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60 Tasty Christmas Dinner Ideas!

Lasagna roll ups
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These Christmas dinner ideas will leave your guests merry and bright, with cozy mains, hearty sides, and decadent desserts all bursting with holiday cheer and versatile for different diets!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 lasagna noodles (10 ounces)
  • 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes*
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups whole milk mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Boil the noodles until just al dente, according to the package instructions, stirring often. Drain the noodles, then drizzle a baking sheet with a bit of olive oil. Lay the noodles flat onto the sheet, then turn them over so they become coated with olive oil to prevent sticking.
  3. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the fire roasted tomatoes, grated garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well until all the olive oil is incorporated.
  4. Make the filling: Thaw the spinach following the package instructions, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your fingers (the spinach should feel dry and crumbly before using it). In a medium bowl, mix it with the basil, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, lemon zest, egg, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper.
  5. Roll the noodles: Spread half the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. On a baking sheet, place 4 noodles. Spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture down each noodle, then top with a bit of tomato sauce (see the photos). Gently roll up each noodle, then place it into the pan. Repeat for each of the noodles. 
  6. Finish the pan: Once all noodles are rolled, pour the remaining tomato sauce on top, and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella on top. 
  7. Bake: Cover the pan with foil (so it’s not touching the cheese) and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the foil and bake for 10 minutes. If desired, broil 2 minutes until the cheese is browned. Garnish with chopped parsley or basil and serve. Leftovers last refrigerated for 4 days; reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

Notes

*If desired, you can use purchased marinara sauce instead of making your own, or make your favorite lasagna sauce with meat. If using purchased marinara, still add the 1 clove grated garlic and 1 teaspoon dried oregano to enhance the flavor.