Comfort food classics and veggie packed meals unite in this dish. My Lasagna Roll Ups with White Bean Ricotta and Zucchini uses a secret ingredient to pack in tones of nutrition! This recipe is sponsored by Ontario Beans.
This comfort food classic is lightened up alternating pasta noodles with zucchini noodles, and uses white kidney beans which are are blended into a velvety smooth ricotta cheese to easily pack in fibre and quality protein.
Nutrition Benefits
I love using beans because of their versatility in cooking and for their nutrition benefits. Beans are packed with protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates. They are known to provide lasting fullness and satisfaction due to the combination of nutrients. Due to their convenience, it is an easy way to up the nutrition in your meals.
Ingredients in Lasagna Roll Ups with White Bean Ricotta and Zucchini
- Lasagna noodles
- 1 medium zucchini
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Yellow onion
- Spinach
- 19 oz can white kidney beans
- Fresh basil leaves
- Ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Tomato sauce
- Mozzarella cheese
How to cut the zucchini noodles
I recommend using a mandolin if you have one. You could also use a vegetable peeler in a pinch.
- Using a mandolin on the thinnest setting or a wide blade vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into long strips lengthwise. You’ll want 12 strips that are about 1 ½ -2 inches wide. You’ll need 12 strips for this recipe.
- If your zucchini isn’t thick enough or you aren’t able to peel strips that are about 1.5-2″ wide, layer more zucchini strips until your zucchini “noodle” is a similar width to the pasta noodle. You will need to peel more strips of zucchini accordingly.
If you like these Lasagna Roll Ups with white bean ricotta and zucchini, you’ll love this Chipotle Black Bean Burger or White Bean Pumpkin Hummus!
Like I mentioned, I love using beans because of their versatility in recipes. I used white beans here because of their fairly mild taste. Once blended into the ricotta cheese mixture and baked into tomato sauce topped noodles, you won’t even know they are there. This recipe would even be great for picky children!
If you try out this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and review. Happy comfort food season!
Lasagna Roll Ups with White Bean Ricotta and Zucchini
Ingredients
- 6 lasagna noodles, cooked
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 12 strips
- 2 tsp olive oil Or vegetable oil of choice
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, small diced
- 2 cups packed spinach, roughly chopped
- 19 oz can white kidney beans, strained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 475 g ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 jar tomato sauce of choice About 600ml
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set aside a 12 x 8 inch baking dish. Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions to al dente. Drain and set aside to cool. Drizzle with some oil to prevent sticking if desired.
- While the lasagna noodles are cooking, prepare the zucchini strips. Using a mandolin on the thinnest setting or a wide blade vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into long strips lengthwise. You’ll want 12 strips that are about 1 ½ -2 inches wide. *See recipe notes if your zucchini isn't thick enough to get wide strips. Set aside.
- Heat a medium frying pan over medium-low heat and add the 2 tsp of olive oil to the pan. Once hot add in the garlic and onion and sauté for 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add in the spinach and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes or until the spinach is just wilted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Add the rinsed white kidney beans to a food processor or blender. Blend for about 30 seconds until fairly smooth. Add in the basil leaves, ricotta cheese and the egg. Blend for another 30 seconds to 1 minute scraping down the edges as needed until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Remove the blade from the blender or transfer to a separate bowl and mix in the black pepper, ½ cup of the parmesan cheese and the cooled spinach mixture. Set aside.
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of the baking dish. Next, start making the lasagna and zucchini roll ups.
- Spread about ¼ cup of the white bean ricotta mixture across the length of a pasta noodle using the back of a spoon. Tighly roll the noodle up and place seam side down into the baking dish.
- Alternate this with the zucchini "noodles". Take 2 zucchini strips and overlap them about ¼ inch over each other across the long edge to widen them. Spread the white bean ricotta mixture on the zucchini "noodles" as above and roll them up. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Alternate rolling lasagna and zucchini noodles until you have 6 pasta noodles and 6 zucchini "noodle" roll ups. Arrange in 3 rows of 4 roll ups.
- Top with as much tomato sauce as you'd like and the remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Top with extra cheese and garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lasagna noodles: Cook to al dente and drizzle with olive oil once strained. Store refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead.
- White Bean Ricotta: Pre-blend the bean and ricotta mixture, leaving out the egg. Whisk in the egg just before you use it.
I made this for my family and they loved it! The white kidney beans and ricotta cheese mix perfectly together – both texture and taste. This recipe is protein packed and leaves you feeling full!
Yay!! I am so happy to hear you and your family loved this recipe! Thanks so much for making it 🙂