Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe

An easy weeknight bake, this Lasagna Roll Ups recipe features cheese and a meaty sauce for a comforting meal the whole family will love.

Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups with Spinach and Ricotta

Listen, I’m the first one to respect tradition, but I prefer this Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe over the traditional hefty pan of baked lasagna. There are fewer ingredients, it comes together much faster, and is every bit as delicious. Nobody wants to face making a pan of Nonna’s lasagna on a Wednesday, but you can make this Lasagna Roll Ups recipe and have a comforting, tasty dinner that's ready in about an hour.

Plus, i you’re cooking for one or two people, this Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe is perfect because it makes two to three servings. You won’t be faced with trying to find a home for a pan of half-eaten lasagna after your dinner!

To make my Lasagna Roll Ups recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 6 lasagna noodles

• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained

• 1 (15-ounce) carton whole milk ricotta cheese

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

• 3 cups Bolognese (or marinara) sauce

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• Salt and pepper

First, cook the lasagna noodles per instructions on the box, but reduce the time by 2 minutes. Remember to liberally salt the water in your pasta pot. Carefully remove the noodles from water and place on a cookie sheet to cool. If you’re using fresh lasagna noodles, you can skip this step.

Because I made just 6 lasagna rolls, I used about 2/3 of the spinach and 12 ounces of ricotta. Mix the spinach with ricotta, grated garlic, Parmesan and about ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

I used an 8-inch-square baking pan that I greased with a drizzle of olive oil. You can also treat the pan with a non-stick spray. Spread half of your tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking pan.

To assemble this recipe, spread spinach and cheese mixture down the length of each noodle, roll up the pasta, and place in a sauced baking pan.

How to assemble Lasagna Roll Ups

Once the noodles are cooled, spread the spinach and cheese mixture gently down the length of each lasagna noodle. Roll the lasagna, placing the noodle seam side down in the sauce. Repeat until all the lasagna is rolled. (Some people stand the lasagna rolls up, but my pan wasn't deep enough, although that makes a lovely presentation.)

Pour the remainder of the tomato sauce on top of the Lasagna Roll Ups and bake covered at 375 degrees F 25 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top of lasagna and bake another 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling.

This Tasty Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe also is versatile

If you’re in a pinch to make the marinara sauce but have a jar of pasta sauce in your pantry, use it! To make this a vegetarian dish, leave the meat out of the sauce; but my Slow Cooker Classic Bolognese would be beautiful in this Lasagna Roll Ups Recipe.

Classic Bolognese

Some of you may not be fans of spinach; however, when mixed with the ricotta and garlic, it is a delightful addition to this recipe. But a suitable substitution might be fresh chopped basil or parsley.

Give this recipe a try, and remember, what Nonna doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Let us know in the comments below how yours turned out!

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Looking for another delicious Italian bake? You’ll love this satisfying Baked Ravioli.

A light pasta that’s cooked on your stove top and ready in a flash would be Casarecce with Asparagus and Peas.

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Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Chicken, corn and other yummy ingredients simmer in a tomato base, creating a fast, hearty meal.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

A comforting bowl of soup is perfect for a winter meal, and this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe combines white meat chicken, colorful peppers, corn and the right amount of spice to warm your tummy and soul. I’m betting it will be one of those recipes you’ll go back to on a regular basis because it comes together in just 30 minutes, which is music to a busy home cook’s ear.

I know there are dozens—maybe hundreds—of variations to Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes. Why is this recipe better? Because you probably have everything in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer to make it right now. Chicken Tortilla Soup is a versatile recipe, too! Want to swap corn for beans? Go ahead! Make it a vegetarian dish by using vegetable stock and leaving the chicken out altogether. Either way, the warm spice combination of cumin, coriander and celery salt help give Chicken Tortilla Soup real depth.

Chicken Tortilla Soup is believed to have originated in or near Mexico City. The traditional soup is made with roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, onion, garlic and chiles. Tortillas are cut into strips, fried and added to the bottom of the bowl prior to spooning in the soup and as a garnish. Over the years, cooks have added other ingredients, such as beans and corn, to the pot. So, let’s get cooking!

To make my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, which makes four servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, poached and cut into small strips or shredded

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1½ cups sweet peppers, diced (I used frozen strips of green, red and yellow peppers)

• 1 (15-ounce) can of tomatoes and green chiles

• 1½ cups canned or frozen corn

• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon celery salt

• 2 teaspoons lime juice

• 2 or 3 small tortillas cut into strips

• Olive oil

A couple of substitution notes: I swapped out the plain minced garlic for 2 teaspoons of Elbees Gourmet Garlic (chili and lime). If you don't have frozen peppers, you can chop one large green, red or yellow pepper and use in this recipe.

Begin this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe by placing a 4-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onion and peppers. Saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, celery salt and coriander; cook 1 minute.

Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes with chiles and corn. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat before adding the cooked chicken. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

To make homemade tortilla strips for this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, cut flour tortillas into thin strips. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a baking sheet with a little olive oil and move tortilla strips around on pan to coat. Sprinkle tortilla strips with salt and bake for 2 to 3 minutes (watch so they do not burn; this won’t take long at all).

How to serve Chicken Tortilla Soup

Add a few tortilla strips to the bottom of the bowl. Ladle the warm soup over tortillas. Place additional tortilla strips on top of the soup and squeeze a lime wedge over the top. Add a little fresh cilantro or parsley for a garnish and you have a hearty, comforting bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup to savor. Other options for serving include a small dollop of sour cream or sprinkle of shredded Colby cheese on top, but I think the soup holds up well without the dairy. Some cooks add cubed avocado when serving their Chicken Tortilla Soup recipes, so if you're a fan of this fruit, go for it!

I hope you'll give my Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe a try. Warm, hearty soups are one of winter's best comforts, so tuck in with a bowl and let me know what you think!

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Want more 30-minute meal recipes? My Beefy Greek Pitas recipe has all the flavors of the Mediterranean and are ready in a flash. Switch up Taco Tuesday with my mom's Doritos Taco Salad that's on the table in 35 minutes.

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Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today and you'll always know what's cooking in the kitchen!

Comforting Chicken Curry Soup Recipe

This Chicken Curry Soup recipe is a cozy bowl you can pair with pillow-soft naan for a wholesome winter meal.

Chicken Curry Soup

It’s a delight to have a pot of simmering soup on my stove, especially when the temperatures outside dip. The remnants of a weekend snow are melting today, so I’m grateful for the carton of Chicken Curry Soup I have in my refrigerator. And with just a few ingredients, you can make this soup for supper tonight.

This recipe (with just a couple of my tweaks) is from my mom’s copy of a cookbook produced in 1981 by The Elsah Landing Restaurant. I modified the suggested amount of chicken stock and added celery to the soup starter. More later about the restaurant and the Village of Elsah, but for now, let’s get into the soup.

It’s a safe bet that most cooks have in their arsenal a recipe for chicken noodle or chicken and rice soup. Both are wonderfully comforting and nourishing. But what I love about Chicken Curry Soup is the extra hug you get from the curry powder. Don’t be afraid of this spice, folks! If you’re not familiar with curry powders, just visit a spice shop in your area and ask questions.

A common misconception about curry is it’s going to be “too spicy” for an individual’s palate. While some curry powders can bring more heat than others, according to the blog SPICEography, there are milder curry powders from Asia, France and Jamaica. Cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, ginger and cumin are common spices used to blend a curry powder. Just two teaspoons of curry powder (I used The Now Curry from Penzeys) create an underlying warmth and just enough zip to wake up your chicken soup.

For this Chicken Curry Soup recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken stock

• 2 cups shredded chicken

• ¼ cup butter

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 2 celery stalks, diced

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• ¼ cup water

• 2 teaspoons salt

• ¼ teaspoon sugar

• 1 cup light cream

• Apple slices to garnish

You can use either homemade or purchased chicken stock. I used a lower sodium organic chicken stock for this recipe. Any shredded chicken would work in this dish; I poached one chicken breast and two full-size chicken wings in some stock. Leftover roasted chicken could be used; even canned white meat chicken would work if you had that in your pantry. Let’s get cooking!

Carrots, onions and celery create the aromatics to start your pot of Chicken Curry Soup. Mom's copy of The Elsah Landing Cookbook is in the background.

In a 4-quart stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Meanwhile, dice the onion, celery and carrots to create the soup’s mirepoix, the soup’s aromatic starter. You’re not looking for any color here, so stir occasionally while sweating the onions. The celery will start to soften, too, but don’t worry about the carrots because those will get tender while the soup simmers. I cooked the vegetables for about five minutes.

Next, add the curry powder and stir to combine the spice into the vegetables. I let this mixture cook for another five minutes (the aroma will be intoxicating, by the way).

Just two teaspoons of curry powder are used in Chicken Curry Soup but it makes a huge difference. The aroma if curry-coated vegetables will fill your kitchen.

At this point, add the chicken stock. Bring it to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. While the stock is simmering, mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Stir the mixture into the stock.

Next, add the chicken, salt and sugar. Taste and adjust salt or sugar as desired.

Now it’s time to add the cream. I added about three tablespoons of the soup’s stock into the cup of cream. This tempering method will present any possible curdling; it’s also a good idea to get the cream out of the refrigerator at the outset of the process, measure it and let it wait on your counter.

Just heat the soup through for another couple of minutes, stirring to incorporate the cream. You’ll have a smooth, fragrant and delightful pot of soup that makes four to six servings. It was suggested by The Elsah Landing cookbook authors to serve this will an apple slice, and I agree it’s a nice touch. I also set out a plate of pillowy naan that screamed to be dipped into the bowl. It’s a joyous mouthful.

When The Elsah Landing Restaurant opened in Elsah, Illinois, in 1975, Chicken Curry and Asparagus Mushroom were the only soups on the menu. Helen Crafton and Dorothy Lindgren were the owners. Over the years, the restaurant rotated forty or fifty soups, plus salads, a variety of homemade breads and desserts. My mom, Katie, and I enjoyed a few lunches at The Elsah Landing, whether it was at their original location or the second restaurant that opened at Plaza Frontenac in west St. Louis County.

Mom confided a few times to me that she had a secret dream to run a restaurant similar to Elsah Landing; a place with a simple but nourishing menu that featured soups, sandwiches and desserts. It’s a shame that she never got that chance, but she still fed people around her table and through meals prepared at Trinity United Church of Christ. Food was the language of love for my mom, as well as my grandma, Dorothy. Helen and Dorothy certainly spoke the language when they had The Elsah Landing Restaurant.

And I’m having a lot of fun becoming more fluent!

Give this soup a try and let me know in your comments how it turned out. If you have any memories of The Elsah Landing Restaurant, feel free to share as well.

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Want another chicken soup recipe? Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a delicious and quick meal. And while it's not technically a soup (there is a debate about that), White Chicken Chili is a warm addition to your winter table.