These zucchini roll-ups with spinach, ricotta, and basil are vegetarian and baked in flavorful tomato sauce. Low-carb, gluten-free, vegan-adaptable. Video
In the midst of the chaos when the wind is howling I hear the ancient song of the ones who went before and know that peace will come.
Anonymous
Zucchini is prolific this time of year, but by now, many of us are completely zucchini’ed out. This recipe for zucchini lasagna roll-ups will hopefully change that! It comes straight from our vegetarian restaurant.
Think of this as lasagna or cannelloni, but without the pasta, a low-carb vegetarian alternative that highlights beautiful summer squash!
Why You’ll Love Zucchini Roll-Ups!
What makes this recipe shine is grilling the zucchini first! Yes, this is optional- you can absolutely use your oven to roast it. We love making homemade marinara sauce, but storebought works in a pinch.
If you are looking for more of a “lasagna” check out our Zucchini Lasagna!
- Low-carb and gluten-free. Made without lasagna noodles, just zucchini!
- Vegan-adaptable. Sub vegan tofu ricotta and vegan mozzarella and skip the egg!
- Seasonal! A great way to enjoy summer’s zucchini and basil abundance!
Zucchini Roll-Ups Ingredients
- Zucchini: Look for large zucchini, about 7-8 inches long and 2-3 inches wide, and as straight as possible. This is key for stuffing the roll-ups!
- Garlic cloves and shallot: For savory, aromatic flavor!
- Spinach: Adds a healthy does of greens while adding vibrant color.
- Ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and egg: For the cheesy filling. Smoked mozzarella is really good here too! Sub vegan tofu ricotta and vegan mozzarella if needed. If making vegan, skip the egg.
- Fresh basil: Adds fresh, herby, summer flavor.
- Chili flakes: Optional, but adds a nice spicy bite.
- Lemon zest: Optional, but gives the roll-ups a citrusy and zesty, summer taste.
- Marinara sauce: Store-bought Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara is one of my favorites. Or make homemade our roasted tomato sauce or our Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce
Ingredient FAQs
If you can find large enough yellow squash then you can sub that for zucchini or use a mix of both!
You could add pine nuts, sautéed mushrooms, fresh corn, or other sautéed vegetables or additional herbs!
To make this egg- and dairy-free, use vegan ricotta and vegan mozzarella and skip the egg.
How to make Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
Preheat oven to 400F. If grilling the zucchini, set the grill to high heat.
Step 1: Prep the zucchini. With a sharp knife, trim both ends of zucchini and slice into thin, 1/4-inch wide vertical slices. A mandolin can be helpful here. Aim for twelve. Brush each lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and roast or grill each side (turning grill to medium).
Roast or grill until tender and pliable. If grilling, cover with foil when done so the zucchini steams slightly to soften. You can simply test one by rolling it up.
Step 2: Make the filling. While the zucchini cooks, sauté garlic and shallot in olive oil over medium heat in a pan, careful not to burn. Once golden, add spinach and stir, reduce heat, cover and let wilt. Transfer to a bowl with the ricotta, mozzarella, egg, salt, pepper, and basil. Stir and add chili flakes and lemon zest if desired.
Step 3: Add marinara sauce to baking dish. Add a cup of marinara to the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Step 4: Assemble and bake. Spread ricotta mixture onto each slice of zucchini and roll up. Place seam-side down in baking dish over the marinara. Top with a dollop of marinara and more mozzarella (optional), then cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the melty cheese is golden.
Step 5: Garnish and serve. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh basil ribbons.
Recipe Variations
- Mix up the veggies! Sautéed mushrooms, corn, more fresh herbs like parsley and dill, or any sautéed veggies can be added.
- Add meat! Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground beef, or chicken can be added to the filling for a more meaty lasagna. Or sub vegan chorizo!
- Add pesto! Drizzle pesto over the top for an elevated variation!
FAQs
It helps to slice the zucchini very thin. If you want to take an extra step to prevent excess liquid, salt the zucchini strips and let sit for 15 minutes then pat dry.
A salad would make a great accompaniment! Try our Caprese Salad, Grilled Panzanella Salad, or Mediterranean Swiss Chard Salad!
Cover with foil when reheating to keep moisture in.
Meal Prep & Storage
To make it in advance, simply assemble the zucchini lasagna roll-ups, then cover and store them for 24 hours until they are ready to bake. Or make the roasted or grilled zucchini and filling in advance, then assemble and bake when ready.
Leftovers will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days, and this dish can be frozen pre-baked for up to 3 months. Thaw before baking.
To reheat zucchini roll-ups, cover with foil and warm in a 350F oven for 45 minutes.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
For more zucchini recipes, check out our best zucchini recipes!
More Favorite Zucchini Recipes
Watch how to make Zucchini Ricotta Rolls
Zucchini Roll Ups with Ricotta and Spinach
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6
- Category: Main, vegetarian, low-carb
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A simple recipe for Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups (aka, Zucchini Rollatini) with Spinach and Ricotta a flavorful vegetarian entree that highlights the best of summer ingredients. Low-carb and Vegan Adaptable!
Ingredients
- 3 large zucchini (7– 8 inches long, 2–3 inches wide, straight as possible.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3 ounces spinach (a big, giant handful)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese ( or sub vegan ricotta)
- 2 ounces grated mozzarella cheese ( 1/2 cup), smoked mozzarella is really good here
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped, or ribbons
- pinch of chili flakes, optional
- l-2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional
- 2 cups marinara sauce ( store-bought-Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara is good- or homemade)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 F, and set grill to high heat (if grilling)
Trim both ends of zucchini and thinly slice into ¼ inch wide, vertical slices. Aim for twelve. Very lightly brush with olive oil, and either place on a parchment lined sheet pan and roast, or grill each side (turning the grill down to medium). Grill or roast until tender and pliable. Test one by trying to roll it up. If grilling, it helps to cover the zucchini after grilling with foil, so it steams slightly.
While the zucchini is roasting or grilling, make the filling. Saute the garlic and shallot in olive oil over medium heat, careful not to burn. Once golden, add the spinach, stir, lower heat, cover for a moment, and let it wilt. Add this to a bowl with the ricotta, mozzerella, egg, salt and pepper and the basil. Stir and some chili flakes and lemon zest if you like.
Place one cup marinara in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
Spread each zucchini slice with the ricotta mixture, and gently roll up, placeing them seam side down in the baking dish over the marina. Top with a dollop of marinara and more mozzarella (optional) and cover with foil and bake at 400 F for 15- 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 5-10 more minutes, or until cheese is melty and golden.
Before serving, sprinkle with fresh basil ribbons.
Notes
The grill gives the zucchini great flavor!
Feel free to add your creative embellishments to the filling- toasted pine nuts, goat cheese, sautéed mushrooms, etc.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: – with ricotta and mozzarella
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 13.5 g
- Sodium: 995 mg
- Fat: 24.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.6 g
- Fiber: 4.1 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 88.8 mg
Made these last night. Another winning recipe from FAH! I added some chopped pine nuts and sauteed mushrooms to the ricotta filling. I used jarred sauce and will make your homemade marinara next time.
Glad you enjoyed Sharon! Thanks for the review.
I see the ricotta can be vegan, but there is still an egg. We have someone with an egg allergy. So what replacement could we use.
If you make the vegan ricotta, you can omit the egg.
Made these vegan – my partner told me this was his favorite.
We have so many traviata eggplant, so I followed the same steps from your recipe but rolled in roasted eggplant and toasted with bread crumbs instead of fried the eggplant. Would LOVE to see you do an eggplant rollitini recipe for us all!
ooo yummy! Thanks for the good idea!
Can I make the filling without the egg as I am vegan
Yes, absolutely!
Could you use a different sauce ?.
We not lovers of tamatoes
You could use the sauce in our Spinach Lasagna? It’s a Basil Spinach sauce.
So very delicious. I made it in one day and found it very doable. Only change I made was that I used a box of frozen spinach because that is what I had on had.
This will become a regular are recipe in my rotations. Thank you!!!!
Perfect Janet!