If you're a fan of spinach and artichoke dip then you will love these vegetable lasagna with white sauce roll-ups for dinner! This pasta with artichokes and spinach is the perfect vegetarian family meal and a fun twist to the traditional lasagna!
In this post, we will discuss the ingredients, how to make it, and easy modifications. Want a simple and tasty meal prep dish this spring? Then read on for more about this pasta with artichokes and spinach!
What You'll Need:
Ingredients:
- Lasagna noodles
- Cheese: ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan
- Large egg
- Garlic cloves
- Spinach
- Artichoke hearts (canned or frozen)
- Butter
- Flour
- Whole or Skim Milk
- Granulated Garlic
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt (optional)
Equipment:
- Baking Dish (preferably 9 x 13)
- Cookie sheet or cooling rack
- Mixing bowl
- Large pot
- Rubber spatula, large spoon, tongs, colander or mesh strainer
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce Rollups: How to Make It
Step 1: Noodles
These lasagna roll-ups include a few steps and can be done while the noodles are cooking!
First, you will cook the noodles according to the package instructions, about 8-10 minutes. Preferably al dente, since they will be transferred to the oven for more cooking.
Once the noodles are done to your desired firmness, drain and rinse with cold water. Once cool to the touch, lay each noodle flat on a cookie sheet or cooling rack to keep it from sticking.
Step 2: Cheese Mixture
While the noodles are boiling, grab a mixing bowl, and combine the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, egg, chopped spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Spread on Noodles
Lay out a cooked lasagna noodle on a clean surface. Spread a generous amount of the cheese and vegetable mixture evenly over the entire length of the noodle.
Carefully roll up the lasagna noodles from one end to the other, enclosing the filling inside. Place the rolled-up lasagna noodles seam-side down in a greased baking dish. Repeat this process until you are out of the noodles.
Next, pour the white sauce on the noodles until evenly spread. Cover with the foil and bake!
If you prefer marinara sauce, pour ½ cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan before transferring the lasagna rollups to the pan. Lastly, pour the remaining marinara sauce.
How to Store it:
This dish can be covered in foil or stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the lasagna rollups thaw in the refrigerator the day before and then reheat in the oven (or microwave individual portions).
Variations:
This pasta with spinach and artichokes recipe is vegetarian and can be modified to your liking!
- To make vegan (follow both the dairy-free and egg-free versions below)
- Dairy-free use dairy-free, plant-based cheeses in place of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella and non-dairy milk and vegan butter for the white sauce (cashew milk would be delicious). Try this vegan bechamel version!
- For egg-free, substitute a vegan egg replacer or use a flax egg substitute (1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons cold water for one egg).
- Gluten-free lasagna noodles are the perfect substitute for regular lasagna noodles if gluten-sensitive.
- Not a fan of spinach or artichokes? Substitute your favorite veggies! Try cooked broccoli, kale, mushrooms, zucchini, or asparagus to name a few! Hearts of palm also have a similar texture to artichokes.
- Prefer tomato sauce? Substitute a marinara sauce for the white bechamel sauce (see above photos).
Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce Rollups
These vegetable lasagna with white sauce roll-ups including ricotta and artichokes are fun and easy to make! Less mess and prep than regular lasagna!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 large egg
15 ounce Ricotta, whole milk, or low fat
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and strained
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ pound lasagna noodles (12 noodles)
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 cups whole or skim milk
Fresh basil leaves for topping (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside a sheet pan and a greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain, then spread each noodle separately on a parchment-lined sheet pan or cooling rack to keep it from sticking.
While pasta noodles are boiling, in a large mixing bowl, mix the egg, garlic, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella until fully combined. Stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts. Salt and pepper as desired. Set aside.
On a clean surface, or cutting board, flatten out the lasagna noodles (2-3 at a time) and spread a few tablespoons of the mixture onto the noodle. Gently roll the lasagna noodle from the long end until it makes a rollup. Transfer each lasagna roll to the baking dish seam side down.
Heat the milk in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to warm and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat then stir in the flour. Stir constantly to keep the flour mixture from browning too dark, the goal is a light golden hue, about 5-7 minutes. Gently pour in half of the milk and whisk together. Pour in the remaining milk and continue whisking until the sauce thickens and becomes a smooth consistency.
Pour the sauce over the lasagna rollups in the pan. Top with extra mozzarella and parmesan cheese (optional). See Notes.
Bake for 25-30 minutes covered with foil or until the roll-ups are evenly heated through. Top with extra sauce if desired. Top with fresh basil leaves (optional).
Notes
When filling the lasagna rolls, you can either have the mixture in the middle of a noodle and roll up or spread from edge to edge for a roll-up looking more like a pinwheel versus a sushi roll!
Instead of bechamel sauce, swap it for 24 ounces marinara sauce!
