Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my eggplant rollatini recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Eggplant Noodles:
The eggplant makes the “rolls”, kind of like a veggie swap for manicotti noodles. Some eggplant rollatini recipes require breading or frying the noodles, but mine keeps it simple.
Eggplant – I use globe eggplant for my rollatini, since it’s easy to find here in the U.S. It’s called aubergine in some countries. And of course you can totally use Italian eggplant. Just pick firm ones. Olive Oil – For roasting the eggplant slices. You can use classic extra virgin olive oil, regular olive oil, or even avocado oil. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Filling:
You’re going to love this filling! It’s creamy, it’s cheesy, it’s spinach-y. I’ve since used a similar blend to make spinach stuffed chicken and stuffed salmon, but my eggplant rollatini started it all.
Ricotta Cheese – A.k.a. the base. I always go for whole milk ricotta for the best flavor, but 2% works, too. Frozen Spinach – Thaw completely and squeeze to remove excess moisture. You’ll need 8 ounces, or you can saute fresh spinach instead. If you start with fresh, you’ll need about 20 ounces before cooking it down. Parmesan Cheese – I prefer grated parm for this recipe, but shredded works too. Egg – Helps hold the filling together. Egg substitutes don’t really work well here, but you can probably just omit it if you need to. Italian Seasoning – Grab a blend from the store, or whip up your own Italian seasoning in about 5 minutes like I do. Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Assembly:
Don’t forget the toppings! They complete this dish: I’ll be honest, the only reason I left it out of my eggplant rollatini recipe is to stick to my “10 ingredients or less” theme. If you’ve got the time, 4 cloves of fresh minced garlic (or a teaspoon of garlic powder) makes the filling taste even better.
Marinara Sauce – I’m pretty sure the rollatini I had in Italy just used regular tomato sauce. You can certainly go that route, but my version uses marinara and I think it’s wonderful. If you’ve got the time, my homemade marinara is awesome for this dish, but store-bought works just fine. Mozzarella Cheese – I use pre-shredded mozzarella for convenience. You can also shred it yourself. Fresh mozzarella works too, but you’ll need to dry it well with paper towels to prevent the dish from getting too watery. Fresh Basil – Totally optional, but it’s the best fresh garnish!
How To Make Eggplant Rollatini
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Storage & Meal Prep
Store: Keep leftover eggplant rollatini in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. They store the longest in an airtight container, but if I have a lot left, sometimes I just cover the baking dish with foil. Meal prep: This dish tastes best when baked fresh, but you can definitely assemble it in advance and bake it later. Or just roast the eggplant and mix the filling in advance, then assemble the day-of. Reheat: Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees F. My microwave does a pretty good job for lunch leftovers, too. Freeze: You can freeze this eggplant rollatini recipe for up to 3 months, either before or after baking. Sometimes I even bake it from frozen (at 350 degrees F), and just place the baking dish in the oven while it preheats to avoid sudden temperature changes. It takes 40-45 minutes, though, so thaw in the fridge overnight if you want it to heat quickly.
Serving Ideas
I love eggplant rollatini as a veggie-forward meal all on its own, though it can also work as a side. In Italy, it was usually in the appetizer section.
Choose small to medium eggplants. They are less bitter, less watery, and have fewer seeds. If you’ve got a large one, you may want to salt the eggplant slices for half an hour (then rinse and dry) before roasting, to cut the bitterness. Do you really need a mandoline slicer? I highly recommend one for thin, even slices, which are so important to ensure the eggplant cooks evenly and rolls up well. (You need them 1/4 inch thick.) I originally had a handheld mandoline (pictured above), but now I love this one because I don’t have to balance it. You can try slicing with a sharp knife if you need to. The center cut eggplant slices work best. They are larger and roll more easily to make the rollatini. In fact, I only use about half the eggplant for this recipe. You can still roast the eggplant end pieces (just enjoy them plain instead of using them for the filling), or use the extras to make my eggplant caponata. Transfer the eggplant rolls to the baking dish carefully. They can fall apart if you’re not gentle. I find that using a flat turner makes transferring a lot easier.
If eggplant rollatini is your main dish, serve it with a salad. I like it with a simple arugula salad, my Italian-inspired artichoke salad, or a summery Caprese salad. In the mood for something heartier? My antipasto salad makes a great starter, or Greek lemon potatoes actually pair nicely. If it’s your side dish or appetizer, you’ll need a main dish. My saucy slow cooker chicken cacciatore, quick veal scallopini, or pesto salmon work really well with this. You can also keep it simple with baked pork chops or baked cod. (Both bake at the same temp as the rollatini, so you can cook them at the same time and just rotate the pans.)
My Tools For This Recipe
Mandoline – For perfect, thin eggplant slices. Baking Dish – It looks so pretty going straight from oven to table. I use mine every week! Flat Turner – This makes it so much easier to transfer the delicate eggplant rolls into the dish.
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This serving size is great for a meal. 1-2 rollatini is more typical as an appetizer. Nutrition info includes half of the eggplant amount, because only the center slices are used for the rollatini.
This picture was in Rome. I’ll be honest, I don’t remember which city it was that we had eggplant rollatini (we visited multiple cities), but the dish itself is impossible to forget. What’s your favorite healthy Italian meal? Let me know in the comments below — I’ll tell you if I have a recipe, or if not, maybe I’ll create one!
