Try this vegetarian dinner recipe of Kale, Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato Lasagna Rolls for your next Meatless Monday meal. 160 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
After consuming my fair share of Chopped Kale Salad with Grapes & Feta Cheese last week, I put my thinking cap. With a garden bed full of kale (that makes me smile just to type those words), I needed to get creative. I could go the green smoothie route, which I probably will in the next week or two. However, what I was really craving was a hearty vegetarian meal.
I might have to eat mushrooms on my own, for lack of any other mushroom lovers in the house, so it’s a good thing that these lasagna rolls turned out well. I’ll be eating them for lunch for the next five days. Fine by me!
When I first posted my Healthy Lasagna Recipe with Turkey, Pesto and Peppers last year, I was excited to show you how I made the notoriously fatty dish into a low-calorie diva. I used the same trick when I made Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Lasagna Rolls just after Thanksgiving.
The trick is simple: cottage cheese. Instead of a heavy bechamel sauce, I puree low-fat cottage cheese in the food processor and use that as the sauce, seasoning the heck out of it so that you don’t miss the extra fat.
On top of the “low calorie/low fat” kudos, this dish gets bonus points for the vitamins and minerals provided by the kale and mushrooms.
It’s a keeper!
The recipe:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole wheat lasagna noodles and cook until just tender. Drain the noodles, gently rinse with cold water and lay on a kitchen towels, separated from each other.
For the filling, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for additional 30 seconds.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the kale and cook until the kale is slightly wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool.
Place the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
Stir the cottage cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, basil, dried chile flakes, salt and pepper into the mushroom mixture.
Lay a few lasagna noodles on a cutting board. Spread 3 heaping tablespoons of the mushroom mixture along each noodle. Starting at one short end, tightly roll up the lasagna noodle and filling.
Prepare a 9- by 13-inch baking pan by spreading 1 cup tomato sauce on the bottom. Arrange the lasagna rolls, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining lasagna noodles and filling.
Spread additional 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Other vegetarian dinner ideas:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Black Bean Sliders with Creamy California Avocado Sauce
Cookin’ Canuck’s Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad with Eggplant, Zucchini & Feta
Kale, Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato Lasagna Rolls Recipe {Vegetarian}
Ingredients
- 12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
- 3 teaspoon olive oil divided
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces crimini Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems removed, sliced
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale
- 1/2 cup about 1 1/4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 12 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce your favorite kind
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until just tender. Drain the noodles, gently rinse with cold water and lay on a kitchen towels, separated from each other.
- For the filling, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for additional 30 seconds.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the kale and cook until the kale is slightly wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow it to cool.
- Place the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
- Stir the cottage cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, basil, dried chile flakes, salt and pepper into the mushroom mixture.
- Lay a few lasagna noodles on a cutting board. Spread 3 heaping tablespoons of the mushroom mixture along each noodle. Starting at one short end, tightly roll up the lasagna noodle and filling.
- Prepare a 9- by 13-inch baking pan by spreading 1 cup tomato sauce on the bottom. Arrange the lasagna rolls, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining lasagna noodles and filling.
- Spread additional 1½ cups tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
My stomach is growling – can I have this for breakfast? Tons of kale at our markets these days!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Believe me, I was tempted to re-heat one for breakfast!
bellini says
As a “born again” kale lover I know these flavourful rolls would be perfect for me. I don’t believe we would miss the bechamel one bit.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
“Born again kale lover”…Ha! That’s me, too.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I love lasagna rolls! They’re so fun to make. Looks great!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Rachel! You’re right…I really did have a good time making these.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Oh my goodness Dara, these look awesome! Plus, rolling up pasta is kind of the best, lol…it makes me feel like a kid!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Katrina! Any meal that makes you feel like a kid again has to be a good meal. 🙂
Angie says
I have to try lasagna rolls, and this recipe looks amazing!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Angie, they’re so easy to make, and the kids love to help.
cassie says
This is definitely my kind of meatless Monday. The filling is making me ready for lunch at 7:45 am!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Cassie. I was watching the clock today, counting the minutes until I could reheat one of these for lunch.
kelley says
If you need some help with the kale, I know who you can call….
These look delicious! I love that you use cottage cheese as an alternative. Filling, still full of flavor and so healthful! Pinning this for future summer dinner!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
You are welcome to come get some any time you want! The cottage cheese is a trick I’ll use over and over again. I really don’t miss the bechamel.
Tieghan says
These are gorgeous! I actually prefer meatless lasagna so this is perfect for me. Plus, I love Kale! Pinning!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Tieghan. I agree…meatless lasagna can be so satisfying.
Brianna says
This looks so tasty and great for a family get together. Nothing like lasagna…especially when you can sneak veggies in to boost the nutritional value. 😉
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Well said, Brianna! Lasagna is one of the easiest things to tuck veggies into, and I like knowing that a traditionally fat-laden dish can be good for me.
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig says
This is beautiful!! I love all the veggies in here!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Cathy. I’m in heaven with the amount of mushrooms in these rolls!
Kalyn says
Sounds delicious!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Kalyn!
Liz says
Sounds and looks so good. Thank you. A keeper for sure.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Liz. Yes, I’ll be using this recipe over and over again.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
This looks great and healthy!!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Robyn!
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective says
Love meatless lasagna! This looks incredible!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Sommer! I’m a fan, too.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I love everything about this – and even more so that it’s meatless!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Chung-Ah. It’s great to have another option for Meatless Monday in my repertoire.
Carla @ Carlas Confections says
There is nothing about this that I dont love! The mushrooms are seriously calling my name too!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Carla. And believe me…they call my name, too.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love vegetarian lasagna so these rolls are just perfect!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Laura. I really enjoy a good, light vegetarian lasagna, too.
Jess S. @ Floptimism says
I love this recipe! I actually recently found no salt added cottage cheese, and was surprised by how much I liked it. Ever since then, I’ve been looking for ways to use it in pretty much everything.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Jess. I’ll have to look for that cottage cheese in our stores here.
Jess S. @ Floptimism says
It was actually the generic, store-brand version. I shop at Giant, which I know is only in certain areas, but hopefully you can find a similar one where you live!
I also wanted to let you know that I loved both this recipe and your recipe for grape & gorgonzola topping so much that I featured them in my weekly Weekend Wrap-Up post on my blog. It’s a quick Saturday post sharing some of my favorite online finds from the past week. I’ve included the link to the post in case you’re interested in checking it out. Either way, thank you for such amazing recipes! Have a great weekend!
http://floptimism.blogspot.com/2013/07/weekend-wrap-up-progress.html
carrian says
These are lovely, Dara. Totally going to make this for the fam as we’ve been looking for some packed with extras dishes lately to be a little healthier
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Carrian! I always do a happy dance when a healthy version of a classic dish works out well.
Jeanette says
Dara, these look so good, no one would ever know they were on the healthy side! Beautifully done!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thank you, Jeanette! No one ever misses the heavy bechamel sauce when I do my cottage cheese sub.
marla says
I would sure like to enjoy this lasagna throughout the day!!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Believe me, I have been! 🙂
Amanda says
I LOVE this recipe! Its gorgeous and genius and you are seriously rockin my world. 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
You’re so sweet, Amanda! Thank you.
Jenna says
Did u make your own sauce? What brand did you use if not? These look delish
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Hi Jenna, when I have plenty of tomatoes in my garden, I do make my own sauce (though I haven’t posted that recipe yet). When I’m feeling lazy, I just use the Kirkland (Costco) Marinara sauce.
Serena says
My kids will now eat mushrooms! But sadly not kale…I’m hoping they WILL with this recipe. Pinned to make tomorrow! Thanks for the innovation!
Laura says
Putting kale in lasagne is genius! Great recipe!
Mushrooms Canada says
Another wonderful recipe Dara! I love the single serving portion sizes…perfect for leftovers!! Thanks for sharing.
-Shannon
Nessa says
These look amazing! I hope to make these soon 🙂
Michelle says
Yum! For those that have Food Allergies or Vegan: Sub Daiya brand (which is soy-free, nut free, gluten free, vegan) plain cream cheese for the cottage cheese. You could also mix in chopped beans, quinoa-polenta slices, or mushrooms in the cream cheese before adding it to the recipe. Also sub nutritional yeast or finely shredded daiya brand cheese shreds for the parm. Use GF noodles, for Gluten Free.
Tom says
Made this last night. Fabulous!!
Lauren says
My boyfriend and I made these last night and they were really easy to make and delicious! We definitely ate a few spoonfuls of the filling on it’s own and it was incredible! Also, I was pretty sure ours would end up being a big mess with filling spilling out everywhere but they rolled up beautifully. Thanks, Dara!