Spinach Lasagna Rolls with White Sauce

5 from 4 votes

Spinach Lasagna Rolls with White Sauce

Creamy and satisfying, these lasagna rolls are stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, and garlicky spinach, and topped with a white béchamel.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

For the lasagna rolls

1 pound lasagna pasta
1 pound baby spinach
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup onion minced
1/2 pound mozzarella shredded
1 pound ricotta drained overnight
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese grated
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the white (béchamel) sauce

8 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 tablespoons butter
4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

How to make white (béchamel) sauce

To make the béchamel sauce heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once melted add in the flour a bit at a time and whisk for 2-3 minutes to incorporate all the flour into the butter.
Raise heat to medium-high and slowly add the milk into the pan and continue whisking to remove any lumps. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat back to medium-low. The béchamel sauce will take about 7-10 minutes to thicken. When the sauce coats the back of a spoon turn off the heat and add in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Taste test the sauce and add more seasoning if desired.

Assembling the spinach lasagna rolls

Cook lasagne sheets to very al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions) in salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) and run under cold water or shock in an ice bath. Lay the sheets flat on parchment paper or clean kitchen towels.
Saute the onion in 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pan. Once the onion turns soft (about 3-4 minutes) add in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more until fragrant.
Run the spinach under cold water to clean, and place it in the pan with the onions and garlic to steam. Cover and let cook until wilted (about 2-3 minutes). Place the spinach in a wire mesh strainer. When cool enough to touch press the spinach into the strainer to remove as much water as possible.
Chop the spinach then add it into a large bowl with the ricotta cheese. Mix in the grated parmesan, 2/3's of the grated mozzarella and season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Taste test and if required add a bit more salt. When satisfied with the taste add 2 beaten eggs and mix into the ricotta and spinach mixture. Set aside.
Place a thin layer of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a 10 by 15 or larger baking pan. You might need two pans.
Spoon roughly 3-4 tablespoons of the spinach ricotta mixture into the middle of each lasagne sheet. Roll the lasagne and place them seam side down into the baking pan. Continue the process, working until all of the spinach has been used up. *there might be leftover lasagne sheets*
Pour the remaining béchamel sauce on top of the rolls leaving the ends exposed to crisp up a bit. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
Cover with foil (make sure the foil doesn't touch the sauce and cheese) and cook the roll-ups at 400f for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for the last 2 minutes of cooking to get some color on top. Watch carefully to not burn! Serve with more parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh minced parsley for garnish. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

If the béchamel is too thin, whisk in a bit more flour and continue to cook until thickened. If too thick, whisk in a bit more milk and cook for a few minutes more. The white sauce (béchamel) is very easy to modify so don't worry if it needs adjustment.
Covering with parchment paper, then foil will ensure no sticking. If using just foil, try not to touch the foil to the cheese.
When broiling at the end, make sure to watch carefully the whole time.
Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 6 months. To reheat bake at 350f until warm or if just heating up a couple of rolls, use the microwave.

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