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This delicious vegetarian Eggplant Rollatini is a tasty Italian dish made by stuffing thinly sliced eggplant with a cheesy ricotta blend and baking the rollups in a flavorful marinara sauce.
If you love this meal, be sure to grab this recipe for hearty Eggplant Lasagna and the delicious Sausage Stuffed Eggplant!
If you are looking for a darn good vegetarian dish packed with flavors and cheesy textures, here it is! Eggplant Rollatini, also known as aubergine rollatini, is making all my meatless wishes come true. It’s similar to eggplant Parmesan, but instead of layering, the eggplant is rolled up with the cheese inside. Even my 11-year-old daughter can’t resist grabbing the rollatini bunches with her fingers and devouring them right off the plate!
The primary ingredients are eggplant, ricotta, mozzarella, and tomato sauce, typically seasoned with herbs like basil and parsley. My rendition of this recipe includes a handful of feta cheese in the mix, and it’s a fantastic addition! Bake it up, and you get these irresistibly tender slices of eggplant packed with creamy deliciousness.
Why We Love This Eggplant Rollatini Recipe
Cheese Lover’s Dream – With ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and the surprise twist of feta, this dish is a melty, cheesy extravaganza in every bite.
No Frying Needed – Unlike many traditional recipes, this aubergine rollatini opts for roasting the eggplant slices, offering a healthier twist and reducing the mess.
Customizable – This recipe offers flexibility. Have extra cheese mix? Spoon it around the rollups. Want to add a protein? Tuck in some ground meat with the cheese.
Elegant Presentation – While it’s comforting and homely, the rolled presentation also makes it a dish that you could serve at a dinner party or special occasion.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s all you will need to make this easy eggplant rollatini recipe.
- Eggplants: Thinly sliced.
- Salt & Black Pepper: To season the eggplants. It also aids in removing the bitterness from the eggplant.
- Olive Oil: Used for brushing the eggplant slices before roasting.
- Ricotta Cheese: A creamy cheese that is the primary base for the filling.
- Feta Cheese, Mozzarella Cheese, & Parmesan Cheese: These cheeses are mixed into the ricotta mixture to add a unique and rich flavor to the filling.
- Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic but garlic powder will also work.
- Eggs: They help bind the cheese together.
- Marinara Sauce: A tomato-based sauce poured at the base of the baking dish and over the roll-ups, providing a tangy taste to the dish.
How To Make Eggplant Rollatini
Perfect for any home cook looking to impress family or guests, these eggplant ricotta rolls are easy to make and will be ready in about an hour.
- Prep: Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Prepare the Eggplants: Slice the eggplants lengthwise, salt each slice, and let them sit before patting dry.
- Roast the Eggplants: Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and roast until tender.
- Prepare the Cheese Filling: Meanwhile, mix together ricotta, feta, mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the Rollatini: Spread marinara at the base of the baking dish, add cheese mix to the eggplant slices, roll them up, and position them in the dish.
- Top Off & Bake: Add leftover cheese mix around the rollups, cover them with marinara, and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and bake, then uncover and continue baking until browned.
- Rest & Serve: Let the dish stand briefly before serving.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Salt The Eggplant: Don’t skip the salting step for the eggplant. This not only draws out moisture but can also reduce any bitterness in the eggplant.
- Avoid Overfilling: Be cautious not to overfill the eggplant slices; rolling them up might be challenging and could lead to spillage during baking.
- Spinach Filling: Add some chopped cooked spinach to the cheese mixture for added nutrients.
- Protein Boost: Stir in cooked ground beef or chicken to the cheese mix for a non-vegetarian variant.
- Herbs: Add freshly chopped herbs such as oregano, rosemary, or thyme to the cheese mixture or marinara sauce for added depth of flavor.
- Spice it Up: If you like a little heat, add red pepper flakes to the cheese mix.
Serving Suggestions
Eggplant Rollatini pairs wonderfully with a side of spaghetti, with my lemon parmesan risotto, or with a slice of basil pesto bread to sop up the extra marinara sauce.
Serve it with my chicken piccata, too. The lemon and capers provide a tangy contrast to the rich rollatini. Osso Buco is another perfect pairing—a hearty and flavorful braised beef shank dish.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
More Italian Inspired Recipes
- Cheesy Zucchini Lasagna Rolls
- Tomato Parmesan Stuffed Eggplant
- Spinach and Feta Crock Pot Lasagna
- Lasagna Dip
ENJOY!
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Eggplant Rollatini Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized eggplants
- salt
- olive oil,, for brushing
- 3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1½ cups shredded part-skim mozzarella,, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan,, divided
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 eggs,, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 jar (24-ounces) marinara sauce
Instructions
Prepare the eggplants.
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices; you should get about 16 slices total.
- Arrange the slices on a baking sheet; sprinkle with salt on both sides and let stand for about 10 minutes. Then, using a paper towel, pat dry the eggplants.
- Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and transfer them back to the baking sheets in a single layer.
- Roast the eggplant for about 8 minutes; flip over and continue to roast for 5 more minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
Prepare the cheese filling.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, feta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper; mix and stir until well incorporated.
- Spread 1/2 cup of marinara sauce onto the bottom of the baking dish.
- Evenly divide the ricotta mixture among the eggplant slices and spread it down the center of each slice. Roll up the eggplant slices and place them seam-side down in the baking dish over the marinara sauce.
- Use any leftover cheese mixture to spoon around the eggplant rollups.
- Top the eggplants with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Salting The Eggplant removes moisture and reduces bitterness.
- Cheese Consistency: Blend the cheeses until completely incorporated.
- Avoid Overfilling: This ensures easy rolling without spillage during baking.
- Serving: Pair with spaghetti or garlic bread for added indulgence.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days; consider freezing for longer.
- To Freeze: Store the baked and completely cooled rollups in a plastic food storage container with an airtight lid and place them in the freezer for up to two months.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Salting helps to draw the water out of the eggplant so that it is not too soggy. Salting also improves the texture of the eggplant if you choose to fry it. Just don’t over-salt your eggplant and make sure to rinse the salt off and pat dry before layering your other ingredients.
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times now and it’s SO DELICIOUS! You’d never know it’s been lightened up a little with part-skim cheeses and the feta. Thanks for a great recipe!
Recipe looks great but you do NOT need to salt the eggplant first, that is just silly. It makes no difference other than making the eggplant too salty.
If you are getting bitter eggplant you need to buy it somewhere else or grow your own.
This needs to happen at my house very soon!!
We usually try to have at least one meal every week that is vegetarian! This Eggplant Rollatini looks fantastic!
Totally making this for meatless Monday! Looks incredible!
Looks healthy and delicious!
I have a garden full of eggplant! I will be making them into this recipe and freezing for future meals.
Would love to make ahead of time…..is this freezable before cooking/after? LCS
Hi! Yes, you can make them ahead of time and freeze for a month or two. Just store the prepared and completely cooled rollups into a plastic food storage container with an airtight lid and place them in the freezer. Hope that helps! ๐
What are you using to roll them up in? I don’t see that noted
Hi! ๐ I let the eggplant slices cool down a bit and then, I either transfer them to a plate to prepare them, or just prepare them while still on the baking sheet.