Eggplant Rollatini Recipe – The Large Man’s World ®

This baked eggplant rollatini is straightforward to make and deliciously comforting. You gained’t give you the option to withstand the ricotta and basil-stuffed eggplant rolls!

Each time I’m trying to make a family-friendly dinner that packs in tons of veggies, my eggplant rollatini recipe is my my go-to!

Consider eggplant rollatini as a mixture of eggplant parmesan and eggplant lasagna. You’ll discover the tacky, herby, and tomato sauce-covered bites from these classics, however all rolled up in slices of baked eggplant.

Desk of Contents

1. Why this recipe works
2. Elements wanted
3. The way to make eggplant rollatini
4. Tricks to make the most effective recipe
5. Recipe variations
6. Storage and make-ahead directions
7. Often requested questions
8. Extra comforting meat-free dinners to strive
9. Eggplant Rollatini

Why this recipe works

• Hearty and filling. If your loved ones is like mine and claims that no dinner is full with out meat, that is the recipe to sway them. It hold you full and happy.
• Baked, not fried. Like with eggplant meatballs, every chew is full of taste however doesn’t really feel heavy, because of the shortage of extra oil.
• Gluten free and vegetarian. This recipe is of course gluten-free and vegetarian, making it excellent for dinner events and get-togethers! It’s additionally low carb.
• Scrumptious option to prepare dinner eggplant. We thought we nailed it with our sauteed eggplant recipe however this takes this wonderful veggie to a different stage.

Elements wanted

This recipe calls for easy components which might be much like a conventional lasagna. I like to recommend utilizing store-bought tomato sauce and ricotta to get this recipe on the desk quicker. Here’s what you’ll want: 

• Eggplant. Sliced, salted, and baked. 
• Additional virgin olive oil – A should earlier than roasting eggplant. It supplies fats and taste to the sometimes bland vegetable.

To make the ricotta combination: 

• Ricotta cheese – Attempt to discover a low-moisture ricotta. The very last thing you need is watery cheese!
• Parmesan cheese – For salty, further tacky bites.
• Egg – An egg will bind the tacky filling collectively, stopping it from seeping out the perimeters of the eggplant whereas baking.
• Garlic – Recent cloves are greatest.
• Basil – Recent, ideally.
• Salt and pepper – For taste.

To assemble the eggplant rolls:

• Tomato sauce – Use your favourite jarred tomato or marinara sauce, or strive selfmade pomodoro or sugo.
• Mozzarella cheese – It’s shredded and sprinkled on high of the assembled rolls. I like to recommend shredding your personal cheese as a result of it melts so a lot better (packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking brokers in them to retain their form).
• Parmesan cheese – As a result of why solely add one kind of cheese on high when you’ll be able to have two?
• Recent basil leaves – The flecks of inexperienced on high make the completed dish pop and in addition it enhances something tomato-based so properly.

Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.

The way to make eggplant rollatini

Step 1- Put together the eggplant. Slice the eggplant and sprinkle each side with salt. Let it sit for half-hour to launch extra liquid. As soon as salted, bake them for 10 minutes till tender.

Step 2- Make the filling. Stir the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper collectively in a mixing bowl till it’s mixed.

Step 3- Assemble the eggplant rolls. Add a small spoonful of the tacky ricotta filling close to the tip of an eggplant slice. Roll it up tightly and place it in a casserole dish. Repeat till you run out of eggplant/ricotta.

Step 4- Cheese it up. Spoon the remainder of the tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls. Prime with shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan.

Step 5- Bake. Cowl with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take away the foil and proceed cooking till the cheese melts.

Tricks to make the most effective recipe

• Don’t skip salting the eggplant. This course of attracts out extra moisture, serving to you keep away from watery eggplant rollatini!
• Save time by making the ricotta filling and baked eggplant 1 or 2 days forward of time. Hold them in separate hermetic containers within the fridge till it’s time to assemble the recipe.
• Use a pointy knife or a vegetable mandoline to chop the eggplant. You’ll be able to management slices of eggplant and ensure they’re all the identical thickness.
• Each entire milk (full fats) and skim milk ricotta can be utilized on this recipe. I like to recommend utilizing entire milk ricotta as a result of it’s wealthy in taste and additional creamy.

Recipe variations

The fantastic thing about this rollatini, like an precise lasagna, is that you could customise it and jazz it up to fit your preferences. Listed here are some concepts I’ve tried:

• Use noodles as a substitute of eggplant. To make lasagna roll-ups as a substitute, swap the eggplant for cooked lasagna noodles.
• Use zucchini as a substitute of eggplant. Make this recipe with baked zucchini when you’ve got an abundance in your backyard throughout late summer time. 
• Add prosciutto. For an umami, meaty taste all through, add some slices of this fancy deli meat.
• Add spinach to the filling. Recent or frozen spinach will give the filling extra physique and diet. 

Storage and make-ahead directions

To retailer: The baked or unbaked rollatini will hold properly in an hermetic container or lined baking dish for as much as 5 days within the fridge. Bake it instantly from the fridge when it’s time to eat. 

To freeze: Both assemble the rollatini within the dish earlier than freezing or bake it as regular, then freeze as soon as it’s cool.

To make forward: You’ll be able to assemble the rollatini within the baking dish and hold it lined within the fridge as much as 1 day forward of baking.

Reheating: It’s greatest to reheat the eggplant rolls in a 350ºF oven till they’re warmed by means of. Reheat in a lined baking dish, then take away the foil over the last 5 to 10 minutes to get the cheese good and bubbly once more.

Often requested questions

Extra comforting meat-free dinners to strive

• Vegan chili– So hearty, filling, and wholesome. It cooks very quickly in any respect.
• Sofritas– A copycat model of the well-known vegetarian Chipotle possibility.
• Cauliflower steak– The BEST option to prepare dinner and revel in this cruciferous vegetable.
• Smoked mac and cheese– Consolation meals and not using a lick of meat.