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, 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 1 ½ 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
Printable Recipe
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
- ½ cup about 1 ¼ ounces sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 12 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ 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.
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig
This is beautiful!! I love all the veggies in here!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Cathy. I'm in heaven with the amount of mushrooms in these rolls!
Brianna
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)
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.
Tieghan
These are gorgeous! I actually prefer meatless lasagna so this is perfect for me. Plus, I love Kale! Pinning!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thank you, Tieghan. I agree...meatless lasagna can be so satisfying.
kelley
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)
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.
cassie
This is definitely my kind of meatless Monday. The filling is making me ready for lunch at 7:45 am!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Cassie. I was watching the clock today, counting the minutes until I could reheat one of these for lunch.
Angie
I have to try lasagna rolls, and this recipe looks amazing!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Angie, they're so easy to make, and the kids love to help.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
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)
Thank you, Katrina! Any meal that makes you feel like a kid again has to be a good meal. 🙂
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel
I love lasagna rolls! They're so fun to make. Looks great!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Thanks, Rachel! You're right...I really did have a good time making these.
bellini
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)
"Born again kale lover"...Ha! That's me, too.
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
My stomach is growling - can I have this for breakfast? Tons of kale at our markets these days!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Believe me, I was tempted to re-heat one for breakfast!