Lasagna Rolls

While on my mission, Sister Lake would take me and my companions out to Olive Garden about once a month for lunch. I would always order Lasagna Rolls. Unfortunately it was a "limited time offer" ie "we are going to try a new menu item and if people like it we will add it to the menu". I was disappointed a few months ago when I went to the Olive Garden and it was no longer available. What did I expect, it had been two years since I last visited the Olive Garden. About two months ago I finally had all the ingredients I needed to make my version of lasagna rolls. Granted mine had marinara sauce and no chicken like the Olive Garden's did, but that doesn't matter. I had an easy freezer meal for work.

1 box of Lasagna Noodles

1 16 oz Ricotta cheese

1 Egg

1 Garlic clove chopped finely or 1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp Parsley

1 tsp. Basil

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce*

2 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese

2 tsp Oregano

Parmesan Cheese
1 lbs. Ground beef

1.      Preheat oven to 375°F

2.      Cook Lasagna Noodles according to directions on packaging. Cool on wax or parchment paper.

3.      While noodles are cooking prepare ricotta cheese mixture by mixing ricotta cheese, egg, garlic, parsley and basil in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp. parmesan cheese.

4.      Heat Spaghetti Sauce, add browned meat if desired

5.      When noodles are cooled enough to handle, spread a thin layer of ricotta cheese over the noodle except for 1 ½ inches on one end, lightly spread tomato sauce on top and cover with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Roll the noodle up like a sleeping bag from the end of the noodle that has cheese to the end that is missing cheese. By the time you get to the end “missing cheese”, enough of the mixture has pushed its way to the end.

6.      Line up rolls in 9x13 greased pan. Cover rolls with remaining sauce then cheese. Top with basil. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in oven for 45-60 minutes or until the rolls in the middle are cooked thoroughly. Remove foil for last 5-10 minutes.

I let the rolls cool for a while then placed 2 rolls in ziplock bags for storage in my freezer so I had homemade freezer dinners for work.

*See Spaghetti Sauce Post for recipe