Craving lasagna but don’t want to make a huge batch? This small-batch lasagna roll ups with sun-dried tomato pesto are a fun twist on a tried-and-true classic. Lasagna noodles are rolled up with creamy ricotta cheese, tangy sun-dried tomato pesto, and baked in a rich tomato basil sauce and topped with gooey cheddar. Roll-ups are easy to assemble and bake in a loaf pan – perfect when wanting lasagna portioned for two.
Whether you’re cooking for a date night or just treating yourself, this vegetarian-friendly dish packs all the flavor of traditional lasagna in a more manageable size. Just be sure to add a simple side salad and fresh garlic bread to complete the meal.
What makes these lasagna roll-ups even more special is the sun-dried tomato pesto, which adds a burst of unami and slightly smoky sweetness that pairs beautifully with the ricotta. And even better more special than that? This lasagna for two is DELICIOUS! Think classic lasagna, but lighter. It’s cozy, yet brings garden-fresh flavors even in the colder months.
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What you'll need
Not only is this vegetarian small-batch lasagna roll ups recipe with sun-dried tomato pesto a simple dish - it's big on flavor.
Here are the ingredients needed for this small-batch lasagna roll ups with sun-dried tomato pesto recipe:
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Lasagna noodles
- Tomato basil sauce – I like to make my own keeping it simple with canned tomatoes and dried herbs. But you can also use a good quality jarred tomato basil sauce in a pinch. (recipe included)
- Grated white cheddar cheese
- Tomato Basil Pesto – Try making my sun-dried tomato pesto it only takes 5 minutes and uses a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. If you are short on time you can use store bought tomato basil pesto.
Ingredients for homemade tomato basil sauce - recipe included (or buy a good quality tomato basil jarred sauce):
- Crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- Herbs like oregano, thyme and basil – if you have fresh on hand use it, otherwise you can substitute dried
- White onion
- Fresh garlic
- Tomato paste
- Wine
- Balsamic vinegar
- Red pepper flakes
Note: You can freeze left-over sauce for a future use!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Pesto Lasagna Roll Ups for Two
This small-batch lasagna roll ups recipe with sun-dried tomato pesto is simple but requires a little bit of prep work.
- Make the tomato pesto and sauce: First, make the sun-dried tomato pesto using jarred sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil to keep it simple. Now mix the tomato pesto with the ricotta and set aside. Time to make the tomato sauce with the leftover canned tomatoes (from the sun-dried tomato basil pesto), dried or fresh oregano, thyme and basil, chopped onion (also left over from the pesto making) and add just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes – adding a layer of spiciness. Your kitchen will smell incredible – minus the hours spent hunkered over the stove stirring the tomato sauce.
- Now onto the noodles and cheese. While the sauce is simmering away get to work on boiling the noodles in salted water. Simply boil up the dry lasagna noodles. While they’re cooking, mix ricotta cheese with some pesto.
- Get ready to roll. Spread each lasagna noodle with the ricotta cheese mixture (photo 1), tomato sauce (photo 2) and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese (photo 3).
How to bake Lasagna for Two
At this point, grab a loaf pan and spread a couple of tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Roll up each lasagna noodle individually. It looks rather fancy, but it’s actually quite easy to do.
Place the lasagna rolls seam side down into the tomato sauce, top with some more tomato basil pesto, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Cover and bake until the cheese is melty and the sauce is all bubbly.
This is just like the classic lasagna, minus some of the work and all the layers. It’s just as good and honestly a bit more fun.
Finally, let’s talk about making this recipe your own. Sure, you need the essentials—noodles, canned tomatoes, and cheese (after all, it’s lasagna). But don’t stress if you’re missing sun-dried tomatoes —throw in some spinach or whatever veggies you’ve got hanging around. Think of this recipe as a guide. If you’ve got pasta, canned tomatoes, and cheese in the mix, you’re already winning. Trust me, it’s going to be delicious no matter what!
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Related
Looking for other lasagna for two recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite salads to serve with Small-batch Lasagna Rollups with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto:
Small-batch Lasagna Rollups with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the lasagna roll ups
- ¼ cup Sun-dried tomato pesto homemade or store-bought
- 7 ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese about half of a 15 ounce container
- 3-4 uncooked Lasagna Noodles
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese grated
- 1.5 cups Tomato Basil Sauce
For homemade tomato basil sauce
- 1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 14 ounce can crushed San Marzano tomatoes or 1.5 cups tomato sauce
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh basil chopped, about 6-7 leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes using more or less to your taste
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the Tomato Sauce:
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers in the pan it is hot enough. Add the onion - cooking until it begins to soften. Reduce the heat to low add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook until tomato paste begins to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Add red wine and let simmer for about 1 minute, long enough to loosen all the brown bits of goodness stuck to the pan. Now, add tomatoes and balsamic and simmer 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning. Often, I add 1 Tablespoon of sugar to help with the acidity of the tomatoes.
Cook the noodles:
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and boil the noodles until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Toss with some olive oil, to keep from sticking to each other.
Assemble the roll-ups:
- In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese and ⅛ cup pesto; mix well. Spread 2 Tablespoons cup pasta sauce in bottom of a loaf pan.
- To assemble, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture down the length of the noodle. Follow with a layer of about 2 teaspoons pasta sauce and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Roll up each lasagna noodle into a coil and place seam-side down into the pan, snuggling the roll into the sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles. Drizzle remaining 2 Tablespoons pesto, ½ cup pasta sauce, and sprinkle ½ cup cheddar cheese over the roll-ups. Cover with foil; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned on top. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
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Notes
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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