If you’ve never made lasagna (or if you’ve always loved it), this is the version that will be your go-to.
As a child, my mother never made lasagna for dinner. Instead, we had penne rosa, fettuccine alfredo, and pesto pasta, but lasagna was always missing from the menu. The reason is pretty simple: my mother doesn’t like ricotta or cottage cheese. She finds the grainy texture off-putting, and that’s rubbed off on my siblings, too.
There’s a theory that just because you don’t like a food doesn’t mean you really dislike it; it might just be that you’re not used to the flavor. That’s definitely true for me when it comes to ricotta and cottage cheese. Since I didn’t grow up eating them, I still can’t seem to warm up to their taste.
And so I made a version of my cousin Miriam Fuchs, who shared this concept, an alternate version of lasagna! It’s a cross between lasagna and pasta rose, and works even without the ricotta or cottage cheese. It’s still super creamy and delicious! The combination of mozzarella and cream cheese creates a lovely, rich flavor that feels indulgent without being overwhelming. Plus, it’s a fun twist on the classic lasagna that I think everyone will enjoy.
Sure, rolling the noodles takes a little extra time, but it’s worth it for the beautiful presentation and easy serving. If you’re looking for a new take on lasagna that still feels cozy and comforting, give this recipe a shot—you might just find a new favorite.
This recipe uses 10 strips of lasagna. You will need to double the recipe if you want to use the whole box.
First, prepare the tomato cream sauce.
In a bowl,
combine the cheese mixture ingredients.
Start by lining the baking pan with some cream sauce.
Assemble the roll-ups by lining each lasagna strip with the cheese mixture.
Top with some of the tomato cream sauce.
Roll-up! Repeat with all lasagna sheets and place in pan, seam side down.
Top with remaining tomato cream sauce…
And more cheese!
Bake for 20 minutes.
If you want some more crispiness and color, finish by baking at a higher temperature for another 10 minutes.
And you know what’s also great about this lasagna? It stays neat and presentable even after portions are taken out, because it doesn’t need to be sliced!
Lasagna Roll Ups
Ingredients
- 10 strips lasagna, boiled according to package instructions
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Tomato Cream Sauce:
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- dash crushed red pepper (add more if you like things with a kick)
- ½ cup heavy cream
Cheese Mixture:
- 1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat olive oil or melt butter in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté until golden, 1-2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and bring to a summer. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper if using. Stir in heavy cream.
- Prepare the cheese mixture. Combine the cream cheese, shredded cheese, salt and pepper.
- Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with some of the tomato cream sauce. Then, assemble the roll-ups. Line each cooked lasagna sheet with some of the cheese mixture and drizzle some tomato cream sauce on top.
- Roll up, place in pan seam side down, and repeat with all 10 sheets of lasagna. Top with remaining tomato cream sauce and cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes. You can also finish by baking at a higher temperature for 5 minutes, to give it some crispiness and color.
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