Lasagna Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese

Closeup on a lasagna roll up with cottage cheese on a plate.

5 from 2 votes

Lasagna Roll Ups with Cottage Cheese

Lasagna Roll-Ups with Cottage Cheese are a delicious twist on traditional lasagna, featuring tender pasta sheets filled with a creamy cottage cheese mixture, ground beef, and savory seasonings. Rolled up and baked in rich marinara sauce, they make a comforting, portion-perfect meal that's easy to serve and full of flavor!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword lasagna roll ups, lasagna roll ups with cottage cheese

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings (2 roll ups)

Calories 648kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the marinara sauce:

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion - diced
2 cloves garlic - diced
28 oz. fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
15 oz. diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup lower sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoons dried Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoons dried basil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste

For the cheese mixture:

1 1/2 cup cottage cheese - we use 2%
1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese - divided
3/4 cup parmesan cheese - divided
1 large egg

For the meat:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef (not too lean) - or ground sausage
1/2 cup onion - chopped
3-4 cups baby spinach
kosher salt qnd freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Remaining:

10 oz. lasagna noodles - 12 whole noodles
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make marinara sauce. In a large pot, sauté the onions in a little olive oil for 4-5 minutes over medium heat. When the onions are soft and translucent, add the garlic and seasonings – and stir for another minute or so.
Then add all the tomatoes (crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste), the chicken broth, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue cooking the sauce for about 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce cooks down slightly.
NOTE: You’ll use about four cups of this marinara sauce in this recipe. You can use the remaining sauce in quick bowls of plain pasta and marinara or on meatball subs.
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 28 oz. fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, 15 oz. diced fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 Tablespoons tomato paste, 3/4 cup lower sodium chicken broth, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoons dried Italian Seasoning, 1 teaspoons dried basil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Boil noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and a generous amount of salt. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook noodles to al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and then lay each noodle out on a clean dish towel to cool. (This will help keep them from sticking together.)
10 oz. lasagna noodles
Cook meat mixture. Heat a pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, and ground beef. Cook until beef is cooked through, using a spatula to crumble beef. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add the spinach in the last minute and cook until wilted, about a minute or so.
1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup onion, 1 pound ground beef (not too lean), kosher salt qnd freshly ground black pepper 3-4 cups baby spinach
Combine 3-cheese mixture. To a medium bowl, add the cottage cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and one egg (plus a little salt and pepper to taste). Stir to combine well.
1 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1 large egg
Assemble roll ups. Divide the cheese mixture evenly to all 12 lasagna noodles. (I lay them all out at once so it's easier to divide the ingredients.) Then divide the meat mixture on top of the cheese. Carefully roll up each noodle, trying to keep the cheese and meat inside each roll up.
If some of the meat/cheese spills out of the rolls, just add it to the casserole dish.
Assemble casserole. Spread about 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Then lay the 12 lasagna roll ups on top of the sauce. Top with the remaining 3 1/4 cup of marinara, followed by the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Bake beef roll ups. Bake roll ups, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. If the top starts browning too much, you can add aluminum foil to the top.
Serve. Serve lasagna roll ups with your choice of side dishes.

Notes

Prep Ahead – Cover casserole dish and store in the refrigerator a day or so before baking.
Store Leftovers – Store leftover roll ups in an airtight container (or meal prep containers) in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezing – Wrap unbaked casserole tightly and freeze up to three months. Thaw (in refrigerator) completely before baking.

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