Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups
Updated Mar 21, 2026
Spinach lasagna roll ups with ricotta, frozen spinach, marinara sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella baked until hot and bubbly.
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spinach lasagna roll ups are soo good!
Lasagna roll ups make more sense to me than regular homemade lasagna most days. Same general idea, but easier to portion, easier to serve, and I do not have to deal with cutting into a pan and scooping out sloppy squares.
This spinach lasagna roll up version is simple and pretty straightforward to put together once the noodles are cooked. The main thing is making sure the spinach is drained really well so the filling stays thick and does not water everything down.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
spinach lasagna roll up Ingredients
- Lasagna noodles: This recipe makes 12 individual lasagna rolls or one box of noodles. I suggest making a couple extra for any breaks when par-cooking them.
- Spinach: For the filling, I use frozen spinach. The trick to getting it to set well is to drain the spinach of excess liquid.
- Cheese filling: The filling combines ricotta cheese and Parmesan as the base (use rennet-free Parmesan for vegetarians). Mix the cheese with an egg to help bind it for a thick layer that holds together while baking. The lasagna cheese filling is flavored with garlic, fresh basil, and spices (Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes) and combined with the spinach for a delicious roll-up.
- Marinara sauce: Use store-bought jarred sauce, or try my homemade marinara sauce. I love making my own red sauce from scratch and freezing it in mason jars whenever I need it for a recipe.
- Mozzarella cheese: Low-moisture mozzarella is the better choice here because it melts well without adding extra water on top. Fresh mozzarella would make the pan more watery.
How to Make lasagna roll ups
Just like making a classic lasagna, there are two components to the recipe: the filling and the assembly. To prepare to assemble the lasagna rolls, start by cooking the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions until al dente, and preheat the oven.
Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna sheets
- 1 10-ounce bag frozen chopped spinach , thawed
- 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup low moisture mozzarella grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Bring a large pot of lightly seasoned water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, make the filling. Drain the cooked spinach thoroughly, extracting as much excess water as possible. Place drained spinach in a medium bowl and add ricotta, Parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Mix with a fork to combine, making sure to break up any large chunks of spinach so it’s evenly distributed.
- Add about ½ cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Set aside.
- When the pasta is al dente, drain and set aside in a colander. Working quickly, place one lasagna noodle on a clean work surface. Spread about 2 to 3 tablespoons of prepared ricotta filling evenly all over the surface of the noodle, then roll into a spiral. Place in the baking pan on top of the marinara. Repeat this process with all of the noodles and filing. You should wind up with 4 rows of 3 lasagna roll ups in your baking pan.
- Drizzle the remaining marinara sauce on top of the lasagna roll-ups, then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, then bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is very melty and bubbly.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add ground protein to the marinara sauce. Ground beef, chicken, or ground turkey all work. I’d go with a lean version to avoid excess grease.
- Add more veggies. You can really veggie up the marinara sauce by adding in some extra veggies. Try diced zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, corn, or bell peppers. Just chop them up small, cook until soft, and mix them into the marinara. You could add other greens to the ricotta mixture, such as cooked kale.
- Switch out the lasagna noodles. Keep this same great recipe but use large stuffed shells instead of noodles. You can fill them up and bake them the same way. It’s a great way to enjoy the same meal but with a different presentation.
Recipe Tips
- Keep it al dente! Don’t forget about those noodles! These roll ups bake for a while in the oven, so make sure you only cook the lasagna noodles al dente; you don’t want them to be mushy!
- Work quickly! Rolling the noodles is not difficult, but they can get a little sticky if they sit too long after you drain them. Ensure your filling is ready to go as soon as you drain the noodles. If things get a little sticky, you can spray your work surface and the noodles with olive oil spray.
- Use long lasagna noodles. The smaller ones will work just fine, but the long ones are easier to roll and have a better presentation in the end.
- Drain the spinach well. When you thaw frozen spinach, you’ll notice it releases lot of liquid, so I highly suggest taking the extra step of draining the spinach very well. You can use a kitchen towel, cheesecloth, and even paper towels to squeeze the spinach.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with a salad. Spinach lasagna roll ups are pretty rich, so I like adding something fresh on the side to break it up a little. Serve them with fresh garden salad, Caesar salad, or simple mixed green salad.
- Add a vegetable side. If you want to round it out a little more, a simple vegetable works well here without making dinner feel too heavy. Try roasted broccoli, air fryer asparagus, or roasted cauliflower.
- Pair with bread. If you’re feeding a group or just want the full baked pasta situation, bread makes sense here too. Serve with garlic cheese bread, garlic knots, or rosemary focaccia.
FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh spinach in your lasagna filling mixture, but you’ll want to cook it down first. A frozen bag of spinach equals about 1 ½ cups of cooked spinach. Because fresh spinach cooks down so much, you’ll need about 1 pound of fresh spinach. Cook the spinach in a hot pan with a little oil for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and drain off any extra liquid before adding to the cheese filling.
Keep lasagna covered until the end of cooking, or it will dry out over the long cook time. Cooking lasagna covered with foil keeps the moisture inside, and only removing it for a few minutes before removing it from the oven will brown up the cheese a little on top.
Adding marinara sauce to the baking dish keeps the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan and helps coat the underside, keeping the pasta soft and tender.
After removing the lasagna roll-ups from the oven, allow them to rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the cheese filling to set so that it stays beautiful and intact when you serve it.
Comments
These are so yummy! A perfect sub for a full lasagna! Fills the craving without making enough food for an army!
Thanks so much!
Made this recipe today.Used cottagecheese. We loved this recipe. The roll-ups seem abit dry,the marnaria sauce soaked up in the roll-ups. I will make again,using more sauce.
Thank you
So glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this! Very good… and a great way to get in some green (spinach)!!!
This should be good if I prepare it in the dish, cover and place in fridge over night & Cook the next afternoon??
Hi Lynn, I have not tried that with this recipe, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. If the spinach is really watery it might weep some. Otherwise, it should be just fine. I hope you enjoy!
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Sure, just make sure you cook it down first to get rid of some of the water content. Hope you enjoy!
Love this recipe! I have made it a few times. It’s perfect for cooking for 2 or more and you can control the portions.
I cook my noodles a day before then roll up and bake after work.
Love that idea, Carolyn! Great tip. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, Can’t wait to make this! Do you think I could use the oven ready lasagne noodles for this recipe? I think I would need to boil them for a short time first?
Hi Christine, I have not made this recipe with the oven-ready noodles, but I think they could work. You will need to boil them until they are flexible enough to roll. If you try it, let me know how it works out!
Really enjoyed this one! It had a lot of leftovers and was also really good the next day!
Totally agree, the next day it really shines.
Thanks for your reply, I’ll try it and let you know.
If I add ground beef, do I add it in with the marinara sauce at the bottom? Looking forward to trying this out!
Hi Lindsay! Yep, I would add it to the marinara and use it for the top and bottom. You can try adding it to the ricotta mixture if you’d like. You’d just want to make sure the ground beef is cooked to a fine crumble so you don’t have uneven lumps in the roll-up.