Description

These Spinach and Ricotta Rolls are a savory and nutrient-packed dish featuring a deliciously creamy spinach and cheese filling wrapped in flaky phyllo dough. Perfect as a vegetarian main or side, they combine tender sautéed onions, tender blanched spinach, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses, and zesty lemon for a bright, flavorful bite. Ideal for entertaining or make-ahead meals, these rolls bake to golden perfection with a crisp, buttery crust.

Ingredients

Scale

Filling

1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach, triple washed and dried
1 cup (½-pound) finely chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons (about 2 medium-sized cloves) minced garlic
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup (10 ounces) Ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about ½ large juicy lemon)
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
A few pinches black pepper

Assembly

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 sheets Phyllo dough

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Instructions

Set oven and line pan: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust the rack to the center position. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Cook onions and garlic with spices: Heat olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring often. Sauté for about 7 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper, then remove skillet from heat and allow mixture to cool.
Blanch and drain spinach: Bring a large pot of water (about 6 quarts) to boil. Add all the fresh spinach at once, stir gently, and immediately turn off the heat. Let the spinach wilt in the hot water for 2 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a colander. Allow to cool until safe to handle.
Prepare ricotta mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
Drain and process spinach: Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much liquid as possible, one handful at a time, discarding the liquid. After squeezing, you should have about ¾ cup of liquid removed. Place the drained spinach and eggs into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and blend until the mixture is relatively smooth and spinach is finely chopped.
Combine all filling ingredients: Add the processed spinach-egg mixture and the cooled onion mixture to the bowl with the ricotta mixture. Stir everything together until evenly combined. Set aside.
Assemble rolls: Lay out one sheet of phyllo dough on a flat surface and brush it lightly with melted butter. Layer another sheet on top and brush again with butter. Repeat until you have layered 4 sheets. Cut the layered phyllo into 4 equal rectangles. Place an even portion of the spinach and ricotta filling along one short edge of each rectangle, then roll up the dough tightly to enclose the filling.
Bake: Arrange the rolls seam-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Brush the tops with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden brown and crisp.
Serve: Allow the rolls to cool slightly before serving. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Notes

These spinach and ricotta rolls are packed with nutrients and make a delicious, cheesy, and hearty vegetarian main course or side dish.
They are impressive for guests and excellent for make-ahead weeknight meals.
Make sure to squeeze excess water out of the spinach thoroughly to prevent soggy phyllo.
Use fresh phyllo sheets and keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
Variations include adding fresh herbs like dill or parsley to the filling for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 roll
Calories: 463 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Fat: 28 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 16 g
Cholesterol: 130 mg