Giada’s Lasagna Rolls wrap a creamy ricotta, spinach, and prosciutto filling inside tender noodles, then bake over a layer of béchamel with marinara and melted mozzarella until golden in about 75 minutes.
Giada published this recipe on giadzy.com, her official food and pantry site, where she treats it as a smarter riff on classic layered lasagna. Rolling the noodles instead of stacking them creates clean individual portions with the same cheesy, saucy payoff and none of the sloppy slicing.
The béchamel on the bottom of the dish is what keeps the rolls from drying out during 35 minutes at 450°F (230°C). Skip it and the noodles touching the glass bake dry and tough, so whisk the roux until thick and smooth before a single roll goes in.
Giada Lasagna Rolls
Course: Pasta, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings25
minutes50
minutes502
kcal1
hour15
minutesA rolled take on classic lasagna where each noodle gets stuffed with herbed ricotta, chopped prosciutto, and spinach, then nestled into nutmeg-scented béchamel. Marinara and a double hit of Parmesan and mozzarella finish the top before a hot oven does the rest.
Ingredients
- Béchamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28g)
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour (10g)
1 1/4 cups (300ml) whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Lasagna:
1 (15 oz / 425g) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz / 280g) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (112g) grated Parmesan, divided
3 oz (85g) thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for the pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups (480ml) marinara sauce, divided
1 cup (4 oz / 113g) shredded mozzarella
Directions
- Make the roux. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk steadily for 3 minutes.
- Build the béchamel. Pour in the milk and raise the heat to medium-high. Whisk until the sauce simmers and turns thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Mix the filling. Combine ricotta, spinach, 1 cup (100g) Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir until evenly blended.
- Boil the noodles. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook lasagna noodles until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet so they don’t stick.
- Prep the dish. Butter a 13x9x2 inch (33x23x5 cm) glass baking dish. Pour the béchamel evenly across the bottom.
- Roll the lasagna. Lay 4 noodles on a work surface. Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling over each one. Roll each noodle from one end like a jelly roll and place seam side down in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling.
- Add the toppings. Spoon 1 cup (240ml) marinara over the rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan on top.
- Bake covered. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes.
- Bake uncovered. Remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese turns golden, about 15 minutes more.
- Rest and serve. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Heat the remaining 1 cup (240ml) marinara in a small saucepan over medium heat and serve alongside.
FAQs
Why does Giada use béchamel under the rolls instead of just marinara?
The béchamel creates a creamy cushion that keeps the bottom of each roll moist during 35 minutes at 450°F (230°C). Marinara alone would reduce too quickly at that temperature, leaving the noodles sitting on a thin, dried-out layer.
The nutmeg in the white sauce also adds a warm, subtle depth that straight tomato sauce cannot provide. It bridges the richness of the ricotta filling and the acidity of the marinara on top, so every bite has balance.
Why add olive oil to the boiling water for the noodles?
Lasagna noodles are wide and flat, so they stick to each other almost instantly after draining. A tablespoon or two of oil in the water coats each sheet just enough to keep them separate while you work.
She also lays the drained noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet, which is the real insurance against sticking. That same care with draining and oiling pasta makes a difference in dishes like her Giada Lemon Spaghetti too.
Can you swap frozen spinach for fresh in this filling?
You can, but you need roughly 1 lb (450g) of fresh spinach to equal one 10 oz (280g) frozen package. Wilt it in a hot pan, let it cool, then squeeze out every drop of water by wringing it in a clean kitchen towel.
Skipping the squeeze is the biggest mistake with fresh spinach because the extra moisture turns the ricotta filling watery. That liquid leaks out during baking and thins the béchamel underneath, so the rolls slide around instead of holding their shape.
What does the prosciutto add to the filling?
Prosciutto gives the ricotta mixture a salty, savory edge that plain cheese and spinach lack on their own. Three ounces (85g) is enough to season the entire batch without making any single roll taste like a meat dish.
Because it is chopped rather than layered, the flavor distributes evenly through all 12 rolls. If you skip it entirely, increase the salt in the filling by about 1/4 teaspoon to compensate for the lost seasoning.
How should you store leftover lasagna rolls?
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer individual rolls to an airtight container and refrigerate within two hours. They keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheat well at 350°F (180°C) covered with foil until warmed through, about 20 minutes.
For longer storage, wrap cooled rolls individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating so the centers heat evenly. For dessert after these rich rolls, Giada’s Affogato is a quick and light finish.
