Turkey Italian Sausage and Ricotta Lasagna Roll Ups
My best friend flew in for the weekend and I wanted to make a simple yet comforting meal to greet her with. I decided on these turkey Italian sausage and ricotta lasagna roll ups and they were a big hit with all of us, especially my dear friend. These roll-ups are a great recipe to serve dinner guests because they always turn out delicious and they look beautiful.
How to Make Turkey Italian Sausage and Ricotta Lasagna Roll-Ups
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the turkey Italian sausage from the casing then add it to the pan. Add the crushed fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes to the sausage. Break up the meat using a potato masher and cook until crumbly and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook lasagna noodles per instructions then lay them out on top of some parchment paper.
Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, basil, parsley, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a large bowl; mix until well combined. Spoon a thin layer of the ricotta mixture down the entire length of the lasagna noodle. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Next, place a few spoonful’s of the turkey sausage on top of the ricotta; repeat with the remaining noodles. Starting from one end, roll up. Repeat.
Coat a baking dish with cooking spray then spoon a layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the lasagna rolls, seam side down, into the baking dish. Cover each roll with sauce then add a bit of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese to the top of each roll.
Cover with tin foil, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the tin foil and continue baking for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 links of turkey Italian sausage removed from casing
- ½ tsp of fennel seeds crushed
- Dash of red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 jar of marinara
- 8 lasagna noodles cooked per instructions
- 1 15 oz container of ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp basil chopped finely
- 1 ¼ cups of mozzarella cheese (divided)
- ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese (divided)
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp fresh nutmeg grated
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the turkey Italian sausage from the casing then add it to the pan. Add the crushed fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes to the sausage.
- Break up the meat using a potato masher and cook until crumbly and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook lasagna noodles per instructions then lay them out on top of some parchment paper.
- Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, basil, parsley, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste, together in a large bowl; mix until well combined.
- Spoon a thin layer of the ricotta mixture down the entire length of the lasagna noodle. Repeat with the remaining noodles.
- Next, place spoonful's of the turkey sausage on top of the ricotta; repeat with the remaining noodles. Starting from one end, roll up. Repeat.
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray then spoon a layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Place the lasagna rolls, seam side down, into the baking dish. Cover each roll with sauce then add a bit of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese to the top of each roll.
- Cover with tin foil, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove the tin foil and continue baking for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Pam- Where do you find turkey italian sausage?? I’ve been able to find italian seasoned ground turkey, but I’m sure it’s not nearly as good! We usually use just regular italian sausage, but I’d love to cut back on the pork and calories.
Chelsea,
I have found it at Safeway and Fred Meyer. I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Pam
Very presentable, very tasty, Pam! Lots of flavor with the mixed cheeses and spices! Have a great week!
Your friend is so lucky that you would make this hearty, comforting meal for her!
I think you are a very good friend to make this for your friend, Pam! I love the presentation of these roll-ups…so much prettier than a big hunk of lasagna! I can’t wait to see what you paired with this dish!
Hi Pam,
What a fantastic array of ingredients and fantastic suggestion you left us. I love it and my mouth is watering already!!
Cheers,
Lia.
@Pam – I find turkey sausage at Wegman’s supermarket. Do you have those where you live?
I love this recipe. I have a similar one that’s vegetarian. It uses cooked spinach (you can use defrosted frozen spinach) instead of meat and you mix it into the cheese. I find these easier to make instead of regular lasagne. Very yummy!!
I love making lasagna roll ups… and this is a great version of it! Will be trying this next time I make them!
Pam – These look delicious and I like your step-by-step phtos – especially the yet-to-be rolled shot.
These look and sound fabulous! I think they’d be easier to serve than regular lasagna, too, which is a bonus.
i love lasagna rollups! these look wonderful!
Pinned that. I am sure you impressed her with these, Pam.
You make it look so darn easy.
Nicely done my dear!
They do look beautiful and I know your friend was pleased that you made such a wonderful dinner for her. I love this way of making lasagna, such a pretty presentation! I also loved that you used turkey sausage, so much healthier and there are some yummy turkey and chicken sausages out there now. I didn’t see any marinara sauce in the list of ingredients – do you have a favorite? How much did you use?
My mouth is watering just looking at this. I love lasagna and this looks like a really nice version and is way more presentable. Easy, tasty and looks great; what’s not to like?
That looks mouth-watering!
These look so good and very simple!! I love this idea. Have a wonderful week.
These look too pretty to eat!!!!
I officially fell in love with lasagna roll-ups last year…they are really the best!
I gotta say. These are the probably the absolute best comforting meal that your best friend could get!! They look so delicious!! I’m definitely bookmarking this for my upcoming potluck! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
What a mouth watering and beautiful looking dish!
They look fantastic! What a great way to serve lasagna.
This looks fantastic! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I just made spinach lasagna last week, but this post makes me want to make this version very soon!
-Msee
Yum, the turkey Italian sausage roll up sound wonderful.
oops… you forgot to include the marinara sauce in the printed recipe ingredients! Still it looks wonderful!
Terry,
Thanks for letting me know! I have corrected the recipe.
These look absolutely delicious! Great variation on lasagna. Great post!
Hi Pam,
This deliciousness will be our tea tonight, but with pork sausages as they’re the ones I have at home.
Cheers and thanks for sharing your amazing suggestions,
Lia.