Last updated on March 12, 2021 by Liza Hawkins
Lasagna rolls in a cast iron skillet are a simple and tasty way to tweak your traditional Italian casserole recipe. Using jarred sauce as a base means you can spend less time cooking, and more time drinking a glass of wine, binge-watching a favorite show, or catching up on laundry.
I’ve mentioned time and time again how much I love pasta.
The truth is — yes, I’m going to say it again — I could eat it just about every day. My daughter feels the same, and lately I’d wager she would eat it even more often that I’d care to … if that’s even possible.
So, given the fact that we’re pasta fiends (and my husband and son are along for the ride), I do try and get crafty with my entrees.
No one wants the same boring old pasta week after week.
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I can and do make my own pasta sauces from scratch — alfredo, garlic and olive oil, and even marinara.
I also always keep jarred sauce on hand in the pantry to use as a base for recipes.
It makes pulling dinner together on a busy weeknight super easy, and I’m able to find flavor notes that I can’t always duplicate at home (either due to time or because of what’s in my cupboard).
There are so many store-bought sauces now that taste great and are made with ingredients that are similar to what you’d find at your local farmers’ market.
There are a couple things I love about this concept.
It’s kinda like using Cliff’s Notes, except with recipes. Like semi-homemade…
And, for a variety of reasons, not everyone has access to farmers’ markets, space to grow a garden, or even quality fresh vegetables. Having so many jarred options is awesome, made the way you would at home, with things like garlic, olive oil and black pepper.
Speaking of lasagna rolls…
I’ve been trying to use my cast iron skillets more and more. I have a few different sizes, but a go-to is typically the 8″ cast iron skillet.
My cast iron skillets are all well-seasoned, either because they’re really old (some belonged to my grandmother), or because I’ve used them a bunch.
This means I’m able to use tomato based sauces with no issues. If you’re curious about that, check out these five myths about cast iron cookware.
And I love how pasta dishes turn out in them! They look amazing and they end up tasting great.
Lasagna Rolls in a Cast Iron Skillet
To get these lasagna rolls going, first I cooked and seared an Italian sausage link in the pan.
I ended up only needing half for this recipe, so I save the other half for another day. Italian sausages and peppers, anyone? Mmm…
The sausage created a nice base flavor for the lasagna rolls to cook on, and while it rested I pulled those together.
I mixed ricotta, a handful of shredded mozzarella, salt, pepper, onion powder, green onions, fresh chopped basil, one egg together.
Then, once the sausage rested enough (about five minutes), I cut it up into bite sized pieces and folded it in to the ricotta mixture.
I spread half the jar of sauce into the bottom of my cast iron skillet.
Then, using a rubber spatula, I spooned and spread about an eighth of a cup of filling on each piece of lasagna, before rolling them up tight, and then placing them seam-side down in the skillet.
If I’d made more filling, I could have easily fit three or four more rolls in the cast iron skillet. Just sayin’.
Once each roll was finished and in place, I topped them with some more sauce.
And then cheese! Lots and lots of cheese! Followed by fifteen minutes in a 400°F oven.
I mean, is anything more delightful than melty, ooey-gooey cheese?
That brown and golden bubbly part on top is my faaaaaavorite. Yum.
I topped the lasagna rolls with fresh basil from my container garden (for those of you following along with my container garden posts — they’re still thriving!), and let them cool for ten minutes before serving.
If you happen to have any leftover from dinner, these lasagna rolls reheat beautifully for lunch the next day OR for a second dinner.
Lasagna Rolls In A Cast Iron Skillet
Lasagna rolls in a cast iron skillet are a simple and tasty way to tweak your traditional casserole recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 23.5-oz jar marinara sauce
- 1 12-inch Italian sausage link
- 1 15-ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 8 slices mozzarella
- 8 lasagna noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the lasagna to boil until al dente, about 13 minutes. Once done, drain the lasagna and set it aside.
- Place the sausage in a cast iron skillet with about an inch of water. Cover it with foil, bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer on medium-low for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover, empty any remaining water, turn the heat up to medium and brown the sausage on each side — about 2 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and move the sausage to a paper towel to rest. Spread half the sauce in the skillet.
- Mix the ricotta, egg, shredded mozzarella, salt, pepper, onion powder, green onion, and basil together in a bowl. Slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces, and then fold it into the ricotta mixture.
- Spoon and spread about 1/8-cup of the ricotta mixture onto each piece of lasagna, spreading it evenly, but leaving a little space at the edges and at each end. Roll the lasagna up like a jellyroll, and then place them seam-side-down into the cast iron skillet, on top of the sauce.
- Top each lasagna roll with the remaining sauce, then add a slice of mozzarella on top. Bake the lasagna rolls uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the tops are bubbly and golden.
- Let the lasagna rolls rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recommended Products
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Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Assist Handle Holder, 12", Red Silicone -
OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set with Red/Green/Blue Handles -
M KITCHEN WORLD Heat Resistant Silicone Spatulas Set - Rubber Spatula Kitchen Utensils Non-Stick for Cooking, Baking and Mixing - Ergonomic, Dishwasher Safe Bakeware Set of 4, Orange -
J.A. Henckels International 31161-201 CLASSIC Chef's Knife, 8 Inch, Black -
OXO 1067838 Good Grips Utility Cutting Board, Red,10-1/2-Inch x 15-Inch
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 1045mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 21g
This has so much great information. I recently bought a smaller cast iron skillet and we all love it. I need to purchase a larger one as well so I can actually make full meals in it. #client
My little one is perfect for fried eggs and other one person skillet eats. But yes, my 8″ is a great everyday skillet, and I’d really love one that’s even bigger!