A quick and kid-friendly weeknight meal. Use Mary’s Big Batch Tomato Sauce, as little or as much cheese as you would like, and get ready for a delicious result.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 16 dried lasagna noodles
- 3 to 4 tablespoons prepared basil pesto, divided
- 4 to 5 large handfuls baby spinach
- 2 cups (500 milliliters) ricotta
- 1 cup (80 grams) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound (500 grams) lean ground beef
- 4 cups (1 liter) Big Batch Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought tomato sauce
- 2 cups (230 g) grated mozzarella
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the pans or baking dish
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) olive oil
- 4 yellow onions, diced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pints (500 grams) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup (125 milliliters) dry red or white wine, optional
- Four 28-ounce (794-milliliter) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 to 2 Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, optional
- 1/2 cup finely chopped basil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season well with salt and cook the lasagna noodles according to the package directions or until al dente. Drain and set aside in a single layer on a sheet pan covered with a piece of plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the pesto along with the spinach. Season with salt and cook, stirring frequently, just until wilted, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the ricotta to the bowl along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, nutmeg and egg. Season with salt and pepper, stir in 2 to 3 more tablespoons of pesto and set aside.
- Heat the oil in the same pan over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt and pepper and stir in 3 cups of the tomato sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- If you’re prepping ahead and plan on freezing portions of two, set out four 6-by-8-inch foil pans or freezer-to-oven safe containers. Spread about 1/4 cup of the meat sauce into each and set aside.
- Lay the lasagna noodles out on a clean work surface, divide the ricotta mixture and spread down the middle of each noodle. Top with a strip of the meat sauce and gently roll-up into spirals. Place the lasagna roll-ups into the prepared pans, spoon over the remaining 1 cup of plain tomato sauce, and scatter with the mozzarella. Cover and transfer the pans to freezer bags for best storage. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If making a full batch immediately, lightly grease a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with oil or non-stick cooking spray, spread 1 cup of sauce across the bottom of the dish, and assemble and cook as directed above.
- To cook the roll-ups, heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and loosely cover the lasagna, greased side down. Bake until heated through, 30 minutes from fresh or about 1 hour from frozen. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
- Allow the lasagna roll-ups to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened and lightly golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and garlic and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, 5 to 7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine if using and cook down until the wine is reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Carefully add the canned tomatoes along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low and place an off-kilter lid on top to reduce splatter. Simmer for at least 15 minutes for a bright sauce and for up to 1 hour for a deeper, more rich sauce, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds and season to taste with more salt and pepper and some sugar if needed. Stir in the basil and parsley, remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Divide the sauce into four heavy-duty freezer bags, seal and lay flat on a sheet pan. Place in the freezer and freeze until solid. Stack the bags for easy storage and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, defrost in the fridge overnight or simply remove from the bag and heat in the microwave or over low heat.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 970 |
| Total Fat | 54 g |
| Saturated Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 83 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 14 g |
| Sugar | 30 g |
| Protein | 45 g |
| Cholesterol | 127 mg |
| Sodium | 2133 mg |
Reviews
Yum, Yum and more Yum. This was delicious. Now I have to make more Big Batch Tomato Sauce!!
Yuck seriously those stems in the spinach! Who does that! That is an amateur move. Also when you role up an entire LONG sheet of lasagna noodle it is too much noodle to the filling. Just okay and who can’t make tomato sauce? Sorry not that great
So delicious! I made for myself and shared with a friend! Will definitely make again!
I loved this recipe! The spinach sauteed in basil pesto just took it up a notch. I also made Mary’s vegetarian rolls for my GF/dairy free friends. I love how versatile this sauce is…both recipes and the sauce are going on repeat!!
I made these last night and they were delish! Plenty of leftovers for my extended family. I didn’t make the sauce. I used Rao’s Marinara which is my go to sauce.
My family really liked these. I thought they were super easy to roll and doable on a weeknight. I liked the addition of the spinach.We had them with a side salad and some good bread. I did not make the sauce. Just used a big jar to save time for the weeknight. It’s a keeper!
Very tasty, but I think it is easier to make regular lasagna.