Best Vegetable Lasagna Roll-Ups
Submitted by Kimber69
Vegetable lasagna roll-ups: noodles wrapped around a three-cheese, spinach, eggplant, and white bean filling, baked in a robust red wine tomato sauce. Individual vegetarian lasagna portions, no layering.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsAll the comfort of lasagna, rolled into tidy individual portions instead of a layered slab, which means cleaner servings and a little filling in every bite. This vegetarian version is loaded.
The filling stacks three cheeses, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan, with chopped spinach, sauteed eggplant, red pepper, and onion. White kidney beans are the smart addition, bringing protein and heartiness so it eats like a full meal, not a side.
The sauce earns its depth from a chef’s move: the tomato paste is cooked until it browns, not just warmed, which concentrates and caramelizes its flavor before the wine and tomatoes go in. A splash of red wine reduces down for richness, and red pepper flakes add a gentle kick.
Roll the filling in cooked noodles, set them seam-down in the sauce, and bake covered so they steam tender, finishing with a shower of Parmesan.
Kitchen Tips
- Brown the tomato paste until it darkens, without burning, before adding liquid; this deepens the sauce far more than skipping the step.
- Cook the noodles just to al dente and lay them flat to cool so they roll without tearing.
- Squeeze the spinach dry and cook the eggplant until tender so the filling isn’t watery.
- Set the rolls seam-side down so they hold together as they bake.
Variations
- Swap the white kidney beans for chickpeas or lentils.
- Add mushrooms or zucchini to the filling.
- Use a store-bought marinara to save time on the sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine in a large mixing bowl the three cheeses, the spinach, half the beans, half the oregano, and half the basil. Set aside.
Cook the noodles al dente. Cool them under cold water when they’re cooked the way you like them.
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) F.
Pour 1 teaspoon of the oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry the onions and the garlic for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Transfer half to the spinach and cheese filling and set the other half aside. Wipe the pan clean.
Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to the same pan and over a medium heat, cook the eggplant for 8 minutes, stirring often. It’s important that the bottom of the pan does not scorch.
Spoon the cooked eggplant into the filling mixture and stir well. Wipe the pan clean.
Add the remaining oil to the same pan and, over medium heat, cook the red bell pepper for 3 minutes. Spoon the cooked pepper into the filling mixture. Wipe the pan clean.
Add the tomato paste to the same pan and, over medium heat, cook until it turns brown--about 5 minutes. It is very important it doesn’t burn but just browns.
Stir in the red pepper flakes and the wine, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and reduce the liquid by about one fourth--about 15 minutes.
Add the canned tomatoes and their liquid, stirring until the tomatoes break into pieces.
Add the remaining beans, oregano, basil, and reserved cooked onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes at a very low simmer.
Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and mix well. Lay a lasagna noodle flat on a cutting board.
Form ½ cup of the filling into a rough ball, lay on one end of the lasagna and roll it up end to end. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Pour the sauce into a baking pan.
Place the lasagna rolls on top, seam side down, and spoon some of the sauce over them. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 5 minutes.
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