Simple Skillet Pesto Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups.
These Skillet Pesto Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups are a fun twist on a tried and true classic. Lasagna noodles are rolled up with sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto, and ricotta cheese. Then baked in a spiced, herby, tomato sauce that’s creamy and so delicious! This is a great way to use pantry staples and frozen meat. And more importantly, put a quick and delicious family-style dinner together in no time. This a fun weeknight dinner that’s equally great on a Sunday night too (actually…is there a difference?). Just be sure to add a side salad and fresh bread.
Can you all tell that I’m really digging through my pantry and relying on my freezer staples these days? I’m doing everything in my power to avoid the grocery store, so things are gettin’ pretty creative over here. Which honestly? I’m ok with. I’ve said this before, but when given the challenge of using only limited ingredients I tend to create some of my personal favorite recipes.
Why? Probably because they always end up being something different. Something I’ve never created before. They’re usually pretty easy to make, and nine times out of ten have a very simple (pantry friendly) ingredient list. Fortunately, these baked skillet lasagna roll ups are all of those things…and delicious too.
Granted, I did have the prettiest fresh thyme. Which I order from my go-to source of edible flowers and herbs, Gourmet Sweet Botanicals. But other than that, everything else you see in these fun lasagna rolls came from my pantry and my freezer. Dry lasagna noodles, dried herbs and spices, store-bought pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, frozen meat, and cheese from the fridge…all staples at my house.
What’s makes this even better is how easy this is (no layering!). And even better than that? This skillet lasagna is DELICIOUS! Think classic lasagna, but lighter and more fitting for springtime. It’s cozy, but yet still feels fresh. Perfect for these early spring days.
The details…let’s start with the sauce.
This recipe is simple but requires a little prep work. First, make the tomato sauce. I kept this very simple, using canned tomatoes, dried oregano, dried thyme, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes…to add a layer of spiciness.
For the meat, I used ground beef because that’s currently what’s stocked piled in my freezer. But you could easily use ground chicken, or even spicy ground Italian sausage if you really want to pack in the flavor. Either of these options are great, so use what’s best and most convenient for you.
Of course, if you’re vegetarian, or just going for a meatless night, you can easily omit the meat from the sauce. There’s still going to be plenty of flavor. If you’d like to bulk the sauce up a bit, I would suggest sautéing some mushrooms and chopped cauliflower before you add the tomatoes. That would be delicious too!
Onto the noodles and cheese.
While the sauce is simmering away, get to work on boiling the noodles and rolling them up with cheesy pesto goodness.
Simply boil up the dry lasagna noodles. While they’re cooking, mix ricotta cheese with some fontina, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil pesto. Add the cheese to the noodles, tuck, and roll! It looks all fancy, but it’s actually the easiest thing to do. If you have kids at home, this is a great project for them to do. They’ll have fun…and get the work done for you. Nothing wrong with that.
If you don’t have fontina cheese, I’d recommend using provolone, or really, whatever cheese you might have in the fridge. You really can’t go wrong. Also, if you don’t stock your pantry with sun-dried tomatoes, or simply don’t enjoy them, these can easily be omitted as well. We love them over here, so I always have them on hand.
And now we bake.
At this point, place the lasagna rolls into the tomato sauce, top with mozzarella, and bake until the cheese is melty and the sauce is all bubbly. Your kitchen will smell incredible…like an Italian grandma’s kitchen. But minus the hours spent hunkered over the stove stirring the tomato sauce.
And guys? That’s it. You see? Simple but delicious and full of so much flavor.
This is just like a slow-cooked lasagna, but minus some of the work, and minus all the layers. And honestly…this is just as GOOD…and a bit more fun. Saucy, a little spicy, full of herbs, and heavy on the pasta and cheese. All the good things!
Lastly, I really want to stress that you should adapt this recipe to your needs, using what you have on hand. Of course, you need noodles, and yes, you need canned tomatoes. But if you don’t have a bell pepper, use something else. Spinach would be a great addition if you happen to have that. Please just use my recipe as a guide, and swap in the ingredients you do have. Trust me, with pasta, tomatoes, and cheese, this is going to be great.
Soo, what do you all think? Simple and fun lasagna rolls up tonight? Do you have most of the ingredients? Fingers crossed the answer is yes.
Just add some bread and maybe a side salad too. Perfection.
Looking for other simple pasta recipes? Below are just a few of my springtime favorites.
Unstuffed Spicy Tomato Basil Shells with Whipped Ricotta
Simplest Zucchini Parmesan Pasta
Cacio e Pepe with Arugula and Lemon
Lastly, if you make these skillet pesto cheese lasagna roll ups, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Simple Skillet Pesto Cheese Lasagna Roll Ups.
A great way to use pantry staples and frozen meat, AND...put a quick family-style dinner together in no time!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound ground beef, chicken, or ground spicy Italian sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes (or 3 cups tomato sauce)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes using more or less to your taste
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 3/4 cup basil pesto homemade or store-bought
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 4 ounces mozzarella, torn
- fresh thyme or basil, for serving
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven safe skillet. When the oil shimmers, add the ground meat and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the bell pepper, garlic, oregano, thyme, fennel, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, until fragrant. Reduce the heat to low. Add the tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, fontina, 1/2 cup pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes.
5. To assemble, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mix down the length of the noodle. Roll into a coil and place each seam-side down in the skillet as you go, snuggling the roll into the sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup pesto evenly over everything. Add the mozzarella.
6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned on top. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh basil and thyme, if desired. Enjoy!
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This looks and sounds incredible! Perfect comfort food recipe for this week!
Thank you so much Melissa! I hope you try this one! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Can it be adapted for no-boil lasagna noodles? 🙂
Hi Rivkah,
I would recommend breaking the noodles into larger pieces and stir them into the sauce with 3/4 cup of water. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Looks so yummy!!!! Thanks for another great recipe.
Thank you so much Sheenam! xTieghan
SO YOU ARE BASICALLY USING THE MEAT TO FLAVOR THE SAUCE- AND ONLY ROLLING UP THE CHEESE MIX INSIDE THE COOKED NOODLES? IT CONFUSED ME AS THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE MEAT INCLUDED IN THE ROLLUP..i LIKE THE EASINESS OF THIS AND i HAVE A NEW FAMILY MEMBER , WHO AT AGE 8 AVOIDS MEAT..SO THIS MAKES IT VERY EASY BREEZY FOR A FUN FAMILY DINNER AND EASY ENOUGH THAT IM NOT GOING CRAZY..THANKS SO MUCH!!
Hi Donna! The peppers and spices flavor the sauce as well. Yes, you leave the meat in the sauce pan and the roll ups only include the cheese mixture! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hmm . . . I want my husband to “learn” how to cook during “this time”. Going to start with this recipe.
Looks yummy!!
Well great! I hope you both enjoy this recipe, Donna! xTieghan
this is somewhere between a canelonni and lasagna, which means it’s delicious!!!
Thank you so much Ruth! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi ,Tieghan so what is the Easter menue would love to see one thanks and have a blessed Easter to u and ur familia
Hi Sylvia! I will put up some recipes soon! Thank you! xTieghan
Made this last night. It was delicious. I used our homemade tomato sauce add the pesto I made last fall, fresh mozzarella instead of ricotta and fontina which I didn’t have. The leftovers will be great for lunch. Thanks again for another fantastic recipe.
Thank you Kim! I am so glad this one turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
This looks so good, can’t wait to try it! What size skillet did you use here? Thanks!
Hi Diane! I use a 12 inch skillet here! I hope you love this recipe if you get to try it! xTieghan
Hi ! I will be making this tomorrow ! Thinking of making For delivery . Can you use a Pyrex or aluminum foil casserole pan tnstead of skillet ?
Will that change the heating instructions ?
Thank you !
Hi Keven,
Yes you can do this in a pyrex dish! I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
It looks incredible, but the list of ingedients is dauntingly expensive … in addition to the basic ingredients, i need to buy fontina and ricotta and mozzerella, plus pesto and sun-dried tomatoes! I literally can’t afford to make this!
Hi! I am sorry these ingredients are super expensive in your area! Feel free to use substitutes! If you need anything else please let me know! xTieghan
Good Morning! To the person who wrote that she can’t afford all the ingredients….What I do in this case, is I buy one or 2 ingredients one week, the next week, I will buy some more, by that time I should have all the ingredients. Just break it down little by little. Hope this helps.
I love this idea! Thank you for sharing Leslie! xTieghan
This looks delicious but wanted to check on the filling before I make this. You say 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture down the length of the lasagna sheet but in the picture it looks like a lot more.
Hi Claire! No, just two tablespoons! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
So delicious! I made these last night with a few substitutes. I sadly did not have pesto, but instead I used olive oil and dried basil, and also roasted and mashed some butternut squash and combined with the ricotta for the filler mixture. It was delicious! I also used parm instead of fontina since that’s what I had in my fridge. It took me a lot longer than an hour to make this dish, but it was super fun and did make my house smell like an italian grandmother’s, which made me very happy. Two other notes: i took two chicken breasts and minced them for the sauce, which worked great for me; I also used all 18 lasagna noodles in the box (it was actually the only pasta left at the grocery store when I went two weeks ago), and there was plenty of sauce to go around (though I did have to use two skillets to bake). All in all an awesome recipe that my fiancé and I loved. Thank you Tieghan!
Hi Morgan! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it! Stay well! xTieghan
This was excellent. I made more like a regular lasagna only because my kids are not ricotta fans unless hidden and I added mushrooms in my quest to add more veggies to everything. The pesto in the sauce was a great touch!
Thank you so much Marsha! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Made this the other night and oh yes, it is ever fabulous. Our teenager is a vegetarian (thank goodness she’s not vegan) so we used Field Roast vegan Artisan Italian sausage. My husband was highly dubious, but seriously, even with fake meat, this was fantastic. Thank you.
Thank you so much Lisa! I am so glad this turned out so well for you all! xTieghan
Can you make this recipe a day in advance?
Of course! I hope you love this Nicki! xTieghan
10/10. Would definitely make again. My husband said it’s the best thing I’ve made. We had it for dinner and again for lunch the next day. Might be even better after resting overnight. Sauce had great flavor, pesto filling had just the right mix of pesto, sun-dried tomatoes. I subbed in jumbo shells since I didn’t have lasagna noodles. Super easy adaptation. So pleased with how this turned out. And even better that it was in one pan!
Yes!! So glad this tuned out so well for you Kate! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Made these tonight! I didn’t have pesto so I just omitted it and it was still delish! I am relatively new to HBH and I have loved every.single.thing. I have made. ☺️
Aw that is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Sam! xTieghan
This was TREMENDOUS. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Thank you so much Jonathan! xTieghan
Amazingly delicious! Cheesy and pesto-y and so, so good! Easy to put together and plenty of leftovers for lucky me tomorrow.
Ooo yes! I am so glad you liked this and I hope the leftovers are just as good! xTieghan
Outstanding! Quick and easy and oh so good! I used spicy Italian sausage, didn’t have lasagne noodles so I stuffed pasta shells, pesto from my freezer, and Rao’s fabulous sauce. Absolutely wonderful!
Thank you so much! I am really glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
Easy and delicious and tastes like a hug.
Thank you so much Kate! xTieghan
I made this for Easter. I used shredded chicken because that was all I had. I also added some caramelized onions to the roll up. It was fantastic! Everyone loved it! My husband said it was one of his favorite meals I have made. We will definitely be having this on a regular basis!
Thank you so much Alicia! xTieghan
This recipe is so yummy and easily customizable!! I added half of a chopped onion to the red pepper just for added flavor and gouda instead of fontina just because I didn’t have it. Loved the mix of pesto and tomato sauce. Super easy and feels so fancy! Always love a good skillet dish.
Thank you so much Megan! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
So yummy! After I put in the oven, the sauce came out a little watery – any suggestions on how to avoid that?
Suggestions if your husband bought pre cooked lasagna noodles??
Love everything you make!! Seriously the best!!
Hi Ashley,
Lol I would just fill them and roll them up! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My grocery store was out of lasagna noodles so, I bought manicotti noodles. Do i need to cook the manicotti noodle before stuffing them? I am hoping the answer is no. I have never cooked with manicotti noodles before.
Hi Nancy,
Yes I would cook them until al dente. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Another hit for our family! Inspired by your recipes to purchase a cast iron skillet! Up next is your crinkle top chocolate peanut butter skillet blondie. Thank you for all of inspiring you are doing for this self-professed non-cook! Hope it continues post-pandemic! 😉
Hi Lisa! I am so glad you are enjoying my recipes and I hope you continue to! Highly recommend the cast iron too! Hope you are staying healthy and safe! xTieghan
Delicious! Made this tonight and will definitely make again. Although I didn’t have all the ingredients due to the pandemic. I substituted cottage cheese for ricotta, dried Italian seasoning for the fresh thyme and basil and only had mozzarella cheese it turned out amazing.
Thanks,
Sue
Thank you so much Sue! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
This looks delicious! If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, can you use a 13 x 9 baking pan? If so, is it the same cook time? Thanks!!
Hi Christina,
Yes this would be totally fine to do! I would keep the same baking time. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
SOOOO DELICIOUS! Super easy to make and great as leftovers too! I’ll be making this again soon!
Thank you so much Kyra! xTieghan
Made this tonight without meat (and without bell pepper, because I didn’t have it) – so good!! Perfect comfort food and easy to put together. I’ll definitely make this again. 🙂
Love that! Thank you so much for trying this one, Veronica! I hope you love all of the others you try! xTieghan
Very good! I made these roll-ups without meat and used 8 oz mushrooms instead because one can’t have enough mushrooms! But even with the tomato sauce, pesto flavor is a bit too dominant. I’d definitely make this again, but decrease the pesto a bit. I’d also like to try adding ground chicken or even shredded chicken. Great for lunch the next day too.
Thank you so much Kara! I am glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was excellent. The addition of the pesto and sun-dried tomatoes really took it to the next level when we made it two days ago. Even my twin 3 year olds gobbled it up. Great recipe!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Rachel! xTieghan
Looks delicious! I love when you provide substitutions in your post! I have some picky eaters at home so it’s great to know I can omit the sun dried tomatoes and swap the fontina cheese for provolone and the dish will still turn out.
Thank you so much Jess! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Ummm ummmmm ummmm ummmm ummmm as I dance and shimmy! So good!!!!! So good!!!!!!
Thank you so much Melissa! xTieghan
Delicious dinner for big family. Semi easy to make, make sure you keep your hot water boiling so you can stick the cold noodles in there to come back to shape before you stuff & roll after you cool them off
Thank you so much Emily!! That is amazing to hear! xTieghan
Hello there, could sub in cottage cheese for the ricotta? Thanks!
Hi Dayna,
Yes that would work, so would mascarpone! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have made this recipe about three or four times now, and it keeps getting better. This is an excellent easy to follow and repeat recipe. I have tweaked it to my personal tastes, but left alone it will become a family favorite(I do use hot Italian sausage). Thanks for your blog and I am making several more of your Italian recipes
Thank you so much Mike!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this and it was SO FANTASTICALLY scrumptious! My dinner guest (the first one since March!) gave the ultimate compliment — he said it tasted like his grandma’s lasagna! I used mild Italian sausage and mushrooms instead of bell pepper, also left out the sundried tomato. Couldn’t find fontina so I used sliced provolone, cut up small. I had not sautéed the mushrooms first but it was ok because I had tried using frozen tomatoes and it was way, way too watery, so I cooked it longer to thicken the sauce and then added a can of no-salt tomato sauce and let the flavors simmer 30 more minutes. So the mushrooms were well cooked. It turned out to be a good thing that my dinner guest had an hour delay – yes, he called to let me know 😊 and I was still a little behind so he was glad to do the cheese/pasta/pesto/mozzarella steps for me and we both took credit for a fabulous meal!! He even asked me for the recipe 👍🏼
Wow yes!!! I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Rebecca!! Thank you! xTieghan
This recipe was amazing! I’m not exactly the world’s best cook – but even I figured it out. I made this for my boyfriend today and he said it’s his favorite thing I’ve ever cooked. Honestly so delicious – thank you so much for the recipe! I ended up using hot Italian sausage for my meat and it was delish. This will definitely be a special treat recipe going forward!!!
So amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Raychel! xTieghan
Made this tonight for me and my friend’s wine night and we LOVED it. I added the remaining sauce I had left over from the Easy Sheet Pan Tomato Herb Pizza and put it on top of the lasagna rolls before I added the mozzarella. Can’t wait to make this again!!
I am so happy this turned out so well for you, Claire! Thank you! I hope you continue to love this and other recipes of mine! xTieghan
Mmm! This looks divine. Simply cannot wait to try it! 🙂
Thank you Lisa! I hope this turns out well for you! xTieghan
So yummy …loved this dish. Thank you for this recipe. I paired with a simple salad.
Will definitely make for the holidays😊🌲
YES! So glad you loved this one! I hope it turns out just as amazing for the holidays! xTieghan
I made this last night, and it was SO delicious!! Absolutely recommend this dish. Super easy, quick, and sensational.
Hey Taylor,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was so good! I didn’t have ricotta so used cream cheese instead, also used a sharp white cheddar instead of the fontina. My husband isn’t a fan of sun dried tomatoes so just swapped a regular chopped tomato. And then used shells instead of lasagna noodles. It was so delicious, really flavorful and everyone – even kids – ate it up! Thanks for the awesome recipe. Next time might try Italian sausage. Definitely a keeper!
Hey Carrie,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was wonderful! So rich and creamy, will definitely make again!
Hey Bethany,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This was delicious! Another winner from Half Baked Harvest. I used jumbo pasta shells and Italian sausage because that’s what I had. Looking at your pictures, it looks like you used fresh Mozzarella?
Hey Chris,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Yes, I used fresh mozzarella. Have a great week:) xTieghan
As my dad adjusts to retirement and both of us are coping with lockdown, we have started doing a “Dad and Erin Cooking Show” where we pick a recipe from your site and make it once a week, virtually. Gives us both something to look forward to. This week we made this one and it was SO amazing and so fun to do together. Thank you, truly!!!
Hey Erin,
I am delighted you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was delicious! I left the fennel and thyme out because of personal preference but everything else was the same. My husband devoured it!
Hey Brianne,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! ☘️ xTieghan
This wasn’t my fave HBH meal I’ve made. I honestly didn’t love the pesto with the red sauce and the sun dried tomatoes…..Oh well most of her meals are amazing so we will try another.
Sorry you did not enjoy the recipe Cori!
Absolutely delish! Will definitely have to make again!!!!
Hey Nicole,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
This looks amazing! Would substituting ricotta cheese for cottage cheese need any adaptations? Thanks! Can’t wait to try 😊
Hey Megan,
That should be totally fine to do, just follow the recipe as is! I hope you love this dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan