Eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland, boring, or make you dread your dinner. Moderation along with herbs and spices is the key to making fabulous healthy meals. That is why Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti is a must for any healthy meal plan!
(Original post date Jan 23, 2018. Links and post updated Nov. 28, 2021)
Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti is one of my favorite healthy dishes! It is light yet filling, healthy but not bland, plus I get a few healthy carbs. Everything I need to keep on track.
It is January, which means the start of a new year. We all make goals, resolutions, plans for a better year than the last. Some say I am going to eat healthier some say I will get healthy, lose 10 pounds, live a better more fulfilling life, so on and so forth, I think you get the direction I am going here.
Whatever you may want out of this year, it won’t be possible unless you are healthy and take care of yourself. Diet is a big factor in having a healthy self. No, I am not talking about going on a diet, because I don’t believe in them. I believe the second you limit yourself or cut something out that you enjoy (unless it is truly bad for you, aka drugs, a copious amount of alcohol, and things like that), you are going to fail. Moderation is the key, learn self-control, and limit things like sugar, carbs, and fats.
This is a hard feat, self-control when what you love is right in front of you! That is why dishes like Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti are a must. Loaded with bold flavor, rich and creamy filling, nutritious, flaky butter white fish, served over a bed of filling fiber-loaded whole wheat pasta!
Now words like rich, creamy, buttery, and pasta don’t sound very healthy. Right? But! In moderation, which is what, Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti, is about. It is the perfect balanced healthy family dinner you are looking for.
How to Make Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti
- Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions recommends, Before straining set 1 cup of the pasta water aside. You will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce.
- Make the filling: In a medium mixing bowl mix cream cheese, spinach, shrimp, pepper, paprika, and Italian cheese blend with a pinch of salt.
- Fill the flounder: Layout the flounder fillets and spread 1 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture on one side, lay a few of the asiago cheese shreds on top of the spread. Roll up and place seam side down on a cutting board or plate.
- Cook time: In a cast-iron skillet fry up the bacon. Once brown and crispy remove and let rest on a paper towel to remove any extra grease. CAREFULLY Drain out any excess bacon grease. Return pan to the stove. Add butter and olive oil to bacon grease in the pan. Add mushrooms and onions with a pinch of salt and saute over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Once onions are slightly translucent and mushrooms have started to brown add the parsley and garlic and let cook for 5 seconds until you smell the garlic. Slowly and carefully stir in veggie stock. Place your flounder roll-ups in the cast iron skillet seam side down with the sauce. Place cast iron in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Finish up the dish: Remove the pan from the oven and carefully remove the flounder roll-ups. Set them aside. Place cast iron with sauce on the stove over medium heat. Add pasta, pasta water, and 1/2 the bacon. Toss to mix and allow the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce. Once all water is absorbed pasta is done.
Served with some extremely simple bacon-flavored asparagus! This Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti is an all-around healthy family favorite I like to make when we want to tiptoe on the line of indulgence.
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FAQ and Tips
Common Questions that get asked about the recipe, and tips to save you time and money.
- Can you make or prep this in advance?
I do NOT recommend making this in advance. Reheated fish tends to be dry, and if you fill the fish ahead of time and cook it when you are ready the salt from the filling can make your fish a leathery texture. - Is there another type of fish other than flounder that can be used?
Yes, talapia, sole, or haddock also work great with this dish. As long as they are thin and flat. - How long do the leftovers last in the fridge?
The leftovers last 2-3 days in the fridge. Just keep in mind, like any fish when it is reheated it will be drier than when you first made it.
Recipe for Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti
Shrimp and Spinach Flounder Roll Up with Baby Bella Spaghetti
Equipment
- Deep Skillet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles
- 4 strips bacon sliced into small strips
- ½ tbsp butter unsalted
- 4 baby portabella mushrooms sliced
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 tbsp dry parsley
- 3 large cloves garlic chopped
- ½ cup Veggie Stock
- 6 boned and skinless flounder fillets
- salt and pepper
Filling
- ¼ lb raw shrimp chopped
- ¼ cup chopped spinach
- 2 tbsp chive and onion cream cheese spread
- ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- ¼ cup shredded Italian 4 cheese blend
- ⅛ cup shaved Asiago cheese
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions recommends, Before straining set 1 cup of the pasta water aside. For later.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- In a medium mixing bowl mix cream cheese, spinach, shrimp, pepper, paprika, and Italian cheese blend with a pinch of salt. Layout the flounder fillets and spread 1 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture on one side, lay a few of the asiago cheese shreds on top of the spread. Roll up and place seam side down on a cutting board or plate.
- In a cast-iron skillet fry up the bacon. Once brown and crispy remove and let rest on a paper towel to remove any extra grease. CAREFULLY Drain out any excess bacon grease, you may leave some in the pan THE GREASE IS HOT. Add butter and olive oil to bacon grease in the pan. Add mushrooms and onions with a pinch of salt and saute over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
- Once onions are slightly translucent and mushrooms have started to brown add the parsley and garlic and let cook for 5 seconds until you smell the garlic. Slowly and carefully stir in veggie stock. Place your flounder roll-ups in the cast iron skillet seam side down with the sauce. Place cast iron in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and carefully remove the flounder roll-ups. Set them aside. Place cast iron with sauce on the stove over medium heat. Add pasta, pasta water, and 1/2 the bacon. Toss to mix and allow pasta to finish cooking in the sauce. Once all water is absorbed pasta is done.
- Garnish with remaining bacon, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
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This is such a pretty dish. I have everything at home but flounder to make it. I was wondering if I can use tilapia which I have.
Yes, you can most certainly use tilapia, it is slightly thinner so be very careful rolling and it will probably cook faster it will probably take 5 minutes less. Enjoy!!!
Any substitute ideas for the flounder? Or do you not taste it much? It looks AMAZING but my husband doesn’t like “fishy tasting fish” whatever that means ?
Flounder is a very “fishy tasting fish” I know what he means. This recipe really does drown out and round out that flavor but to be on the safe side you can use a tilapia or haddock. Or you can take a halibut fillet and slice it in half so it is thinner and easier to work with. But! if he is like my husband the thought is stuck in his head it is fish it will be fishy and you want to play it even safer substitute the fish for a thin chicken breast, you will have to slice and pound it out, plus cook it a little longer 30-35 minutes or until juices are clear. I hope that helps!!
Thanks, I think the chicken would be a great substitute!
You are very welcome!! Enjoy, have a great weekend!
I want the spaghetti and asparagus, it looks so good!
Oh it is to die for!!
This looks amazing!! I will definitely be pinning it. I don’t think I’ve ever Made anything similar.
Awesome!! Thank you for the Pin! I am glad it will be something new for you!! There is also another crab stuffed white fish roll up in out Valentines Day Dinner For Two List I think you will enjoy if you like this recipe!!
This looks so good. My hubby has been asking me to cook fish. It’s a protein I don’t prepare often. This seems like a simple recipe that will taste delicious.
We have been trying to add more fish to our diets in our house, but sometimes it just never felt filling enough for my hubby, then I made this and he was stuffed!! I hope you and your hubby enjoy!!
This looks amazing!! I love anything with mushrooms. Or pasta. Or cheese. 😉
Yes those are a few of my favorite ingredients too… I don’t think my house is EVER cheeseless!! LOL
I think I’m going to try this tonight since we are planning to make tilapia for dinner. Is the shrimp used for the filling pre-cooked or raw (then cooks with the fish)?
It is raw shrimp, I found filling it with precooked shrimp makes the shrimp rubbery and overcooked. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!
Thanks, that’s what I thought! Will post the results later tonight! ?
Made this for dinner today, forgot the asiago cheese but it was so yummy and filling! Hubby and oldest son liked it a lot! Thanks for a great recipe! ?
Thank you so much!! I love to hear feedback I am so happy to hear your family enjoyed it! You are most certainly welcome. Oh, and Thank you, I corrected the recipe after your last comment to put raw shrimp to help clarify for others.