Easy Ground Turkey Lasagna Roll Ups with Pesto

My Easy Ground Turkey Lasagna Roll Ups with Pesto are a must try for your next family dinner. With the classic lasagna flavors of ground meat, Italian seasoning, cheese and tomato sauce, these roll ups are easy to make and loaded with protein. In this recipe, ground turkey is replacing the traditional ground beef but rest assured, this is packed with flavor! 

These Lasagna roll-ups definitely need to be put into your recipe rotation!  

Why you will love this recipe

• This is a wonderful dish for Easter or Mother’s Day or a weeknight dinner and even meal prep.
• Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food!
• It has all the traditional lasagna vibes.
• It’s a great make ahead meal. Prepare the turkey mixture and get everything prepared into a casserole dish then bake off the next day.
• You can pair it with your favorite salad to make a complete and balanced meal.

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Ingredients

• Lean ground turkey. I suggest 93/7 or 85/15. You can do super lean if this a dietary need but it will have a much dryer texture. 
• Cooking spray. 
• Lasagna noodles. I use regular lasagna noodles but you can use gluten free or whole wheat lasagna noodles. 
• Ricotta cheese. 
• Pesto. I LOVE pesto in this recipe, especially when it’s made with my Pesto Made With Avocado Oil. However, if you don’t have it on hand or don’t want to buy it, the recipe will still taste great without it. 
• Marinara sauce. Plain marinara works or you can use tomato basil or roasted garlic flavor. You can also sub out with crushed tomatoes with a little added tomato paste. Or make your own fresh marinara sauce. 
• Spices. Oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I kept the spices for this one really simple but basic italian seasoning works too.
• Low fat mozzarella cheese. 
• Fresh basil. This is an optional garnish. The fresh herbs enhance the taste of the dish. 

How to make Turkey Roll Ups

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add about a 3/4 cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom of the baking dish and spread along the bottom to coat evenly.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles according to the package. Drain noodles and on a large space or large sheet pan, place some parchment paper down and lay the lasagna noodles out to dry. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile over medium-low heat, spray a large skillet with non stick cooking spray. Add the ground turkey when ready. Season with garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink. Set aside when done.

4. In a large bowl add the ground turkey, ricotta and pesto. Stir to combine.

5. Grab the tray of dried lasagna noodles. Take about a 1/4 cup of the mixture and spread it over the noodle. Carefully roll and place the noodle seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining lasagna noodles.

6. Spoon about a tablespoon of marinara sauce over each roll. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top of the ground turkey lasagna rolls. Cover with aluminum foil and place rolls in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. 

7. When done, remove from the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes and serve as is or with your favorite side salad.

Storing and reheating turkey lasagna roll ups

Store any left over lasagna rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze this dish, use a freezer safe container. When preparing to freeze, do not bake off the lasagna roll ups.

Helpful tips for ground turkey lasagna rolls

Glass baking dishes work perfectly for this recipe. 

Cook the lasagna noodles until they are al dente. After draining the noodles, dry them out before assembling by laying them on a parchment paper, counter or clean work surface.

Using the foil helps avoid getting that crispy edge around the noodle. 

Serving suggestions and alternatives

The swap outs in this dish are endless! Here are some tasty ideas:

Try italian sausage, ground beef or ground chicken like in my Ground Chicken Pesto Lasagna Roll Ups. You could also use leftover turkey or leftover rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken breast.

The ricotta mixture can be switched up with cottage cheese, add mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese. Any cheese mixture will taste fantastic!

The meat can be cooked in olive oil if you like. Using cooking spray to cook meat saves on fat. 

An alfredo sauce tastes great instead of tomato. Or you can mix both! 

An individual serving is 2 rolls but if you are looking to cut carbs, try one roll and add fresh green salad on the side. 

Red pepper flakes can add a little heat. 

Recipe inspiration for lasagna roll ups

This recipe is inspired by a recipe I tried from the food blog Skinny Taste. She has an amazing vegetarian lasagna roll and I knew I needed to recreate my own version but with meat. This recipe is a hit with my toddler. It’s just the right amount of meat and cheese. I hope you enjoy this recipe! 

Try these other delicious ground turkey dinner ideas: Best Ground Turkey Pesto Pasta with Kale, Pan Fried Turkey Basil Burgers with Feta, and my Shakshuka with Ground Turkey.

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