy sautéed spinach.

More Meal Prep Superstars

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 60 mins

Total Time 80 mins

Servings 12 servings

Yield 12 roll-ups

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing baking dish
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for pasta water
16 dried lasagna noodles (from a 1-pound box)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
3 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided
1 (32-ounce) jar marinara sauce (such as Rao’s), divided
1 (16-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 large egg
8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
Fresh basil leaves, optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack set 8 inches from the broiler element.

Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cook the noodles:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the lasagna noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain, rinse, and arrange noodles in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Set aside to cool.
Make the meat sauce:

Meanwhile, heat the oil and onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up the beef into small pieces, until browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic, pepper, 1 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce and simmer, undisturbed, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Make the cheese filling:

In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the remaining 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined.
Assemble the roll-ups:

Spread about 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the greased baking dish. Spread 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese filling and 1/3 cup of the meat sauce evenly over each of 12 of the lasagna noodles. (If any break, use the extra 4 noodles to replace them.)

Gently roll each noodle up and transfer it to the baking dish, seam-side down. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce (about 3/4 cup) over the lasagna roll-ups and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella.

Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with oil (this prevents the cheese from stocking) and tightly cover the baking dish with the foil, greased-side down.
Bake, then broil:

Bake the roll-ups until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes.

Without removing the dish from the oven, carefully remove and discard the foil and set the oven to broil. Broil until the cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with extra Parmesan and the fresh basil leaves, if desired, and serve.

Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
401	Calories
18g	Fat
34g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	401
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	23%
Saturated Fat 8g	42%
Cholesterol 79mg	26%
Sodium 780mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 34g	13%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 2mg	12%
Calcium 259mg	20%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 517mg	11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.