Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Zucchini Rolls
You’ll only need a small collection of fresh, simple ingredients for this zucchini roll ups recipe.
Zucchini: You’ll need three small- or medium-sized zucchini to make your rolls. I recommend avoiding large zucchini, as they’re often more watery and contain a higher concentration of seeds. You also don’t need to peel your zucchini before adding them to your recipe, particularly if you’re using them during summer (AKA zucchini season!). Ricotta: Full-fat ricotta cheese is my go-to for this dish, as the extra creaminess gives rolled zucchini an incomparably rich, gooey flavor. You could also make Homemade Ricotta if you prefer making your cheese from scratch. However, no matter what type you choose, drain any excess liquid before preparing your filling. Olive oil Onion: It’s essential to mince your onion finely to allow for a more even distribution of this ingredient throughout the ricotta filling. Ground turkey: Making zucchini lasagna rolls with meat is a great way to give this dish a savory, protein-packed base. I prefer using ½ pound of ground turkey for a leaner alternative to ground beef, though any ground meat would work. For a slightly spicier take, you could also use Italian sausage or chicken sausage, separated into small chunks. Fresh baby spinach Egg Parmesan cheese Seasoning: To give your zucchini ricotta rolls their iconic Italian flavor, you’ll need garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Kosher salt, and ground pepper. You may also include red pepper flakes for a kick of spice, though this ingredient is optional. Tomato sauce: You can use your favorite marinara sauce (affiliate link) in your lasagna rolls for a quick, store-bought option. If you want to add bold, herby undertones to your dish, you may also use my Homemade Tomato Basil Sauce instead. Shredded mozzarella cheese Fresh herbs: Garnish it with fresh basil or any other herbs you have on hand. Thyme, Italian parsley, or oregano would all work.
How to Make Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups?
There’s no secret to making zucchini roll ups with ricotta and spinach. These expert instructions will give you rich, mouthwatering results without hassle.
How to Make Ahead and Store It
Meal prep is a cinch with this keto zucchini roll ups recipe. This simple guide will help you every step of the way, whether preparing this dish to serve a crowd or saving leftovers to enjoy later.
Make ahead: To make this zucchini roll lasagna ahead of time, assemble and bake the dish as instructed. Then, let the rolls cool to room temperature and remove any excess liquid. Cover the dish as tightly as possible with several layers of plastic wrap and store for up to three days in the refrigerator. Store: Once your dinner roll-ups reach room temperature, drain any extra liquid and transfer them to an airtight container. You may then store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Freeze: To freeze your zucchini rollups, let the dish reach room temperature and remove as much excess liquid as possible. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or wrap your dish as tightly as possible with a few layers of stretch film to avoid freezer burn. You can then freeze this recipe for up to a month. Thaw: To thaw your frozen roll ups, transfer them to the fridge overnight. Then, drain off any excess liquid and reheat them at 350 degrees F. until warm (about 20-30 minutes). Reheat: When reheating it, first remove as much excess moisture as possible. Then, place them in a 350-degree F. oven for 20-30 minutes or until heated.
Serving Suggestions
Ricotta zucchini roll-ups are amazing when it comes to delicious menu ideas. This collection of tasty dishes will fill your table with brilliant color, bright flavors, and finger-licking taste.
Serve it on its own: This zucchini lasagna roll recipe—healthy, filling, and delicious—works spectacularly as a main dish. Or, you could use toothpicks to turn this recipe into bite-sized appetizers ready to serve a dinner party crowd. Grains: All you need is a tasty grain to transform your lasagna rolls into a balanced meal. Lemon Quinoa adds a note of bright zest, while Bulgur Pilaf takes less than 30 minutes to give your spread a robustly seasoned Turkish edge. Salads: Spring Mix Salad is a classic if you make zucchini roll ups with ricotta and want to balance your table with something light and crisp. Or, add tangy, herbaceous flavors to your meal with the iconic Friends Salad or my Yogurt Cucumber Salad. Bread: If you love dipping toasty, crisp bread into hearty pasta sauce, you’ll adore serving a loaf of my Crusty No-Knead Bread alongside your zucchini dinner roll-ups. I also love to serve my zucchini rolls with Garlic Bread prepared in the air fryer to cut prep time in half and ensure robust, garlicky flavor in every bite.
Thin slices: You must cut your zucchini into thin pieces, about ⅛-inches thick, to be able to roll them easily. A mandoline or a vegetable peeler is the easiest way to get these delicate, even slices. However, if you don’t have these tools on hand, you can cut your zucchini with a knife, though your pieces might be a little thicker than desired. If you end up with rather thicker slices of zucchini, I recommend precooking them before adding them to your recipe to ensure they’re as dry and pliable as possible. Simply line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange your zucchini strips in a single layer, and bake them in a 350-degree F. oven for 5-7 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Do not skip resting the zucchini slices: This stage is critical for eliminating some of the zucchini’s liquid to avoid ending up with watery lasagna roll ups. In certain renditions of this recipe, one would sprinkle the zucchini slices with salt, an approach we have experimented with, though it did not seem to make a difference in the outcome. Filling and rolling: Before rolling your lasagna pieces, I highly recommend spreading your ricotta mixture across each zucchini strip, leaving a small, empty space on one end (preferably about ½ inch). This technique for filling and rolling will ensure that the filling is evenly distributed throughout each roll-up and allow for easier assembly. I also suggest only using one tablespoon of filling per roll. Though you may feel the urge to add more, too much of the ricotta mixture will result in it spilling out the edges, and your zucchini slices will likely be too thick to roll properly. Sauce at the bottom: Spreading a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of the casserole dish is a must when cooking in a pan without oil. This layer creates a safe barrier to keep your zucchini lasagna roll-ups from burning and adds more rich tomato flavor to your recipe. Arranging the rolled-up lasagna noodles: Don’t worry about placing your lasagna rolls too close to one another in the baking pan. Because this recipe uses such thinly-sliced zucchini, your strips will be delicate enough to cook in the oven without as much exposed surface area. Excess water: Zucchini naturally contains a lot of water, so many people worry about coming out with watery zucchini lasagna rolls. Though some excess water is inevitable, if you follow my steps for letting the veggie slices rest and removing as much liquid from your ingredients as possible, you should be able to avoid an overly watery zucchini dish. Don’t be afraid, too, to drain excess water from your lasagna rolls before serving and after storage.
Other Zucchini Recipes You Might Also Like
Tender, sweet, and healthy, zucchini is the ultimate summer ingredient. You’ll love this tasty collection if you’re looking for more veggie recipes as delicious as these stuffed zucchini rolls.
Skinny Shrimp Scampi with Zoodles Vegan Zucchini Bread Almond Flour Zucchini Bread Classic Zucchini Bread
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