Spinach and Sundried Tomato Lasagna Rolls

I love stuffed foods, but they’re often a pain to make. It’s no easy feat getting cheese, herbs, and other delectables inside often delicate food. Don’t even talk to me about stuffed chicken breasts. Or stuffed chiles! (Which happens to be one of my favorite dishes.) Stuffed pasta seems like a no-brainer comparatively, but it can still be tiresome and irritating. Your shells rip, you get your hands all goopy (because let’s face it, a spoon doesn’t always do the trick), you don’t get enough stuff stuffed in, or maybe you get too much and it all oozes out in a strange goopy mess. Really, the worst thing about stuffed foods is they take time to prepare. And who doesn’t want a short cut? Well, I’ve got one for you. Instead of stuffing jumbo shells or manicotti, why not just place a couple spoonfuls of filling on half of a lasagna noodle and roll ‘er up? It’s quick and easy and looks just as yummy. Give it a go.

Ingredients:

one package whole wheat lasagna noodles (not no bake)
marinara sauce (your own favorite recipe, or, if you’re in a hurry, marinara from a jar)
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 package sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
3 cups washed and dried fresh spinach, stems removed
1 head of roasted garlic (recipe below)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese + ¼ cup for topping
fresh basil, optional
salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make Roasted Garlic:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the outermost, flaky skin, leaving the peel around the cloves intact.

In a bread pan, or other small baking pan, place a small amount of water. Place your head of garlic in the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a fork inserted into the cloves slides easily through. Let cool, then squeeze the roasted garlic from the skin.

Lasagna Roll Directions:

Boil the lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and separate the noodles so they don’t stick together.

Make, or heat, your sauce.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

In a large sauté pan, heat the spinach with a small amount of water until just wilted.

Slice the sundried tomatoes in half. Note: If the sundried tomatoes are tough, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes.

Add steamed spinach, sundried tomatoes, and roasted garlic to the cheese mixture. Stir to combine.

On a large work surface, cut the lasagna noodles in half. Toward the end each half, place a couple spoonfuls of the filling. Roll up and set aside.

Once all the filling has been used, spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of a 13×9 inch pan. Place the lasagna rolls in the pan so they fit snug. Spread the remaining sauce over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until filling is hot and sauce is bubbling. During the last 8 minutes of baking, sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over the top of the rolls.

Remove from oven, let cool slightly. Optional: Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Note: Just like any pasta, lasagna rolls can be stuffed with anything—Italian sausage and sweet peppers, mushrooms and onions, herbs and cheese. Whatever your heart desires. Get creative!