Italian Zucchini Roll Ups

Top down of the cooked sausage zucchini roll ups in the baking dish, with crispy pepperoni and bubbly cheese, garnished with torn basil leaves.

Hearty and delicious, Zucchini Roll Ups is a kid-friendly, crowd pleasing Italian casserole. Save time by meal prepping this dinner recipe!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Servings: (12 roll ups)

Calories: 674kcal

Author: Laura Miner

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb. ground Italian sausage
3 medium zucchini
1 cup marinara sauce
¼ cup ricotta cheese optional
8 ounces mozzarella cheese
2 ounces pepperoni thinly sliced
5 leaves fresh basil finely chopped
¼ teaspoon sea salt or more/less, to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper or more/less, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400℉.
Meanwhile, add the sausage to a skillet and cook it over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks. After cooking, set it aside to cool. Optionally, drain any excess grease.
Using a mandoline or sharp knife, carefully slice the zucchini into long, thin planks. **The first few slices may be too narrow to roll up, so set those aside to use later.
When you reach the seedy part of the zucchini, flip it over and slice from the opposite side.
Optional Step: Sweat excess moisture from the zucchini by sprinkling the slices generously with salt, then toss together so they’re coated evenly.
Let them sit untouched in a bowl for about 15 minutes. Then, rinse the salt off and pat each piece dry with a paper towel.
Next, arrange three slices of zucchini side by side on a plate, partially overlapping the edges. If you're use ricotta, spread about a tablespoon of ricotta onto each slice of zucchini. Spoon about 1/4 cup of cooked sausage across one end of the slices.
Using your hands, carefully roll up the slices, starting from the sausage end and working your way to the other end. If any pieces of sausage slip out while you’re rolling, tuck and press them back in the sides with your hands.
Repeat the rolling process until you've used up all the sausage and zucchini.
Pour ¾ cup of the sauce into a baking dish and use a spoon to spread it evenly across the bottom. Use a spatula to transfer the rolls on top of the sauce, setting them with the end side down. Drizzle the tops of the rolls with the remaining sauce, then layer the cheese and pepperoni on top.
Set the dish in the preheated oven and cook uncovered for 20-22 minutes.
When the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is gooey and melted, remove the casserole from the oven. Garnish the top with chopped basil and season with salt and pepper.
Wait about 5 minutes for it to cool, then serve!

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information does not include optional ricotta cheese.

To store leftovers: Transfer your leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Note: If you have a gluten sensitivity, be sure to check all packaging to confirm gluten free certification.

Nutrition