These stuffed lasagna rolls are filled with tender beef ragù, creamy white sauce, and melted cheese, then baked cut-side up until bubbling and golden. A comforting Italian main that’s perfect for a special family meal!
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These stuffed lasagna rolls combine the familiar flavors of a classic lasagna and white sauce lasagna, but in a different form. Fresh lasagna sheets are filled with a hearty red sauce, creamy white sauce, and melted cheese, then baked until hot and lightly browned.
Instead of being layered flat, the pasta is rolled, sliced, and baked cut-side up to create a rosette-style presentation. Inspired by girelle di lasagna and introduced to me by a friend, this is simply another way to prepare lasagna, with each portion neatly shaped and easy to serve.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh lasagna: Fresh egg lasagna sheets roll and cut more easily, which helps create clean rosette-style roll-ups. If using homemade pasta, there’s no need to pre-cook it.
- Cheese: A combination of shredded mozzarella cheese or fontina and freshly grated Parmesan gives the best flavor. Pre-grated cheese is best avoided, as it doesn’t melt as smoothly.
- Red sauce: The hearty red sauce is made with ground beef and finely chopped vegetables, then simmered with basil and a bay leaf until thick. Let the sauce cool slightly before assembling so the rolls hold their shape.
- White sauce: This simple white sauce is a classic béchamel made with butter, flour, and milk. It will continue to thicken as it cools, making it easier to spread on the pasta.
How to Make Stuffed Lasagna Rolls
Start by preparing the red sauce. In a large pot, heat the olive oil and cook the garlic, carrot, onion, and celery until softened. Add the ground beef and brown.
Stir in the tomato purée, water, salt, basil, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until thick.
While the red sauce cools, make the white sauce. Melt the butter over low heat, whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper, then gradually add the milk. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and let it cool, whisking occasionally so a skin does not form.
Preheat the oven and lightly coat the baking dish with a thin layer of mixed red and white sauce.
Lay a lasagna noodle on a flat surface and spread it with a small amount of white sauce, followed by red sauce and a sprinkle of cheese.
Roll the pasta up, then slice into portions depending on the width of the sheet.
Arrange the lasagna rolls cut-side up in the baking dish then spoon remaining sauces around and over the rolls.
Finish with grated Parmesan cheese and bake until bubbling and lightly golden.
Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
recipe tips
- Let both the red sauce and white sauce cool slightly before assembling. This makes the lasagna sheets easier to roll and helps the rosettes hold their shape.
- Spread the sauces lightly on the pasta. Too much filling will make the roll ups difficult to slice and place neatly in the dish.
- If the lasagna sheets are very wide, roll them and cut into two or three pieces for evenly sized rosettes.
- Thin the remaining sauces slightly with water before adding them to the baking dish so they spread easily around the rolls.
- A 9 to 10 inch round baking dish works best, but a similar-sized rectangular dish can also be used. The rolls should fit snugly so they hold their shape while baking.
- If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil during baking.
Rich, comforting, and filled with layers of flavor, these stuffed lasagna noodles are the kind of dish that brings everyone happily to the table. Perfect for family dinners or special occasions, they’re a true Italian comfort food favorite.
FOR THE RED SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1½-2 tablespoons carrots finely chopped
- 1½-2 tablespoons celery finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon onion finely chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cups tomato puree (pasata)
- ¼-½ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon basil
WHITE SAUCE
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 dashes black pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
EXTRAS
- 9 sheets fresh lasagna (not dry lasagna)
- 1 cup shredded fontina, mozzarella
- ¼-½ cup freshly grated parmigiano
FOR THE RED SAUCE
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In a large pot add the olive oil, peeled garlic clove, chopped carrot, onion and celery, cook on medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes or until the onion is transparent.
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Add the ground beef and brown (if the meat is very fatty then drain most of it out), then add the puree, water, salt, bay leaf and basil, stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer half covered (uncover for the last 10 minutes if necessary to thicken) for approximately 35-40 minutes or until very thick, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and garlic cloves. Let cool.
FOR THE WHITE SAUCE
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n a medium large pot melt the butter over low heat, then add the flour, salt and pepper, whisk together until smooth, gradually add the milk, cook and whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble and thicken, remove from heat. Let cool, it will thicken as it cools, whisk it often while it cools so it doesn’t form a skin on top.
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
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In a 9 / 10 inch / 23/25 cm round baking dish spoon a thin layer of white sauce and a layer of red on top, mix to combine them together.
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Place a lasagna noodle on a flat surface and spread it with some white sauce approximately 1½-2 tablespoons, spread some of the red sauce aprroximately 1½ tablespoons on half of the pastry or a little more, top with some shredded cheese.
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Roll up the noodle from the short side (my noodle was 15cm wide and I cut it into 3), then with a serrated knife cut the roll into 2-3 equal parts (depending how wide the noodle is). Place the rolls in the baking dish cut side up touching.
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Thin both the remaining red sauce with a little water and the white sauce with a little milk. Distribute first the red sauce around the rolls then the white sauce. Sprinkle the surface with grated Parmigiano.
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Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20-30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
How to store the leftovers.
Store leftover lasagna roll ups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave. The rolls can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or baking.
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Calories: 963kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 234mg | Sodium: 976mg | Potassium: 1766mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 2687IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 551mg | Iron: 10mg | Phosphorus: 816mg
recipe FAQs
Fresh lasagna sheets work best for this recipe and are much easier to roll and slice. Dried lasagna noodles can be used as a last resort, but they should be cooked just until tender, then laid flat and cooled completely before filling.
This method is not recommended. Once baked, the pasta and filling are very soft, making the rolls difficult to cut cleanly and serve neatly.
Yes. Assemble the rolls, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before baking.
Store leftover lasagna roll ups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the oven or microwave.
Yes. The rolls can be frozen before or after baking. Wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or baking.
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