This baked eggplant rollatini recipe is beyond decadent! It has tender slices of eggplant, a flavorful ricotta and parmesan filling, rich tomato sauce, and a melty mozzarella cheese topping that'll keep you coming back for more after every bite. Plus, it's so, so quick and easy to make. In fact, 15 minutes of prep and a few simple ingredients is all you need to whip it up.
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The Best Eggplant Rollatini
This cheesy eggplant rollatini is an easy and comforting Italian dish you'll want to make over and over again.
It combines thinly sliced eggplant with a garlicky and herby parmesan-ricotta filling, tangy tomato sauce, and bubbly golden brown mozzarella cheese. Then, all that yumminess gets baked to golden brown perfection. This eggplant rollatini is reminiscent of eggplant parmesan but with no gluten and no frying involved, making it a healthier and easier alternative that's every bit as delicious.
Gah, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!
Serve it up with these cauliflower mashed potatoes, and you'll have yourself a low carb comfort food meal everyone will love.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy to prepare. As I said, you only need 15 minutes of prep time to slice, roll, and assemble your eggplant rollatini. The rest is just waiting for it to bake in the oven!
Family-friendly. This recipe makes enough for 4 servings, perfect for a family dinner. Also, it's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, so you might even want to double the recipe.
Cheesy deliciousness. This recipe is made with three different kinds of cheese to make the most decadent and flavorful eggplant dish you'll ever try.
Ingredients
While the eggplant rollatini tastes like a high-end meal, the ingredients themselves are surprisingly simple. There's a good chance you have most of them in your kitchen already!
Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this eggplant rollatini:
- 2 small eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, drained
- ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon freshly grated parmesan
- 1 small egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup strained tomato sauce or marinara sauce
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
If you have extra eggplant, definitely give my sauteed eggplant recipe a try next!
How To Make Eggplant Rollatini
1. Slice the eggplant. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a knife or mandoline, carefully slice eggplant lengthwise into thin slices around ⅛th inch thick. You should end up with 12 slices total. Once the eggplant is all sliced up, you can add it to a colander with a sprinkle of salt and set it aside for 15 minutes.
2. Make the ricotta filling. While the eggplant is resting you'll want to take out a bowl and combine the ricotta cheese, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese, egg, garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper in it. Then, mix everything together to make the cheese filling.
3. Roast the eggplant slices. Once the 15 minutes are up, rinse the eggplant slices and gently squeeze them to remove any excess moisture. Place the slices in one even layer on the prepared baking sheets and roast them for 10 minutes. Take the eggplants out of the oven to cool completely.
4. Make the eggplant rolls. Place a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture at the bottom of each eggplant slice, leaving a small gap at the very end, and gently roll the eggplant slice to make an eggplant roll. Set that aside and repeat with the rest of the eggplant slices.
5. Assemble the eggplant rollatini. Grease a baking dish with cooking oil and pour in a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom. Place the eggplant rolls in one even layer on top, followed by a second layer of rolls, then pour the remaining sauce over everything. Add a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese over the tomato sauce, and sprinkle the remaining ½ tablespoon of parmesan cheese on top.
6. Bake and serve. Cover the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, then take off the cover and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. Finally, take your baked eggplant rollatini out of the oven and cool it for a few minutes, then serve warm and enjoy!
Tips To Make the Best Recipe
- Make sure the eggplant slices are completely dry before roasting.
- Use a seasoned marinara sauce in place of tomato sauce for more depth of flavor.
- Garnish the baked eggplant rollatini with fresh basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and red pepper flakes for a restaurant-quality finish.
- Add spinach to the ricotta filling for a delicious healthy addition. Lightly saute the spinach until wilted, then finely chop it before adding it to the cheese.
- Place a slice of prosciutto or ham on the eggplant slice before adding the filling for a higher protein meal.
How To Store Eggplant Rollatini
In the fridge: Transfer any eggplant rollatini leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
In the freezer: Store your eggplant rollatini leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Also, for what it's worth, you can freeze eggplant rollatini - whether cooked or uncooked - in the baking dish it was made in, sealed tightly with a lid.
Reheating: Preheat your oven to 350°F and heat the eggplant rollatini in a covered baking dish for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. Just make sure if you're starting from frozen, be sure to thaw the eggplant in the fridge overnight first.
Eggplant Rollatini Recipe FAQS
What's the difference between eggplant parm and eggplant rollatini?
Eggplant parm is made of breaded and fried eggplant slices, while eggplant rollatini is made with thinly sliced eggplant that's stuffed with a creamy cheese filling and rolled up.
What do you serve with eggplant Rollatini?
It goes great with things like these cheddar bay biscuits, keto pasta noodles, sauteed potatoes, or a side salad.
Is eggplant rollatini from Italy?
Yes, eggplant rollatini is an authentic Italian dish. It's also known as involtini di melanzane in Italian.
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Eggplant Rollatini
This baked eggplant rollatini recipe is beyond decadent and so easy to make! With tender slices of eggplant, a flavorful ricotta and parmesan filling, rich tomato sauce, and a melty mozzarella cheese topping, you'll want to make this dish every night for dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 small eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, drained
- ¼ cup + ½ tablespoon freshly grated parmesan
- 1 small egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup strained tomato sauce
- ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the eggplants into thin slices. You should end up with 12 thin slices.
- Place the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle it with salt. Set the eggplant aside for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the filling: combine ricotta, ¼ cup of parmesan, egg, garlic powder, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Rinse the eggplant and squeeze to remove the excess water.
- Place the eggplant on the baking sheet, brush both sides, and sprinkle with some salt.
- Roast the eggplants for 10 minutes.
- Remove the eggplant from the oven and cool completely.
- To assemble: place the eggplant in front of you. Place a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in one part of the eggplant. Roll the eggplant slice and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Grease a baking dish with some cooking oil. add a thin layer of tomato sauce. Place the eggplant rolls on top of the tomato sauce. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplants.
- Top the eggplants with mozzarella cheese and the remaining parmesan cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
- Serve warm, but not piping hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 17g
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