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This skinnier Lasagna Roll Ups recipe is packed with mushrooms, spinach, and smothered in a vibrant homemade sauce. Come find out the secret to cutting fat without cutting flavor!
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This lasagna roll ups recipe is my new favorite recipe to serve while entertaining, for family Sunday dinners, or for potlucks. These are vegetarian, packed with bright vibrant flavors, and made “skinnier”. This means I’ve cut the fat without cutting flavor! I accomplished this by replacing whole milk ricotta with fat free cottage cheese. I gave the cottage cheese some body by adding crushed saltine crackers to them, and mixing it all together in a food processor. As a result these lasagna roll ups are every bit as creamy and delicious as the full-fat version.
I also made these lasagna roll ups skinnier by replacing meat with sautéd mushrooms. Consequently you still get great meaty flavor without the added fat and calories from ground beef.
Cook’s Note – Skinnier Lasagna Roll Ups
- Don’t worry if some of the noodles are torn a little like in the picture below. You won’t be able to tell once they’re rolled up and smothered in sauce.
MAKE AHEAD:
- Follow the lasagna roll ups recipe through step 6, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. To finish, discard plastic wrap, and bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, then top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, and bake an additional 10 minutes. Top with chopped basil and serve.
TO FREEZE:
- Follow the lasagna roll ups recipe through step 6, then cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. To finish, discard foil and plastic wrap, and bake at 375 degrees F for 55 minutes, then top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes. Top with chopped basil and serve.
Cook’s Tools – Skinnier Lasagna Roll Ups:
- Large saucepan
- Pasta Pot
- Parchment paper
- Large skillet
- Large bowl
- Food processor
- 2 9×13-inch pans OR disposable pans for freezing
ONE YEAR AGO: Strawberry Cupcakes
TWO YEARS AGO: Bacon Sticky Buns
THREE YEARS AGO: Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 12-14 Lasagna noodles from a 1 lb box
- SAUCE:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 small
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- FILLING:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 16 ozs button mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- pinch salt
- 15 saltines broken into pieces
- 3 cups fat-free cottage cheese
- 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 10 oz box frozen spinach thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
Instructions
- MAKE SAUCE: In large saucepan over medium-high heat add olive oil. When shimmering add onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent and edges start to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and stir constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and oregano and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in basil, cover, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- COOK LASAGNA NOODLES: While sauce simmers, cook noodles as per package instructions until al dente. Drain noodles and transfer to pieces of parchment paper.
- PREPARE FILLING: While noodles cook, preheat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring often, until mushrooms release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking mushrooms over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms have darkened, about 5-8 minutes longer. Transfer mushrooms to large bowl; set aside.
- Pulse crackers in food processor until finely ground. Add cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt and process until smooth. Transfer mixture to bowl with mushrooms, add spinach, and stir everything together to combine; set aside.
- PREPARE PANS AND OVEN: Move oven rack to middle position and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 9x13-inch pans with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup sauce into bottom of each pan.
- ASSEMBLE: Spread about 1/4 cup filling onto each noodle. Roll noodles up, and nestle 6-7 rolls into each pan. Divide remaining sauce over top.
- BAKE: Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup cheese, and bake 10 more minutes. Garnish with chopped basil and serve.
More Lasagna Recipes:
Cheesy Pierogi Lasagna with Bacon and Chives
