Put all your regular snacks aside because these Spinach and Ricotta Rolls are here to give your tastebuds a spin! They are flaky, cheesy, and deliciously filling. Oh, and healthy! These spinach ricotta rolls bring vitamin goodness and fiber to your table.
You can prepare these easy snacks beforehand and freeze them for emergencies. They'll also make great finger food snacks for gatherings with friends or family! With just a few ingredients, you can have the perfect side dish ready in no time.
And if you have extra puff pastry to use, try out my Baked Tomato Tarts or Puff Pastry Cinnamon Rolls!
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Why These Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Rolls are a Hit!
When everyone in the house expects you to feed them something extraordinarily yummy, even on weeknights, you secretly wish you had a genie working for you. I've been there!
But then I realized there's no genie coming to my rescue; it's just me and my quick and yummy recipes. If you know the feeling, you'll love these make-ahead spinach ricotta rolls.
They are quick to make - They come together in less than half an hour. Or sooner if you have a frozen batch ready!
You only need a few ingredients - No over-the-top ingredient list here. Just some pantry essentials and a few frozen goodies.
The recipe is easy peasy - You don't have to spend hours understanding the steps. They're as simple as mix, fill, roll, bake!
They are lunch-box friendly - Kids love bite-sized goodies in their lunch boxes. These rolls taste incredibly good, even when slightly cold.
They are versatile - Make big rolls or bite-sized rolls according to your tribe's preference. Manage the cooking time accordingly.
They are loaded with cheese - Need I say more?
Ingredients for the Best Spinach and Ricotta Rolls
Chopped Spinach: I prefer frozen spinach because it's already cleaned and chopped. But if you love fresh spinach sauteed in garlic, go for it! No flavor-compromise!
Ricotta Cheese: Ricotta has a subtle flavor; it won't overpower the rest of the ingredients. Moreover, it maintains its texture even when baked. It's a win-win!
Parmesan Cheese - For that melty, cheesy bite!
Garlic: This is our flavor enhancer for the recipe! Fresh garlic > garlic powder - any day!
Salt and Black Pepper - No bland rolls, please! And, yes, these are the only two spices we need.
Sesame Seeds: Pretty 'em rolls up with sesame seeds! They'll also give our rolls a crunchier exterior. If you're out of stock, hemp seeds are a good substitute. You can also use poppy seeds. But expect a nuttier and slightly bitter taste.
Puff Pastry: We will use store-bought puff pastry sheets (because, why not!). The key here is to ensure that the pastry sheets are thawed completely and not overly sticky.
Eggs: An egg wash is a fail-proof way of giving your rolls a beautiful golden color and shine.
Optional Ingredients
A tiny bit of nutmeg powder and paprika (sweet or smoky) will be good additions. But please don’t overdo them; we just want hints of their flavors.
You'll find the exact quantities in the recipe card below.
Making the Yummy Ricotta Spinach Rolls
Let's get those rolls rolling. Here's what you need to do to make them:
- In a mixing bowl, mix together thawed spinach, cheese, minced garlic, spices, and 1 egg in a small bowl.
2. Roll out the thawed puff pastry and spread the spinach mixture out evenly on the puff pastry sheet.
3. Roll up the puff pastry
4. Slice into 3 rolls. And repeat with the remaining puff pastry sheets and spinach mixture.
5. Place on a baking sheet and brush with 1 whisked egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Tips and Tricks
While these are simple to make, here are some easy tips to follow for the best puff pastry spinach and ricotta rolls:
- Use a very sharp serrated knife to cut your rolls into smaller ones.
- Make the rolls the same size so they bake evenly.
- Don't overbake your rolls; you don't want them to be too dry.
- Make your ricotta filling in advance and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for two days!
- Make the filling in a food processor for a smoother mixture. Plus, it'll save you time and hand movement!
- Store your rolls in a freezer bag for up to three months.
- Make the spinach and ricotta roll-ups healthy by using whole wheat puff pastry or gluten-free puff pastry and low-fat ricotta cheese.
- Don't throw out your leftover filling; make lasagna rolls with spinach and ricotta.
Now that you have your Spinach and Ricotta Rolls ready, the only thing left to do is enjoy them!
FAQ
Yes! These refrigerate and freeze beautifully so you can make these ahead of time and bake right before serving.
Yes, these are so easy to prep and then place in an air tight container and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw and bake when ready to serve!
📖 Recipe
The Best Spinach and Ricotta Rolls
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cutting board
- 1 serrated knife
- 1 Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen chopped spinach thawed
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 eggs separately whisked
- 4 sheets of puff pastry
Instructions
- Remove the frozen puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw.
- Thaw the frozen spinach by placing the bag in a large bowl and filling it with warm water, using your hands to occasionally break up frozen chunks of spinach.
- When the spinach is thawed, add to a fine mesh sieve and press out excess water.
- Add the spinach, ricotta, parmesan, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and 1 egg to a mixing bowl and combine well.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheets flat and spread the ricotta spinach mixture evenly over each puff pastry sheet.
- Gently roll up the puff pastry sheets and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes to set.
- Remove from the fridge and cut each roll into 2 or 3 smaller rolls and add back to the baking sheet.
- Whisk together the last egg and brush it over each roll and then sprinkle the rolls with sesame seeds.
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and flaky.
Jen says
I’d like to make these ahead. If I freeze cooked rolls, do I defrost and then just heat up? Or do I freeze uncooked rolls and defrost then cook as directed?
Sara Ayesh says
You could do either way! For the freshest version of them, I would freeze them uncooked then defrost before cooking as directed!
Lisa says
This looks amazing and I'm going to make these in a couple weeks for a get together! Thanks so much for sharing. Do you suggest a dip to accompany this, or is it best to eat without.
Sara Ayesh says
The melty cheese on the inside is perfect and I didn't feel like it needed a dip, but a tomato based dip like marinara would be delicious!
Krissy says
Do you freeze before or after baked?
Sara Ayesh says
I would freeze them before baking. Simply defrost them then cook according to the directions!
Lisa says
This was delicious but ours got dry. We were so mad at ourselves. We smoked it on the temp and for the time suggested. It was nice and liquify when we put it in. Any suggestions. If we cook it for a shorter time will it still have the same Smokey flavor it should have? Thanks
Sara Ayesh says
Hello! Thanks so much for trying my recipe. I'd suggest maybe baking a little less than the suggested time and you could even add in some extra parmesan for more of a "melty" interior. I hope this helps!
Kelly says
This recipe sounds amazing but the spinach quantity isn’t clear to me. Frozen spinach isn’t sold by the cup. The packages are marked in weight and 8 ounces by weight isn’t the same as 8 ounces by volume (cups). Also, two cups of defrosted spinach prior to squeezing out the water is vastly different than 2 cups of spinach after squeezing out the water. So, can you clarify how many ounces we should buy or if the 2 cup measurement is before or after removing the water?
Sara Ayesh says
Hello! Thanks for your comment! I typically buy the 10 or 12 oz bag of frozen spinach which is roughly 2 cups frozen. The beauty of it is that it doesn't need to be exact, but just as long as it's about one 10-12 oz of frozen spinach it should work well!