Eggplant Rollatini is one of our favorite vegetarian weeknight meals! It’s filled with fresh herbs and ricotta cheese rolled up in eggplant and cooked in bubbly tomato sauce. There’s even an option for dairy-free ricotta if you want a vegan dish!
One of our most common recipe requests is for easy, nutritious weeknight dinners that the whole family will love. Does that sound impossible? We promise it’s not! This Eggplant Rollatini with Pesto Ricotta is easy to make, has enough cheese that even little ones go back for seconds, and it’s filled with nutritious veggies that you can feel great about.
What is Eggplant Rollatini?
Rollatini is delicious Italian comfort food! In Italy, it’s called Involtini, but both names mean the same thing: long, thin slices of eggplant filled with ricotta cheese, pesto, and mushrooms. It’s all cooked in bubbly, savory tomato marinara sauce and topped with cheese!
What’s the Difference Between Eggplant Parmesan and Eggplant Rollatini?
In Eggplant Parmesan, slices of eggplant are breaded and fried and sometimes baked before they’re layered with marinara and mozzarella. Eggplant Rollatini has long slices of eggplant that get stuffed with cheesy filling before being rolled up!
Health Benefits of Eggplant
We love using eggplant in vegetarian dishes because it has a hearty, chewy texture that’s incredibly satisfying. Eggplant has lots of vitamins A and C and it’s high in fiber while being low in calories. This makes it good for digestive health! Find all of our eggplant recipes right here.
How to Make Eggplant Rollatini
Start by slicing egpplant length wise into thin slices and roast them. While the eggplant slices are baking make the filling by using either ricotta cheese or tofu ricotta, mushrooms and tofu. Fill the baked eggplant slices, roll them and place them in a bed of marinara sauce. Bake and done!
More Eggplant Recipes
- High Protein Skillet Eggplant Lasagna
- Eggplant Meatballs with Pomegranate Molasses
- Braised Eggplant in Fresh Tomato Sauce
- Buffalo Eggplant Fries
- Stuffed Eggplant with Fennel and White Beans
- Eggplant Pickle Salad Sandwich
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Eggplant Rollatini
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Eggplant Rollatini is one of our favorite vegetarian weeknight meals! It’s filled with fresh herbs and ricotta cheese rolled up in eggplant and cooked in bubbly tomato sauce. There’s even an option for dairy-free ricotta if you want a vegan dish!
Ingredients
- 2 large Italian eggplants, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
For the mushroom filling
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz Baby Bella or white mushrooms
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the ricotta or tofu filling (vegetarian and vegan options)
- 12 oz firm tofu patted dry OR 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, you may use whole milk or part-skim
- 6 tbsp store-bought or homemade pesto. Homemade is best!
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Assembling the rollatini
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (dairy or vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Cut both ends of the eggplant and stand it on a cutting board. Carefully slice it vertically into ¼" slices. Brush them with olive oil on both sides and season with salt
- Arrange the eggplant slices on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Don't turn off the oven, but reduce the temperature to 375F
- While the eggplant is baking, place the mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until they're chopped small
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until all the water the mushrooms release has cooked out
- While the mushrooms cook, mix ricotta cheese with pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl and set aside. If using tofu instead of ricotta cheese pulse the tofu, pesto, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in the food processor until smooth. Transfer it to a large bowl and set it aside
- Add the cooked mushrooms to the ricotta or tofu, and mix until combined
- Once the eggplant is cooked and is cool enough to handle, spread 3 tablespoons of the mushroom ricotta or tofu filling on each slice and roll it carefully
- Pour 2 cups of prepared or homemade marinara sauce into a baking dish or cast iron pan. Arrange the eggplant rolls on top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes
Notes
- For an alternative cheese filling mix 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon dry oregano, ¼ teaspoon dry thyme, ½ teaspoon garlic powder. ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 rolls
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 1317.8
- Fat: 21.8
- Saturated Fat: 4.5
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.4
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 23.9
- Fiber: 8.4
- Protein: 10.6
- Cholesterol: 0
Karen
What can you use instead of mushrooms?
Vicky and Ruth
Spinach would work great in this recipe. Just make sure you cook the spinach until all the moisture cooks out. Let us know if you need more suggestions.
Ruchama
All I have now are the long skinny eggplants. I'm wondering if I can just cut them in half lengthwise and use them for this recipe. Seems to me it should work to make appetizer sized rollatini.
Vicky and Ruth
Depending on the size of the Japanese /Chines eggplant that you have you may even be able to slice them in thirds. It should work.
Cindy
Eggplant Rollatini is one of my favorites and this recipe is delicious and not too difficult to make. It’s a keeper!!
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you!
Liz Rueven
I love that you provide both dairy and vegan versions of this classic. Thinking about baking this a day ahead and focusing on some kinda delish pasta to pair with it. Suggestions?
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you! These pasta dishes will go great with it!
https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/high-protein-pasta-puttanesca/
https://mayihavethatrecipe.com/vegan-mushroom-ragu-swiss-chard-tagliatelle/