This post was sponsored by Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep the Flourishing Foodie delicious. All thoughts and opinions are my own. For more broccoli rabe recipe ideas be sure to check out their website and Facebook page.
Do you love lasagna, but never have the time to prepare it from scratch? I agree lasagna can be time-consuming. If you’re making the sauce from scratch, kneading and rolling your own handmade lasagna noodles, grating the cheese, etc. It can become a whole day affair. I have definitely spent many hours making a lasagna dish, and while the taste is almost always worth it, sometimes we just don’t have the time. Let me offer you a simple solution - lasagna roll ups. They take half the time, and are super fun to make!
I love these vegetable-packed lasagna roll ups. I usually make a tray and then freeze half, or I’ll make a tray and we’ll continue to eat them all week because we never tire of these roll ups. I prefer to make my roll ups with cottage cheese for the taste and that extra protein. I prefer it over ricotta cheese, but you could definitely use ricotta if you prefer. To make this dish simpler I use my favorite jar of tomato sauce and pre-shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
For this dish, I’ve added broccoli rabe and cauliflower because they taste amazing and are one of my two favorite veggies. The broccoli rabe adds a nice bright green color as well as an earthy and nutty flavor. The cauliflower adds texture and flavor. This dish is hearty and filling without adding any extra meat or protein. I love that the lasagna roll ups stay in a nice neat package once served, rather than falling apart on your plate, as lasagna sometimes does. They are easy and fun to put together - similar to make enchiladas. They keep well in the fridge, so you can easily reheat them and enjoy them all week.
Broccoli Rabe and Cauliflower Lasagna Roll Ups
serves 12 people
prep time - 40 minutes
cooking time - 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
12 wavy lasagna noodles
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
3 cups of chopped cauliflower
2 cups of chopped broccoli rabe
15 oz (2 cups) of cottage cheese
1 large egg
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of pepper
2 cups of mozzarella, grated
1 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
1 - 24 oz jar of marinara sauce
¼ cup of fresh basil, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until al dente.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the onions and fry until translucent. Add the chopped cauliflower and fry until lightly browned. Add the broccoli rabe and fry until tender. Set to the side.
In a large bowl combine the cottage cheese, egg, salt, and pepper. Add 1 ½ cups of mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese to the cottage cheese mixture and combine.
Spread ¼ cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch lasagna pan.
On a baking sheet, arrange 6 lasagna noodles. Spread 2 tbsp of the cottage cheese mixture down the center of each lasagna noodle, followed by ¼ cup of the cauliflower and broccoli rabe, followed by a tbsp of tomato sauce. Roll up each lasagna noodles and place them into the lasagna pan, seam side down. Fill and roll the remaining 6 lasagna noodles and place them into the lasagna dish.
Cover the lasagna roll ups with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
Place the lasagna dish into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped basil.
Serve warm.
Can be kept in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
