This easy Lasagna Roll Ups recipe has everything you love about classic lasagna, but in the form of rolls rather than layers. It features tender lasagna noodles rolled up with a hearty combination of red sauce with Italian sausage plus a rich and creamy 4-cheese filling. A blanket of melty mozzarella cheese is the final delicious touch. This is a great make-ahead, freezer-friendly meal – and it reheats like a charm!

A white baking dish of lasagna roll ups topped with red sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.

Easy Lasagna Roll Ups

Skip the traditional layers and roll up your lasagna noodles with this easy Lasagna Roll Ups recipe! You’ll love this cozy, flavorful lasagna rendition that features wide, tender noodles rolled up around a meaty red sauce and creamy four-cheese filling. The recipe is easily customizable, a winning meal for every family. Plus, we all know that lasagna makes the BEST leftovers – it also freezes really well!

Why You’ll Love This Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe

My family adores everything “lasagna”, with that delicious combination of pasta, red sauce, and cheese. Here’s why you’ll love this lasagna roll ups recipe:

It’s for ❤️LASAGNA LOVERS! You know who you are. Lasagna Lovers come here not only for my famous lasagna soup recipe (the first one on the internet!), but also for my:
Hearty. From the savory meat sauce (with a full pound of Italian sausage) to the rich, cheesy filling in these pasta roll-ups, you’ll definitely leave the table feeling happy and satisfied.
Adaptable. You’ll appreciate how easy it is to change up this recipe. You can add vegetables or swap out the sausage for ground beef – or ground turkey or ground chicken for a leaner lasagna. You can also make this lasagna with a spicy kick!
Great to make ahead. If you’re looking for a dish to share with a friend – maybe they just had a baby or lost a loved one? – lasagna roll ups are always welcome. You can bake it in advance or pop it in the freezer to give away later.

What You’ll Need

Here’s an overview of the ingredients in this lasagna roll ups recipe. Scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

ingredients to make the meat and red sauce filling — meat sauce ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

Olive oil
Onion and garlic – These fresh ingredients deliver wonderful, classic flavor to this lasagna dish.
Italian sausage – You can buy it bulk or remove it from the casings if you buy it in links.
Dried seasonings – This includes Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper.
Marinara sauce – Make homemade marinara or use your favorite store-bought sauce.

ingredients to make the creamy 4-cheese filling — cheese filling ingredients

For the Cheese Filling

Ricotta cheese – I like to use full-fat ricotta for the richest flavor and creamiest texture.
Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese (not whipped cream cheese).
Egg – To bind the filling together and add rich flavor.
Mozzarella cheese – Use shredded mozzarella. If you can find whole milk mozzarella, that’s even better!
Parmesan cheese – I use pre-shredded Parmesan.
Capers – These add a briny flavor note that’s really fun, but you can omit them if you wish.
Fresh parsley – For a little bit of fresh herby flavor.

shredded mozzarella, marinara sauce, and lasagna noodles — ingredients for final assembly

To Assemble

Lasagna noodles – Use your favorite brand of lasagna noodles.
Marinara sauce – Store-bought or homemade, use whatever you like.
Mozzarella cheese – To melt over the top of the roll ups.

Recipe Variations

Keep things simple and make the recipe as written, or try some of these variations suggestions:

Add vegetables. Chopped baby spinach or sauteed mushrooms would be a lovely addition to the lasagna roll-up filling. Extra vegetables are especially nice if you want to skip the meat.
Use a different meat. Italian sausage adds extra wonderful flavor and texture to this dish – but you can use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken if you prefer. If you use a different meat, I’d recommend adding in some extra Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper when cooking the meat.
Make them vegetarian. If you want to make a vegetarian version of lasagna roll ups, omit the sausage. You don’t have to add vegetables, but it will round out the filling a bit more.
Use pesto sauce. You can top your lasagna rolls with pesto sauce instead of marinara sauce for another layer of flavor and pop of bright green.
Make it spicy. I like an Italian red sauce with some kick. If you do too, sprinkle in some extra dried red pepper flakes!

a white baking dish with rolls of lasagna

How to Make Lasagna Roll Ups

I’ve outlined my method for making lasagna roll ups below. You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

A chopped onion cooks in a black skillet. — sauté the onion

Garlic, onion, and sausage cook in a black skillet, being stirred by a wooden spoon, with small bowls of seasonings nearby. — sauté the onion

Sauté onion. Preheat the oven. Then cook the onion in olive oil in a skillet, over medium heat, for 2-3 minutes.
Cook the sausage and garlic with seasonings. Stir in the Italian sausage and minced garlic, then sprinkle the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning over the top. Cook until sausage is cooked through.

A wooden stirring paddle is shown on top of a skillet of cooked ground sausage with tomato sauce piled on top. — add marinara sauce

A wooden stirring paddle stirs red sauce and meat together in a black skillet. — add marinara sauce

Add marinara sauce. Stir in the marinara sauce, then let simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

A white bowl contains the ingredients for lasagna roll ups filling before it's mixed together, with a spoon to the right. — add filling ingredients to a bowl

A spoon mixes together a bowl of cheesy lasagna roll ups filling. — add filling ingredients to a bowl

Make the cheese filling. Combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, capers, and parsley. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Cook the noodles. Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions.

A spoon spreads a layer of red sauce into the bottom of a white baking dish. — add marinara to dish

A closer up shot of layers of lasagna pasta topped with cheese filling and meat sauce. — add marinara to dish

Time to assemble! Start by spreading some marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
Layer the noodles with cheese filling and meat sauce. Spread each cooked lasagna noodle with cheese filling and then meat sauce.
Roll them up! Roll up the lasagna noodles around the filling, and arrange the rolls in an even layer in the baking dish.

Lasagna roll ups are shown topped with red sauce in a white baking dish. — add marinara sauce

Shredded mozzarella cheese is scattered on top of a baking dish of lasagna roll ups. — add marinara sauce

Top with marinara sauce and cheese. Spread marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls and sprinkle mozzarella over the top.

A side angle partial view of a white baking pan full of lasagna roll ups, with a spoon inserted in the lower right.

Bake. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the roll-ups are heated through, about 25 minutes or so. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more.
Serve. Let the roll ups cool for a few minutes. Then garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve.

Tips for Success

Lasagna roll ups are easy to make, however here are a few tips I’ve gleaned along the way:

Cook noodles in salted water. Cook the noodles according to package directions, in salted water (I add 2-3 tablespoons of kosher salt to a large pot of water), until just al-dente. Take care to not over-cook the noodles.
Cook extra noodles. I usually cook a couple extra noodles because sometimes they break while boiling.
Rest the roll-ups. Similar to traditional lasagna, a pan of hot lasagna roll ups benefits from resting a few minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the filling to firm up a bit before serving.
Make them ahead. You can make this roll ups recipe a day in advance of serving it, or freeze a pan for up to 3 months. (See the next section for fridge and freezer storage.)
Prepare a double batch. It doesn’t take that much extra work to make a double batch of lasagna roll ups – then you can freeze a pan, to enjoy an easy homemade meal later on. (See the next section for freezer storage.)

Can I Make Lasagna Roll-Ups Ahead?

There are a few options for making these lasagna roll-ups ahead of time:

Fully assemble and refrigerate overnight (don’t bake). Prepare this recipe according to the directions, but don’t bake the assembled dish. After you sprinkle the top with mozzarella, cover the dish tightly with foil and place it in the fridge overnight. Then remove the dish from the oven 30 minutes before you preheat the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes with foil (tent the foil so it’s not touching the cheese), or until the roll ups are very warmed throughout. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
Fully assemble and bake. If you prefer to bake the dish right away, then let it cool to room temperature. Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate. Then you can heat individual portions in the microwave or oven as needed.
Fully assemble and freeze (don’t bake). Prepare this recipe, but don’t bake the assembled dish. After you sprinkle the top with mozzarella, wrap the dish tightly with a double layer of heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 40-50 minutes with foil (tent the foil so it’s not touching the cheese), or until the roll ups are very warmed throughout. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

I like to round out a meal of lasagna roll-ups with a salad or veggie – and my family always requests cheesy bread. Check out my serving suggestions below:

Add a salad. A hearty, cheesy main dish calls for a fresh side salad. Try my arugula beet salad, winter apple salad, or crunchy broccoli salad. My Italian chopped salad also works great, although I sometimes skip the salami since there’s already meat in the roll ups.
A vegetable side. Make easy grilled or roasted asparagus!
With garlic bread. Go all-in on comfort food with a side of garlic bread – this makes my family super happy! My cheesy homemade garlic bread is perfect.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Lasagna roll ups are an easy make-ahead option. Here’s how to store and reheat them:

Fridge – Place any leftover cooled lasagna roll ups in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Place a portion of lasagna roll-ups on a microwave-safe plate and heat them in the microwave in 30-second increments until heated through and the cheese is melted. Or place lasagna roll-ups in a baking dish and cover it with foil – then heat in a 350°F oven until warmed through to your liking.
Freezer – Transfer cooled lasagna roll ups to a freezer-safe container (or several smaller freezer-safe containers, for individual portions) and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat from frozen by placing the rollups in a baking dish and covering it with foil – then heat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Or let the roll-ups thaw in the fridge overnight and then bake or microwave until hot to your liking.

More Easy Dinner Ideas

Lasagna Roll Ups

Yield: 6 servings

prep time: 20

cook time: 45

total time: 1 5

This easy Lasagna Roll Ups recipe has everything you love about classic lasagna, but in the form of rolls rather than layers. It features tender lasagna noodles rolled up with a hearty combination of red sauce with Italian sausage and a rich and creamy 4-cheese filling. A blanket of melty mozzarella cheese is the final delicious touch. This is a great make-ahead, freezer-friendly meal – and it reheats like a charm!

5 Stars (1 Review)

Ingredients

for the meat sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Italian sausage (without casings)
1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups marinara sauce

for the cheese filling

1 cup full-fat ricotta cheese
½ cup full-fat cream cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

to assemble

12 lasagna noodles
1 cup marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
fresh basil leaves, optional garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

For the meat sauce:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion is just translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the sausage and garlic, then sprinkle the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning over the top. Break apart the sausage with a spoon as it cooks. Cook until sausage is browned and cooked through.
Stir in the marinara sauce and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Set skillet aside, off the heat.

For the cheese filling:

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cream cheese, egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, capers, and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Mix until well combined.

Assembly:

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and lay them flat on a clean surface.
Spread ¼ cup of the marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish.
Spread a generous spoonful of the cheese filling along the entire length of each cooked lasagna noodle, dividing the cheese filling evenly amongst the twelve noodles.
Spread the meat sauce over the cheese mixture on each noodle, dividing it evenly amongst the twelve noodles.
Roll up the lasagna noodles with the filling inside and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
Pour the marinara sauce over the rolled-up lasagna noodles in the baking dish and sprinkle with mozzarella.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and the roll-ups are heated through.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden to your liking. If you like blistered cheese, place the pan under the broiler for a couple minutes.
Let the roll ups cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 646kcal Carbohydrates: 41g Protein: 32g Fat: 39g Saturated Fat: 17g Polyunsaturated Fat: 22g Cholesterol: 113mg Sodium: 1597mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 8g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

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