Lasagna roll-ups rock! If you have never heard of them, they’re basically little roll-ups of lasagna goodness that make lasagna super easy to portion and eat. In my opinion, lasagna is harder to make just because I never know how many layers to do, what the size of one slice equals in terms of serving size, and how long to cook it so everything is cooked through. It has been made easier by the fact that you can now buy “oven ready” pasta (they’re amazing), but I still prefer lasagna roll-ups.
In my garden this year, I decided to grow eggplant. I do not remember ever having grown one before. I just thought it sounded like something fun to grow and I was sure there were tons of ways to prepare it. I also read that one plant yields 3 or 4 eggplants, which was perfect for my family.
Fast forward to harvesting time: my eggplant has produced 7 total eggplants so far, with an additional 2 more waiting for me to pick. Ummm… what did I do so well?! I literally have no idea because the other plants in the garden have struggled a bit this year. Apparently, the plant really liked the soil, watering schedule, and the heat this summer.
Anyway, I have quickly realized that I was mistaken when it comes to tons of ways to prepare eggplant. My recipe searches have come up with things that sound kind of gross, complicated, or just odd. (If you have ideas, be sure to share them in the comments below – I’d love to hear them!) I made eggplant parmesan and eggplant lasagna. Then, I created the recipe for eggplant lasagna roll-ups and realized it was our family favorite so far.
Eggplant lasagna roll-ups are straightforward to make and they taste delicious! It is a great way to sneak in a few vegetables for your kids too! My husband, who really enjoys meat with his pasta, doesn’t even seem to mind that this is a vegetarian dish. You could, however, add some cooked hamburger or sausage to the cheese mixture or use meat sauce to change that if you choose.
Eggplant Lasagna Roll-Ups
Ingredients
- ½ box lasagna noodles (9 noodles total)
- 1 medium eggplant, diced
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup shredded Italian cheese blend, plus more for topping the lasagna rolls
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp dried basil
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- 1 24 oz jar pasta sauce
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until al dente (follow the directions on the box).
- Drain the noodles and set them aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 2½ quart baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Add the diced eggplant, pepper, garlic salt, and olive oil to a pan and sautee on medium heat until the eggplant is cooked through, or 5 to 10 minutes.
- Set the eggplant aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and egg.
- Add the two types of shredded cheeses and the remaining spices. Mix well.
- Add the cooked eggplant to the cheese mixture and stir well.
- Add about one to two cups of pasta sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it around evenly. This will be the base for the lasagna rolls to sit on.
- Begin making the lasagna rolls one at a time: take one noodle and spread about two tablespoons of the cheese mixture on one side, then carefully roll the noodle up (not too tightly, but enough to trap the cheese inside).
- Place each lasagna roll-up in the baking dish on top of the pasta (I prefer to put the seam side down).
- After making all 9 lasagna roll-ups and placing them in the baking dish, pour the remaining pasta sauce over the lasagna roll-ups.
- Top the pasta sauce with more shredded Italian cheese blend.
- Cover the dish with foil (or lid if your baking dish has one) and bake covered for 45 minutes.
- Remove the foil (or lid) and bake for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is browning an bubbly.
- Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If you prefer not to make this a vegetarian dish: try adding cooked hamburger or sausage to the cheese mixture, or use meat sauce instead of marinara sauce.
- An additional cup of ricotta cheese can be used instead of cottage cheese.
- Try using different vegetables too – zucchini, spinach, and more work really well.
- This recipe can be doubled, just use a 9×13 pan instead.
