I don’t say this lightly. This is the easiest way to have lasagna! I’ve tried a lot of lasagna recipes and almost all of them take a long time to bake. And then there’s the extra prep time. If you’re looking for a family-friendly dish or something you can share with company, Lasagna Rollups fills the bill.
The filling is creamy and easy to make with extra-firm tofu, spinach, sauteed onions, and some Italian seasoning. You could also mince up some mushrooms or bell peppers for some extra texture–I call it the “chew factor.” I chop them up fine, using baby Bella mushrooms and miniature peppers for easier prep time. But either way, this is an easy filling to whip up and roll up in your favorite lasagna noodles.
We love these Lasagna Rollups because they’re…
- Creamy
- An easy meal for busy schedules
- Full of Italian flavor
- Great filling for stuffing manicotti, giant pasta shells, and even crepes
- Can be made gluten-free
- Low in fat
- Zero cholesterol
- Diabetic friendly
- Packed with natural fiber
- Did I say delicious?
Easy Lasagna Rollups
Traditional lasagna is made with meat and cheese which can load you up with fat, cholesterol, and calories. But Easy Lasagna Rollups are packed with Italian flavor with plenty of heart-smart ingredients. The filling is made with only 8 ingredients and it’s going to be one of your favorite foods that love you back to live longer and feel better.
- Firm or extra-firm tofu
- Fresh or frozen spinach
- Medium onion
- Lemon Juice
- Nutritional yeast flakes
- Salt
- Spaghetti Sauce
- Lasagna Noodles
How to make the filling for Easy Lasagna Rollups
Drain a 14 or 16 ounce block of tofu (extra-firm is my favorite but firm will work just as well). Then cut it into small blocks. This makes it easier to mash it up quickly with a fork. Set this aside while you mince a medium onion. Then saute’ the onion in a few tablespoons of water. In just a few minutes, you will find the onion becoming soft and translucent.
Simmer 2 cups of fresh or frozen spinach in a small amount of water along with your minced onion. Be careful not to overcook it–cook just long enough for the spinach leaves to begin to wilt (if using fresh spinach). If using frozen spinach, just mix together with the onions for a few minutes to allow the flavors to “marry” and for the mixture to become blended. Then combine the cooked veggies with your tofu mixture.
Add your seasonings and adjust to taste.
Spread your cooked lasagna noodles with a layer of tomato sauce–I use our Pasta Perfect Tomato Sauce. It’s the best sauce I’ve ever had–it’s thick and creamy and bursting with plenty of garlic. You can find the recipe for it here. Then spoon some of the filling on top, being careful not to overload it. Then gently roll the lasagna noodles jelly-roll fashion and place in a baking dish.
Once your dish is filled with these delicious Lasagna Rollups, spread the Pasta Perfect Tomato Sauce on top and bake for about 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven–just until the lasagna rollups are heated through. I like to garnish it with snipped basil leaves and/or dried parsley for a more colorful and tasty touch.
You can also find a video demonstration of this recipe on our YouTube channel.
Easy Lasagna Rollups
Ingredients
- 14-16 oz Extra-firm tofu
- 2 cups fresh or frozen spinach, chopped
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 6-8 cooked lasagna noodles can be gluten-free
- Pasta Perfect Tomato Sauce
Instructions
- Drain tofu and chop into small chunks. Mash until it resembles cottage cheese.
- Mince onion and saute in a few tablespoons of water in a frying pan or skillet. Cook until onion becomes clear or translucent.
- Add 2 cups of spinach. If using fresh spinach, cook for just a few minutes, until the leaves begin to wilt. If using frozen spinach, mix thoroughly with the onions and cook for just a few minutes.
- Drain any excess water in the spinach-onion mixture. Then combine with the mashed tofu and mix well.
- Add seasonings and adjust to taste.
- Spread a layer of tomato sauce on the cooked lasagna noodles. Add the tofu-spinach filling on top.
- Gently roll the lasagna noodles jelly-roll fashion and place in a baking dish. Fill up the dish with 6-8 lasagna rollups.
- Spread a generous helping of Pasta Perfect Tomato Sauce on top of each Lasaga Rollup. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Cook until it is heated through.
- (Optional) Garnish with snipped fresh basil and/or fresh or dried parsley.
Notes
Tofu HealthBite:Â Tofu is a high-protein plant food that makes a delicious and nutritious addition to many pasta dishes. It is also valuable source of iron and calcium. Tofu loves you back by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol in the body). Eating organic soy foods such as tofu has also been linked with a 30% reduced risk for developing breast cancer.