The holidays can be an extremely joyous time, but they can also be a really hard time. It reminds us of the loved ones no longer here, the dreams we wished had come true this last year that didn’t or highlight how lonely we may feel. Some of us don’t get the luxury of time off during the holidays either and may have had to stay home alone and work this year. I’ve felt all those things over the years throughout the holidays and have learned to slow down and allow myself to process the emotions I’m feeling instead of hiding from them. I’ve also chosen to make holiday cooking and baking a way for me to remember my dad and cherish all the wonderful memories I have of our holidays together. This recipe is inspired by one my mom made when I was growing up and is for all my fellow nurses working through the holidays this year who need a homecooked meal that makes enough for lunch the next day.
These delicious spinach and cheese lasagna roll-ups are a cozy, warm meal that even looks like Christmas. The cheesy filling is made with soft spreadable garlic and herb cheese instead of ricotta to make them extra smooth and flavorful. I’m not a fan of the texture of ricotta so for me this is the perfect substitution. Growing up my sister didn’t like marinara sauce so my mom would always do half alfredo and half marinara. You can certainly do all of one sauce if you prefer, but I love the combination of the two and find the marinara helps balance out all the creaminess a bit.
Spinach and Cheese Lasagna Roll-ups
Ingredients
- 6 lasagna noodles
- 1 10 oz package frozen spinach
- 1 container spreadable garlic and herb cheese Boursin and Alouette are both great brands that are easy to find
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup alfredo sauce
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in some salt and add the lasagna noodles. Cook noodles for 10 minutes so that they can be easily rolled up.
- While the noodles are cooking make the filling by defrosting the spinach. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then put the spinach in a paper towel and squeeze out any excess water. Mix the spinach with the garlic and herb cheese, half the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and egg. Stir until it is all mixed together and creamy.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Drain the noodles and rinse off with cold water.
- Pat the noodles draw and place on a large cutting board. Spread 2-3 spoonfuls of the spinach mixture onto the noodles and spread out into an even layer over the entire noddle. Rolls the noodles up and place in a small casserole dish in two rows of three.
- Top half the spinach roll-ups with alfredo sauce and the other half with marinara. Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking.
