Skip the Layers – Roll Your Pesto Lasagna Into Cheesy Spirals Instead!
Here at the PWWB House, our love of lasagna is real. But as much as I enjoy layering up my go-to Lasagna Bolognese and Roasted Eggplant Lasagna recipes, I’m the first to admit that they’re not exactly weeknight-friendly.
So, I set out to create a quick and easy lasagna recipe for any night of the week. The solution? Giving traditional lasagna a fun twist with 5-Ingredient Pesto Lasagna Rolls!
These lasagna roll-ups are veggie-loaded and so fun to make! Each is layered with cottage cheese, loads of wilted spinach, melty mozzarella, and my homemade basil pesto sauce, creating irresistibly cheesy spirals with a gorgeous pop of green.
To make them feel extra-special, I like to nestle the spinach lasagna roll ups into a pan spiral side facing up. Finish them with extra pesto sauce and cheese, then the oven takes over and does all the work – easy!
The result is a batch of bubbling and cheesy vegetarian lasagna rolls, ready in less than 1 hour! It’s a comforting yet totally fresh and feel-good dinner that’s perfect for Sunday supper, Meatless Monday, or a fun dinner party with friends. After all, lasagna is always a good idea!
Our Go-To Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce
A generous amount of fresh pesto is exactly what makes these particular lasagna rolls so craveable – its herbaceous flavor provides the perfect balance to the creamy richness of the cheeses. (Plus, it gives each spiral the most beautiful pop of vibrant green!)
This tried and true Lemon Basil Pesto is my go-to homemade basil pesto recipe – it’s laced with the littlest bit of fresh lemon for even more bright flavor and it takes just 5 minutes to throw together with the help of a food processor!
Finely chop the aromatics. Place toasted pine nuts and garlic cloves in your food processor, pulsing a few times to break them into small pieces. Add in the basil, lemon, and parmesan, continuing to pulse until the sharp blade of the food processor chops everything into fine pieces. Why? ⇢ Basil is a super delicate herb that bruises easily. Pulsing heartier ingredients first breaks them down into small enough pieces to create a smooth sauce – all without overworking the basil!
Finish the pesto sauce. With the food processor running, slowly stream in olive oil until the pesto sauce reaches the perfect consistency. Why? ⇢ Slowly streaming in the olive oil gives it time to mix with the aromatics and form a smooth pesto.
Prefer store-bought? ⇢ If it’s easiest, feel free to use your favorite store-bought pesto! It’s best to opt for a “fresh” variety from the refrigerator section (versus the jarred types, which often lack flavor). You’ll want about 2 cups of sauce for these pesto lasagna rolls.
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Buy Now →How to Make Lasagna Rolls with Pesto
If you’ve never made rolled-up lasagna before, the process is very similar to making traditional lasagna – we’re just making individual spirals instead of a larger, layered pasta dish.
It takes a good 30 minutes to prepare all the components and wrap up the pesto lasagna rolls, but from there the oven does all the work!
Par-cook the lasagna. Bring a large pot of salted cold water to a boil, then add the lasagna noodles and cook until they’re a few minutes away from reaching al dente. Why? ⇢ While we normally recommend cooking pasta to al dente, it’s best to cook to just under al dente for lasagna roll ups. Not only are slightly undercooked lasagna noodles a little easier to roll into spirals, the pasta will continue to cook as it bakes in the oven. Cooking just under al dente prevents it from turning to mush as it bakes. Learn More! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!
Wilt the spinach. The easiest way to wilt spinach is with a microwave! Transfer to your spinach to a large bowl, cover it with a damp paper towel, then microwave it for about 1 minute. If you don’t have a microwave, feel free to wilt your spinach in a large saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Why? ⇢ Leafy greens like spinach are full of natural moisture. Wilting helps remove excess moisture, preventing the lasagna rolls from getting too watery.
Assemble the pesto lasagna rolls. Spread a little pesto in a round pan to prevent the lasagna rolls from sticking as they bake. Then get rolling! Spread plenty of cottage cheese over the surface of one lasagna noodle, then top with pesto, spinach, and shredded mozzarella. Tightly roll it all up and place it in the pan with the spiral side up. Why? ⇢ While many lasagna roll recipes call for laying the roll-ups seam-side down in a baking dish, I love placing the open spiral facing upward so you can see all of the layers swirled inside.
Bake! Cover the pan with aluminum foil then bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pesto lasagna rolls are cheesy, melty, and warmed through. Tips! ⇢ It’s always a good idea to spritz the aluminum foil with cooking spray to ensure the cheese doesn’t stick to it as it bakes. I also always place my lasagna pan on a small baking sheet before popping it in the oven to ensure any bubble-overs land on the baking sheet and not on the bottom of my oven!
Make-Ahead Pesto Lasagna Rolls
Since there are several components to this recipe, assembling the lasagna rolls in advance is a great way to save even more time and effort at dinnertime. To prep ahead of time, assemble the lasagna rolls with spinach as described, but cover them and store them in your fridge for up to 2-3 days. When dinner rolls around, simply preheat the oven and bake – easy! Check the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance!
Easy Recipe Variations
Just like a classic layered lasagna, lasagna rolls are super flexible. Feel free to adapt this base recipe to suit your preferences or use up ingredients you might already have on hand. Some ideas to get you started…
- Swap pesto with tomato sauce. Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce or whip up a quick homemade sauce, like this 10-Minute San Marzano Tomato Sauce.
- Use different greens. If you don’t love spinach, peppery arugula and hearty kale are both delicious in these pesto lasagna rolls.
- Change up the cheese! Similarly, if you don’t love the texture of cottage cheese, feel free to swap it out with fresh ricotta cheese instead.
- Add meat. If you have some shredded chicken in your refrigerator, feel free to layer it right into the pesto lasagna rolls. For an extra-hearty version, bake your lasagna rolls in Turkey Bolognese Sauce!
Serving and Storage Suggestions
Pesto lasagna rolls are a gorgeous meal for any occasion! For a quick weeknight dinner, I love serving them with a loaf of crusty bread and quick salad dressed with our tangy All-Purpose Vinaigrette.
If you’re serving a crowd, make it a full-on feast with Zucchini Meatballs, Crispy Parmesan Chicken, or a stunning Grilled Vegetable Platter.
Leftovers? ⇢ This lasagna roll recipe yields 12 generously stuffed roll-ups, but leftovers store incredibly well. Simply reheat them in the microwave when you want to dig back in. Pesto lasagna rolls are also super freezer-friendly, so feel free to double the recipe and freeze for an easy dinner option later – full details in the Recipe Notes, below!
I can’t wait for you to try these Pesto Lasagna Roll-Ups! They’re fresh, veggie-loaded, super fun to make, and they also happen to be absolutely stunning. Nothing not to love!
If you do give them a try, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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5-Ingredient Pesto Lasagna Rolls with Spinach and Cottage Cheese
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dishes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
We LOVE a good ol’ lasagna night here at the PWWB House, but as much as I love taking the time to layer up a classic lasagna, I was really drawn to the idea of creating a back-pocket recipe for whenever lasagna cravings strike. The solution? Giving traditional lasagna a fun twist with 5-Ingredient Pesto Lasagna Rolls!
These lasagna roll-ups are veggie-loaded and so fun to make! Each is layered with fresh pesto sauce, wilted spinach, melty mozzarella, and protein-packed cottage cheese. Simply roll them up and bake them. The result is a batch of bubbling and cheesy lasagna rolls with spinach, ready in less than 1 hour!
Enjoy on their own as a satisfying vegetarian main, or serve alongside a quick protein like turkey meatballs or crispy parmesan chicken. Any night is a good night for lasagna! ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces cottage cheese (approx. 2 cups)
- 10 ounces fresh spinach (approx. 10 cups packed), wilted
- 2 cups fresh basil pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade, divided
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella (approx. 2 cups shredded), divided
- nonstick cooking spray
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Par-boil the pasta: Generously season a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is 2-3 minutes under al dente (“al dente” cooking time is typically indicated in package directions). Drain the lasagna noodles, quickly rinsing with cool water, and set aside. (Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)
- Prep: Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, prepare for lasagna roll up assembly. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the upper third of the oven. To wilt the spinach, place it in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave until it’s softened, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, if you do not have a microwave, you can wilt the spinach in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.) If using homemade pesto, prepare that at this point too – this 10-Minute Lemon Basil Pesto sauce is my go-to. Spoon ¼ cup of the pesto into an 8- or 9-inch round baking pan (or similarly sized rectangle pan). Spread the pesto around the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Set aside.
- Pesto lasagna roll up assembly: Place the par-cooked lasagna noodles, wilted spinach, cottage cheese, pesto sauce, and shredded mozzarella within arm’s reach for assembly. Set one par-cooked lasagna noodle in front of you. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of cottage cheese over the surface of the lasagna noodle, leaving a ½-inch border at one end. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto sauce over the cottage cheese. Spread some of the wilted spinach over top, finished by a sprinkling of 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese. Tightly roll the noodle toward the ½-inch border at the opposite end, creating a beautiful spiral as you go. Set the lasagna roll up in the prepared baking pan, spiral side facing up. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 12 total pesto lasagna roll ups. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of mozzarella cheese over top.
- Bake the pesto lasagna roll ups: Spray a medium piece of foil with nonstick cooking spray and cover the baking pan, taking care to avoid pressing it against the cheesy top. Place the baking pan on top of a small baking sheet, transfer to the preheated oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pesto lasagna roll ups are warmed through.
- Rest and serve: Carefully remove the pesto lasagna roll-ups from the oven. Allow to cool slightly, then serve. I like to shower the pan with leafy basil and serve with extra basil pesto sauce and grated parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- Jess’ Notes and Tips:
- “Fresh” pesto sauce: Feel free to whip up a batch of homemade pesto (my go-to Lemon Basil Pesto Sauce works beautifully for these roll-ups!) or grab store-bought for extra convenience. If using store-bought, opt for “fresh” pesto rather than jarred for best results (i.e. use the kind sold in the refrigerator section, which tends to taste freshest and has a nice, saucy consistency). If your pesto is on the thicker side, squeeze some fresh lemon juice in as directed to help loosen it up.
- Make it your own!: The fun thing about this recipe is that it’s pretty flexible. If you’d like, feel free to swap out pesto for a light tomato sauce (this San Marzano Tomato Sauce is our favorite!), spinach for heartier kale or peppery arugula, or cottage for ricotta.
- Make-Ahead Pesto Lasagna Roll Ups: Since there are a couple of different components involved in this pesto lasagna roll ups recipe, prepping them ahead of time is a great option for particularly effortless weeknight cooking. Assemble the pesto lasagna roll ups in full (Steps 1-3), then cover and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. At dinnertime, simply preheat and bake according to Step 4, noting you may have to add 5-10 minutes of baking time to ensure the lasagna roll ups warm through.
- Storage, Reheating, and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: This pesto lasagna roll ups recipe yields 4 very generous portions or up to 6 smaller portions. Leftovers store incredibly well. Allow the lasagna roll-ups to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freezer Instructions: Leftover pesto lasagna roll ups are also very freezer-friendly. Transfer cooled leftovers to a freezer container or divide between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions – these are my absolute favorite freezer containers! – and freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen lasagna roll ups in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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