Pesto Lasagna Rolls

I've had this recipe in my collection for a few years and I can't believe I haven't shared it yet. I love your typical lasagna . . . the cheeses, the pasta, the tomato sauce. But sometimes it's nice to change things up. I do that with pesto.

Pesto Lasagna Rolls with Meat Sauce

A small batch with just tomato sauce.

Ingredients:
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup pesto sauce*
8 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 cup tomato sauce**
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom of shallow casserole dish.

In a medium bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, 1/4 cup mozzarella, and pesto sauce together. Season with salt and pepper.

 
Evenly divide the cheese mixture between the 8 noodles, spreading the mixture over the entire noodle.

Roll the noodles and place the lasagna rolls seam-side down in the casserole dish.

 Pour tomato sauce over the top of the rolls. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over top.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Pesto Sauce

*I prepare my pesto sauce using Knorr's powdered pesto mix. One day I hope to make my own basil pesto sauce. If you make pesto sauce, make sure it's cold before you add it to the cheese mixture or else you will melt the cheese. You can also use jarred pesto sauce.

**Prego Roasted Red Pepper is my all time favorite tomato sauce. If you read this blog, you probably already know that. But you can use any tomato sauce or meat sauce that you like.

You could also use this recipe to make pesto stuffed shells.

 Enjoy!

~Krissy

Pesto Chicken Lasagna with Artichokes and Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

I love tomato sauce. It goes on just about anything, your pasta dishes: spaghetti, lasagna, goulash; your meats: meatballs, chili, chicken Parmesan; and is great for dipping bread. But sometimes you just want something different, something other than yet another dish covered in tomato sauce. That's where this lasagna comes in. It has so many of my favorite foods in it: pesto, chicken, artichokes, fire-roasted tomatoes . . . oh so good.

Ingredients:
12 lasagna noodles
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 14-oz can artichokes hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 14.5-oz can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup prepared pesto (I used Knorr pesto sauce mix)
1 cup ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried basil, divided

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, artichokes, fire-roasted tomatoes,and pesto. Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon basil, and milk.

Coat a little bit of the cheese mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Cover it with three lasagna noodles then add half of the chicken mixture on top and another layer of noodles. Add half of your cheese mixture, a layer of noodles, the rest of the chicken mixture, and then your last layer of noodles. Spread on the last half of the cheese mixture, sprinkle with remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 tablespoon basil.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Variations:
I love when the people I cook for get excited about my food and help me come up with ways to make it better. When I first made this lasagna, we all agree it was good but still needed that oomph. Eric's mom suggested more pesto and fire-roasted tomatoes (which the recipe above reflects). I thought it needed more cheese (the recipe also reflects this). Even Eric's dad had a suggestion: replace the chicken with a spicy sausage. Next, time I will try this recipe with Eckrich Jalapeno and Cheddar Smoked Sausage. I think it'll be good. I would also like to try a version with sun-dried tomatoes instead of fire-roasted. When I was eating leftover lasagna, I added a couple dashes of hot sauce on top . . . very, very good.

Enjoy!


~Krissy

Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls

Add a hint of autumn to lasagna by adding a little pumpkin puree into the filling. These pumpkin lasagna rolls have a mild pumpkin flavor, unlike my cheese tortellini with pumpkin sauce recipe, which make them perfect for those who like pumpkin but are a little afraid of its unconventional uses.

Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls garnish with Parmesan

Ingredients: 
1 cup ricotta cheese
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, to taste
8 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 cup of a robust tomato sauce (recommendation: Prego--Roasted Red Pepper)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Thinly coat the bottom of a shallow casserole dish with tomato sauce. Set aside.

Mix ricotta, pumpkin, Parmesan, mozzarella, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Divide the ricotta-pumpkin mixture between the 8 lasagna noodles and roll the noodles. Place the rolls in the casserole dish seam-side down. Spoon sauce of the top of the rolls. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Note: Since the pumpkin flavor is rather mild, the key to making this dish really pop with flavor is using a good tomato sauce full of seasonings and herbs. I prefer anything by Prego, particularly the Roasted Red Pepper tomato sauce.

Enjoy!

~Krissy