Pack your next batch of pasta with Lifeway Farmer Cheese, and you’ll be glad you did thanks to its satisfying protein and rich, creamy texture that works just like ricotta and other types of cultured fresh cheese varieties. Our Farmer Cheese Lasagna Rolll-ups are the perfect one to try next.
This recipe marries the mild taste of our soft cheese with the slight acidity of the tomato sauce and the savory Italian spices for a perfectly balanced bite. This Italian dish is layered with lasagna pasta, fresh baby spinach, and a curated selection of spices, making it a must-try when you want comfort food made better!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for better gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and even help support healthier blood sugar levels and improve levels of satiety due to how ittriggers the release of GLP-1 since it is an excellent source of protein and high in bioavailable nutrition.
Lifeway Kefir contains a variety of nutrients that are vital for healthy bones and overall health: vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Lifeway also offers our artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy cultured cheese made with live and active cultures to support a healthy microbiome that is also an excellent source of complete protein.
Ingredients
- 16 oz (one tub) Lifeway Farmer Cheese
- 2-3 big handfuls of fresh baby spinach*
- 8-9 lasagna noodles, gluten free or other alternative**
- 24 oz organic pasta sauce (store bought or homemade)
- 1 egg
- 1 clove of fresh garlic, chopped
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp dried basil
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- Shredded mozzarella cheese to top, optional
Directions
- Cook noodles in a large pot of water until al dente. Drain and let noodles set in cold water for a minute or two. Lay out on paper towels to dry.
- Preheat oven to 350 and grab a 9” x 11” glass dish. Spray the dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Rinse and chop the fresh spinach (or give the thawed spinach one last squeeze and chop). Thoroughly mix together the spinach, Farmer Cheese, egg, garlic, Parmesan cheese and basil. Add salt and pepper as desired.
- Spread 1/4 - 1/3 cup of pasta sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the glass dish.
- Lay a piece of wax paper on the counter for your noodles. Spread about two to three tablespoons of the mixture evenly onto the noodle. Make sure the noodle is covered but not too thick.
- Roll the noodle and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
- Once all noodles are rolled and placed in the glass dish, ladle the sauce onto each roll.
- Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on top of each roll, if desired, or additional salt, pepper and basil.
- Cover dish with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with a large salad and a tall glass of creamy kefir!
- *If you don't have fresh spinach, substitute one box of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very well to remove all excess moisture.
- **For a lighter dish, substitute the lasagna noodles for zucchini. Simply cut two large zucchini into 1/4" slices, spray with non-stick cooking spray and grill or bake until soft.
