Vegetarian lasagna roll ups with creamy spinach-ricotta filling and bright savory tomato sauce are so easy to make & turn out absolutely flavourful. They can be baked in oven or air fryer (both methods included in post).
These wholesome lasagna rolls are a great alternative when you don’t want to bake an entire tray of lasagna and still want to enjoy same flavours and texture. It is a crowd pleaser meat-free dish and perfect for potluck, get-togethers, special occassions like Thanksgiving, Christmas etc
It is a great make-ahead casserole dish which all your family members or friends can enjoy together at the dinner table. When I am making it for just me & my husband, I make a small batch of it and bake it in my air fryer (no need to even turn on the oven).
You will need below mentioned ingredients to make these veg lasgana rolls-
Lasagna Noodles – I have used 100% durum wheat dried lasgana noddles here (shared image in the steps also) for lasagna roll-ups. Boil them as per the instructions or time written on its packet. Avoid over cooking as otherwise they will turn too soft or disintegrate while baking in the oven.
Marinara Sauce – You can use homemade or store bought marinara pasta sauce. For cutting down the prep time, I would advice buying or making pasta sauce in advance. For making it from scratch with fresh tomatoes, I follow my penne arrabiata recipe template (omitting the chilli flakes).
For variation, you can also use half marinara & half bechamel sauce for giving creamier texture to the sauce or blend in some cottage cheese like we did in this cottage cheese sauce pasta to sneak in some protein. If using ready made pasta sauce, check out for its ingredients & if required add Italian seasoning, herbs like basil or oregano to it.
Cheese & Spinach – The filling in the lasagana roll is made up of whole-milk ricotta , parmesan, mozarella cheese, spinach, herbs & seasoning. You can alter the ratio of cheeses little bit or add seasoning / herbs of your choice. I have made the recipe without eggs but If you wish you can add one egg in the filling.
I have used fresh spinach here which needs to be sauteed to remove extra moisture. If you want to use frozen spinach, thaw & squeeze it before using. As frozen spinach is mostly cooked or blanched, no need to cook it again (unless specifically stated on its packaging).
For making it more vegetable packed, you can include finely diced & sauteed vegetables like mushrooms, onion, bell peppers, carrots or zucchini. Just make sure their pieces are not too big & softened properly while cooking as otherwise they can tear through the lasgana sheet.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Lasagna Noodles- 8
- For sauce:
- Marinara Sauce – 2 + 1/2 cups (21 oz)
- Dried Oregano- 1/4 tsp
- Italian Seasoning- 1 tsp
- For filling:
- Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
- Garlic Clove (minced) – 1 large
- Fresh Spinach (chopped) – 6 cups (9 oz)
- Ricotta Cheese – 1 + 1/2 cup
- Mozzarella (shredded) – 1 + 1/2 cup (divided)
- Parmesan Cheese – 1/3 cup
- Salt – 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Black Pepper (crushed) – 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Basil or Parsley (chopped) – 2 tbsp
Notes:
- To make small batch in air fryer, halve the recipe.
- You can use frozen spinach also. Check the tips at the end of post.
- If you want to make it spicy, add chilli flakes in marinara sauce or in the filling.
Directions:
Step 1:
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic. Saute for 10-15 seconds. Add spinach, 1/4 tsp salt & black pepper and mix well. Cook till it wilts and does not taste raw anymore. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool while we move to next step.
Step 2:
Add dried oregano and Italian seasoning to the marinara sauce (I am using here homemade sauce which has already has garlic, dried basil, salt & pepper). Mix and keep aside.
Step 3:
Boil water in a deep pot with 2 tsp salt. Cook the lasgana noodles al dente (follow the timing as per the packet instructions). Rinse under cold water to stop further cooking. Drain & spread them on a parchment paper.
Step 4:
Add ricotta, 1/2 cup mozarella, parmesan, salt & pepper to the spinach. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Step 5:
Spread around 3-4 tbsp of this creamy filling on each lasagna sheet. Roll them gently without putting too much pressure.
Step 6:
Spread 1 cup marinara sauce on a baking dish. Arrange lasgana rolls in it with seam side down. Top up with remaining sauce and mozzarella.
Step 7:
Brush oil on aluminium foil. Cover the dish tightly with foil (oiled side down). Bake it covered in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 25 min covered and then 5-10 min uncovered until you get some golden brown spots on top.
Bring the baking dish out of oven and let it rest for 5-10 min before serving. Enjoy!
Air fryer Method:
The method for lasagna roll prep remain same as above. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you can follow take the exact quantities or scale down the recipe.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (360°F). Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and then place it carefully inside the air fryer basket.
- Bake it covered for 25 min at 180°C (360°F) and then without cover for 2-3 min until your get colour on top.
Tips:
- Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container (or covered) in fridge for upto 3-4 days.
- If you want to use frozen spinach, thaw it overnight in fridge and then squeeze it. Transfer it to a colander and press downwards with a spoon to remove all its moisture. Use roughly 3/4 cup of (thawed + squeezed) spinach.
- You can assemble the lasgana roll-up a day in advance and tightly secure with foil (to prevent the cheese on top from drying). Bake it just before serving.
- To prevent lasagna noodles from getting mushy, don’t overcook them while boiling as they get cooked second time also while baking.
- Brush some oil on the foil (on the side touching lasagna) before covering the baking dish as otherwise cheese can stick to it while baking.
- After sauteeing fresh spinach, if you feel it still has moisture, transfer it over a colander and press with a spoon to remove its extra water. This prevents the filling from becoming runny.
- Want to give a little twist to this recipe? Use this butternut squash pasta sauce instead of tomato pasta sauce.
Hope you will like & enjoy making these vegetarian lasagna rolls. More recipes you may like to try-
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