Description
Eggplant Rollatini is a cozy Italian-American classic featuring thin roasted eggplant slices filled with a creamy ricotta mixture, rolled, and baked in marinara sauce until bubbly. This vegetarian comfort food is wholesome, low carb, gluten-free friendly, and perfect for weeknights, holidays, or dinner parties.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Eggplant:
- 2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Filling:
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Extra mozzarella & Parmesan for topping
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh parsley or basil
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice eggplants lengthwise into thin slices. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, brush with olive oil, season with salt, and roast 15–20 minutes until tender but still flexible. Let cool slightly.
- Make the filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Assemble rollatini: Spread a spoonful of filling onto each eggplant slice, roll up, and place seam-side down in a baking dish coated with a thin layer of marinara.
- Bake: Cover with remaining sauce, sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan, and bake 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Serve: Let cool slightly, then garnish with parsley or chili flakes before serving.
Notes
- Salt eggplant slices ahead of time to reduce bitterness.
- Don’t over-roast—slices should be flexible for rolling.
- Use full-fat ricotta for best texture and flavor.
- Customize filling with spinach, mushrooms, or even white beans.
- For a vegan version, use dairy-free ricotta and omit the egg.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rollatini
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 55mg