Feast your eyes on this Italian classic, without any breading or any frying. This eggplant rollatini, also known as Involtini di Melanzane in Italy, involves delicately rolled and thin slices of eggplant filled with a ricotta cheese filling, rolled up and baked to perfection with a comforting marinara sauce and baked mozzarella cheese.
Is your mouth watering yet? Trust me, this one is a dinner recipe that even the biggest meat-eater will love.
Eggplant is a very versatile and meaty vegetable that can be used in so many recipes.
What I love about making it the star ingredient of a main course is that it holds onto flavor well, and in this eggplant rollatini, you get all the classic Italian flavors, and don't feel weighted down because it's not fried!
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Morgan's Recipe Review
- Cook Level: I'd say making eggplant rollatini requires a little knowledge about cooking with eggplant, but otherwise this is super easy to make.
- Cook Time: The eggplant will bake first, then will bake a second time rolled into the rollatini, so from start to finish this recipe takes about 45 minutes, which includes prepping the ingredients "mise en place" if you will.
- Taste: Cheesy, savory, a little sweet from the marinara sauce, with robust flavors from the herbs and ricotta cheese mixture.
- Best Paired With: Whip this up with deliciously homemade herb garlic bread and minestrone soup. Serve it up with a pasta dish like tortellini or pappardelle.
Trusted Tips and Key Reminders
After attempting to make this recipe a few times over the course of a few years, I've landed on my top cooking tips for perfecting this eggplant rollatini.
- Pre-roll the eggplant after they bake. This will help them set and hold their shape as they cool, and when they roll with the ricotta on the inside.
- Sprinkle a little salt on the eggplant before baking, and pat dry with paper towel to remove any moisture. The excess moisture from the eggplant will make the dish become just a little watery when it bakes, but it's not a huge deal as it will settle once the entire dish cools.
- If you want to get the cheese bubbly and golden, turn the oven to broil for 2ish minutes, but keep a watch on it! You don't want it to burn, as my third test did.
The Ingredient List
- Globe Eggplant: You can use a large globe eggplant for this recipe, or use two medium eggplants. Either way, the eggplant should be sliced fairly thin. If it's too thick, it won't roll well.
- Ricotta Cheese: The ricotta cheese is one of the most important ingredients in this dish as it creates the ricotta mixture with the other ingredients that goes inside the eggplant rolls.
- Egg: The egg is used for binding the ricotta cheese with seasonings, mozzarella cheese, and gives a creamy flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan gets added to to the ricotta mixture for added creaminess and nutty flavor.
- Mozzarella Cheese: We mix together the mozzarella cheese with the ricotta and egg then add to the eggplant. I like to use whole milk mozzarella.
- Seasonings: Italian seasonings like basil, oregano, parsley get mixed into the mixture.
- Marinara Sauce: You can either use a jarred or store-bought marinara sauce, or a homemade marinara. Either way, you want to use enough to coat the bottom of the baking dish and then use some to top off the eggplant rolls before baking.
Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of this post for more information about quantities, measurements, and specific cooking instructions.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: Preheat oven 375°. Spray a sheet pan or baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice eggplant ¼" thick using a sharp chef's knife or a mandoline slicer (highly recommend using your mandoline slicer if you have).
Lay the eggplant on the baking sheet and bake for 10m. Let the eggplant cool for a few minutes before rolling.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, add the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, seasonings, and egg.
Mix the ingredients together until full combined, the set aside.
Step 3: Lay a slice of eggplant down on a cutting board or the sheet pan it baked in, then scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, then spread across the center of the eggplant.
Roll from the rounded edge to the cut side of the eggplant until you reach the end.
Step 4: Pour a few tablespoons of marinara sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish, then lay the eggplant roll-ups seam side down into the baking dish.
Step 5: Lastly, add a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce atop each of the eggplant rolls, then sprinkle the remainder of the mozzarella cheese on top.
Place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese gets golden brown. Top the final dish with fresh rosemary or basil.
Simple Swaps and Substitutions
If you are looking to make this dairy free, you can use a dairy-free mozzarella. Similar to using dairy-free mozzarella, you can use a dairy-free ricotta cheese like Kite Hill, or you can make your own. Add protein like ground turkey, beef, bison, lamb, chicken, or Italian sweet or hot sausage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add any leftover eggplant rollatini to an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or even in the oven until the cheese is bubbly.
If the eggplant falls apart or if the eggplant ends up in thick slices, you can turn this dish into an eggplant lasagna by layering the baked eggplant with the ricotta mixture.
I would recommend it as it's a lot easier to use for precise eggplant slices versus using a chef's knife. I've done both, and feel confident that a mandoline slicer is the way to go. Just know, you don't need to run out and get one if you would prefer not to, a sharp chef's knife works well too.
Hungry for more?
Check out these other delicious Italian classics!
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The Best Eggplant Rollatini Recipe (Easy to Make)
Equipment
- sheet pan
- cutting board
- mandoline slicer or chef's knife
- measuring bowls
- spatula
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 1 ½ cups Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 1 ¼ cup Marinara Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven 375°. Spray a sheet pan or baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice eggplant ¼" thick using a sharp chef's knife or a mandoline slicer (highly recommend using your mandoline slicer if you have).
- Lay the eggplant on the baking sheet and bake for 10m. Let the eggplant cool for a few minutes before rolling.
- In a medium bowl, add the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, seasonings, and egg. Mix the ingredients together until full combined, the set aside.
- Lay a slice of eggplant down on a cutting board or the sheet pan it baked in, then scoop 1-2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, then spread across the center of the eggplant.
- Roll from the rounded edge to the cut side of the eggplant until you reach the end.
- Pour a few tablespoons of marinara sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish, then lay the eggplant roll-ups seam side down into the baking dish.
- Lastly, add a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce atop each of the eggplant rolls, then sprinkle the remainder of the mozzarella cheese on top.
- Place in the oven to bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese gets golden brown. Top the final dish with fresh rosemary or basil.
Margaret J. says
Came across this recipe from a girlfriend of mine and it was just so easy to make and tasted great. I made it the night before and popped it in the oven right when I got home from work, and made some ziti to go with it. We all loved!