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My eggplant rollatini features tender eggplant stuffed with ricotta, parmesan, and basil and baked to cheesy perfection. They are easy to make and deliciously comforting.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“This eggplant rollatini recipe is a weekly staple in my kitchen. My kids love the filling and I love that they are getting plenty of veggies and protein in their diet.” – Nikki
Table of Contents
My eggplant rollatini recipe is my go-to whenever I want to make a family-friendly dinner that packs in tons of veggies.
Eggplant rollatini is a mix of my eggplant parmesan and eggplant lasagna. You’ll find the cheesy, herby, and tomato sauce goodness from these classics, but all rolled up in slices of baked eggplant. It’s hearty and filling, and probably one of the few meat-free dinners my family approves of (seriously). They are baked, not fried, and need very little prep time.
If you want more vegetarian mains, try my eggplant meatballs, Tuscan white bean soup, cauliflower steak, and Mediterranean bowls next.
Key Ingredients
- Eggplant. Sliced, salted, and baked.
- Extra virgin olive oil. A must before roasting eggplant. It provides fat and flavor to the typically bland vegetable.
- Cheese filling. A mix of ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, fresh garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
To assemble the eggplant rolls:
- Tomato sauce. Use your favorite jarred tomato or marinara sauce, or try homemade pomodoro or sugo.
- Mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. I recommend shredding your cheese because it melts so much better (packaged shredded cheese has anti-caking agents to retain its shape).
How to make eggplant rollatini
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- Slice the eggplant and sprinkle both sides with salt. Once salted, bake them for 10 minutes until tender.
Step 2- Add the filling ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
Step 3- Add a small spoonful of the cheesy ricotta filling near the end of an eggplant slice. Roll it up tightly and place it in a casserole dish.
Step 4- Repeat until you run out of eggplant/ricotta.
Step 5- Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and parmesan.
Step 6- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking until the cheese melts.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t skip salting the eggplant. This process draws out excess moisture, helping you avoid watery eggplant rollatini!
- Save time by making the ricotta filling and baked eggplant 1 or 2 days ahead of time. Keep them in separate airtight containers in the fridge until it’s time to assemble the recipe.
- Use a sharp knife or a vegetable mandoline to cut the eggplant. You can control the slices and ensure they are all the same thickness.
Storage and make ahead
To store: The baked or unbaked rollatini will keep well in an airtight container or covered baking dish for up to 5 days in the fridge. When it’s time to eat, bake it directly from the fridge.
To freeze: Either assemble the rollatini in the dish before freezing or bake it as normal, then freeze once it’s cool.
To make ahead: You can assemble the rollatini in the baking dish and keep it covered in the fridge up to 1 day ahead of baking.
If you tried this Eggplant Rollatini recipe or any other recipe on The Big Man’s World, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Eggplant Rollatini
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese divided
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons basil chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Slice the eggplants into 1⁄4-inch slices and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let it sit for several minutes to release extra moisture.
- Line a large pan with parchment paper and spread the eggplant on it. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Add a thin layer of tomato sauce. To a single slice of eggplant, add a small spoonful of the cheese mixture to one side of it and roll it up tightly. Repeat the process until all the eggplant is rolled up.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls and top with mozzarella cheese and a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes before removing the foil and cooking uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
I don’t recommend it. Frying sliced eggplant can involve flouring the pieces and then frying in excess oil. The eggplant won’t be as pliable for rolling, and all of that oil will make the dish heavier.
Nope! Because we are roasting them before baking, they soften and become even more tender.
Originally published December 2022, updated November 2023, republished May 2025
Very delicious, excellent receby!
Can yi call this egglpant lasagna? It looks the same!
This is so much Italian recipe. I would like to try.
This looks amazing. I like eggplant so much. So I must try it.
Even my husband liked this and he always says he hates eggplant
Love that!!!!
I’ll be making this again next week for my best friend’s birthday, but this time I’ll be making my own homemade ricotta – it’s so easy to make & so delicious! I’m serving it with campanelle pasta, fresh Italian flatbread, mixed green salad w/fresh roasted veg & creamy balsamic dressing. Apple cake with crackle glaze for dessert.