Vegetarian Pesto Spinach Lasagna Rolls
This is a shout out to all Vegetarians and Vegetable lovers out there this recipe is for you. These Vegetarian Pesto Spinach Lasagna Rolls are incredibly tasty and practical. It can be easily served in individual portions without messing up the rest of the lasagna.
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Servings: servings
Calories: 497kcal
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noddles
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup whole milk warm
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups ricotta whole milk
- 10- ounce package frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- ¾ cup grated parmesan divided
- 1 cup store-bought pesto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
How to make Lasagna Pesto Spinach Roll-ups
- The first step is to preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, cook the lasagna noodles. For this, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the noodles. It is recommended to cook the pasta about a minute longer than the package instructions as we want the noodles to be tender enough to roll without breaking.
- Drain well the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking any longer and to make them cool to handle. Place the noodles flat on a clean surface and set aside
let us prepare the filling.
- To make the filling I use frozen spinach which I thawed and drained (steps on how to do this is in recipe card notes) Set aside.
- Then, in a big mixing bowl, add 1 egg and beat for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add 2 cups of ricotta, spinach, ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, ½ cup of parmesan, ½ a cup of pesto, salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
How to make the Bechamel Sauce (White Sauce):
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, then whisk 2 tablespoons of flour cooking to create a clumpy paste.I
- Immediately add 1 ½ cups of warm whole milk. Add salt and pepper to taste and keep whisking.
- Continue cooking (about 6 to 8 minutes) or until the sauce is creamy and thick. It has the consistency of gravy. Set aside to cool.
How to assemble this Vegetarian Pesto Spinach Lasagna Rolls:
- Spread some oil and 2 tablespoons of the bechamel sauce into a 13- by 9- inch baking dish and set aside for the assembling.
- Place the noddles on a clean surface and spread about 1/3 cup of the spinach mixture evenly over the noodles. I use a butter knife to help me spread it nicely. To make it easy to roll up I decided to leave the end edges of the noodles empty.
- As you make the noodle roll-ups place them inside the baking dish. Next, spread the remaining of the bechamel sauce over the noodles and sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of parmesan.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and place it in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until the rolls are heated and the sauce starts bubbling.
- Then, remove the foil paper and continue baking for 10 extra minutes until the cheese has melted and browned on top. Let it stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Steps to Thawing and Draining Frozen Spinach:
- Empty the frozen block of spinach into a microwave-safe bowl and place it in the microwave for 2 minutes or until the spinach becomes soft and mushy.
- Then in a colander, place a couple of paper towel sheets and place the spinach in the colander.
- Using the paper towel to wrap the spinach, squeeze a few times to remove the water. Warning: Make sure to this inside the colander as the paper towels can break, and that can be messy, my friends :)
Nutrition
Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 312mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4450IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 455mg | Iron: 2mg