Cheesy Pasta Pinwheels
These cheesy pasta pinwheels are super fun to make and eat, bringing a cozy main dish or a hearty side to your table. They bake up golden and bubbly with a delicious tomato sauce and plenty of cheese.
Ingredients
- 8 lasagna noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
- 0.25 cup shredded carrots
- 400 grams crushed tomatoes
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.25 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, plus 0.5 cup for topping
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Prepare an 23x23 cm (9x9 inch) baking dish by lightly greasing it with 1 teaspoon olive oil or cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 8 lasagna noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse them with cold water to prevent sticking, and lay them flat on parchment paper or clean kitchen towels.
- While the noodles cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 medium finely diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in 2 finely chopped cloves garlic, 0.25 cup finely diced green bell pepper, and 0.25 cup shredded carrots. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Pour in 400 grams crushed tomatoes, then add 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano, 0.5 teaspoon dried basil, 0.25 teaspoon red chili flakes, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and 0.25 teaspoon black pepper. Stir everything well, bring to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to low. Let it cook for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup ricotta cheese, 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley. Mix well to combine all the ingredients for the cheese filling.
- Generously spread approximately 0.25 cup of the cheese mixture evenly over each cooked lasagna noodle, leaving a small border around the edges. Make sure each noodle gets a good amount of the filling.
- Carefully roll each filled lasagna noodle tightly from one short end to the other, creating a pinwheel shape. You will have 8 pinwheels.
- Pour about 0.5 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the 8 rolled lasagna pinwheels snugly in the baking dish, cut side up.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the pinwheels. Sprinkle the tops with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese and 0.5 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown.
- Let the pinwheels rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley for freshness and a pop of color. Serve hot.