This Easy Eggplant Rollatini has tender slices of roasted eggplant rolled around a ricotta cheese filling and baked in marinara sauce with melted mozzarella cheese on top. It's one of my favorite meatless Italian dinners!
Michelle's Recipe Rundown
Also known as Eggplant Involtini, this Eggplant Rollatini is very easy to make and ready in just 90 minutes. And it's just as perfect for a weeknight dinner as it is for serving guests.
Simply slice and quickly roast the eggplant to make it pliable, mix the filling and roll it up inside the eggplant, bake the rolls in marinara sauce with a sprinkle of cheese, and enjoy.
Taste Test: The eggplant is tender, silky and mildly earthy and sweet. The filling is cheesy (there's 3 kinds!), rich, creamy and flavored with garlic, fresh basil and a hint of nutmeg. The mozzarella on top is delightfully melty. And the marinara sauce, with its tomato-y acidity, brings it all together for the perfect bite.
Here are more reasons why I love this recipe (and you will too):
- There's no frying or breading. So it's quicker, easier to prepare and has less oil, calories and carbs than many traditional recipes. But the flavor is all there.
- You don't need to salt the eggplant. I tested this recipe both ways many times and didn't notice any significant difference that made me want to add that extra step. The finished dish was neither watery nor bitter without salting.
- It's surprisingly hearty and filling for a meatless dinner. This recipe makes 4 servings of 3 rolls each, and you'll leave the table totally satisfied.
Love eggplant?
Also try my Baked Eggplant Parmesan and Pasta alla Norma With Roasted Eggplant.
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Ingredients & Notes
The photo below shows all of the ingredients you'll need to make these baked eggplant rolls; amounts are in the recipe card below. I've also included notes for some of the items on making the best selections and easy substitutions.
- Eggplant - I use and recommend globe/American eggplants, the larger dark purple eggplants you most often see in the grocery store. Pick 2 that are about the same size so you get uniform rolls.
- Tips for Selecting the Best Eggplant: The skin should be tight, shiny, and unblemished, it should be firm with just a slight give (no soft spots), and it should feel heavy for its size. A green stem that is not dried out indicates a fresher eggplant than one with a drier, brownish stem.
- Marinara / Spaghetti Sauce - I use my Quick and Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (it only takes 30 minutes), or my 15-Minute Marinara Sauce. Of course, you can use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce.
- Ricotta & Mozzarella Cheeses - I like to use whole milk versions for the extra richness and creaminess, but part-skim ricotta and/or mozzarella can be substituted with excellent results.
- Fresh Garlic - I love the stronger flavor that minced fresh garlic adds to the filling. You can use garlic powder instead for a milder flavor (about ½ teaspoon).
- Fresh Basil - Please use fresh basil for the filling if you can get it; the flavor is so much better. You can substitute dried basil in a pinch (about 2 teaspoons), but note that it won't taste exactly the same.
How to Prepare the Eggplant
First, I don't peel the eggplant, but you can do that if you prefer.
Next, trim off and discard the top and bottom ends of each eggplant, then cut them lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Try to be as accurate as possible, as thinner slices may fall apart after roasting, while thicker slices may break while rolling.
TIP: A mandoline is the perfect tool for this job because it is easy to use and ensures that all of the slices are evenly thick. If you don't have one, carefully use a long, sharp knife to make the slices.
As mentioned, I don't salt the eggplant for this dish, but you can if you prefer. Sprinkle salt on both sides of the slices, place them on a paper towel, and let sit for 30 minutes. Then wipe off the water and salt with a paper towel and proceed with the recipe.
How to Make Eggplant Rollatini
This is a brief overview of the steps with photos for visual guidance. The full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions is in the recipe card below.
Place the eggplant slices on oiled sheet pans; brush both sides with oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Roast in a preheated 425°F oven until tender and pliable; cool.
Spread one cup of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
Mix the filling ingredients in a bowl. For each roll, put some of the filling on an eggplant slice and then roll it up.
Place the rolls seam-side-down in the baking dish with the sauce. Top with sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 375°F until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted, about 30 minutes. Rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then serve.
Recipe Tips
- Use the middle slices of eggplant first. These will be the widest and best ones to use for nicely-sized, uniform rolls. Then, if needed, you can layer/overlap two of the thinner outer pieces to make a wider slice that is similar in size to the others (depending on the size of your eggplants, you will probably get more than 12 slices).
- Don't assemble the dish in advance. Because we aren't salting the eggplant before cooking, this dish should be made fresh and cooked immediately. If you assemble it ahead of time, the eggplant may start to release liquid while waiting to be cooked, making your finished dish watery.
Leftover Storage & Reheating
Store leftovers, once cooled, tightly covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Although you can freeze leftovers, I don't recommend it, as the eggplant can become mushy and watery.
Reheat leftovers in a covered baking dish in a preheated 325°F oven until heated through. Alternately, you can reheat individual servings on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve my eggplant roll-ups with a little bit of extra sauce (this is optional). I spread a large spoonful or two on each plate and then put the rollatini on top. To finish, I sprinkle on some fresh basil.
To complete the meal, I usually start with either my Italian Tossed Salad or Caesar Salad, and I serve either sliced bread, such as ciabatta or Homemade Italian Bread, or my Homemade Garlic Bread on the side.
And for a delicious Italian dessert, you can't go wrong with my Easy Tiramisu; it's quick and simple to put together, and there are no raw eggs or alcohol, so it's family-friendly.
I hope you try this Easy Eggplant Rollatini recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
More MEATLESS Italian Dinner Recipes to Try
And be sure to check out my Italian Recipes page for lots more yummy ideas!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Easy Eggplant Rollatini
Ingredients
- 2 large globe eggplants, about 1 pound each, sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch thick slices; you will need 12 slices (see Notes below)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup ricotta cheese, I use whole milk ricotta; part-skim can be substituted
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided; I use whole milk mozzarella; part-skim can be substituted
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 heaping tablespoons thinly-sliced fresh basil, plus extra for garnish, if desired
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce, divided; plus extra for serving, if desired
- 1½ teaspoons salt, divided; I use kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoons black pepper, divided
Instructions
Roast the Eggplant Slices
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush the bottoms of 2 large baking sheets with ½ tablespoon of olive oil each.
- Place the eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheets; evenly brush both sides of the slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil (you just need a light coating on each). Then evenly sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper over the tops of the slices.
- Put in the oven and roast just until the eggplant is tender and pliable (it should bend easily without breaking), about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest until the eggplant is cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
Make the Filling & Assemble the Rolls
- While the eggplant is cooling, mix together the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Place about a heaping tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on the wider end of one eggplant slice, then roll it up and place it seam-side-down in the baking dish on top of the sauce. Repeat with the remaining eggplant slices and filling.
- Evenly spoon the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over the rolls, then evenly sprinkle the reamining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese over the top.
Bake, Rest & Serve
- Bake, uncovered, at 375°F for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The rolls will set up just a bit during this time, which will make the rolls easier to serve without them falling apart.
- Serve immediately. If desired, serve with extra marinara sauce (put a spoonful or two on each plate and put the rolls on top) and sprinkle with fresh basil.
Notes
- Get 2 eggplants that are about the same size so the roll-ups are uniform.
- To prepare: Cut off the top and bottom of each eggplant, then slice lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. A mandoline is best for this job; if you don't have one, carefully use a long, sharp knife.
- Depending on the size of your eggplants, you will probably get more than 12 slices. Use the middle slices for the rolls first, as they will be the biggest and most uniform in size. Then, as needed, you can layer/overlap two of the thinner outer slices to make one wider piece that is similar in size to the others.
- For the sauce, I use either my Quick & Easy Homemade Spaghetti Sauce (it only takes 30 minutes) or my 15-Minute Marinara Sauce, both of which give me some extra sauce for serving. Of course, you can use your favorite homemade or store-bought sauce.
- I don't recommend making the rolls and assembling this dish in advance. Because we aren't salting the eggplant before cooking, this should be made fresh and cooked immediately. If you make the rolls ahead of time, the eggplant may start to release liquid that could make your finished dish watery.
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