Baked Eggplant Rollatini Recipe

Cheesy eggplant dishes loaded with tomato sauce are arguably the peak of comfort food. Satisfying the need for salty flavors, vegetable content, and versatility to pair with your favorite starch, this baked eggplant rollatini recipe is a winner. Mashed recipe developer Catherine Brookes shares this tasty recipe, which you might want to think of as eggplant parmesan 2.0. 

Sliced eggplant is stuffed and rolled into little bundles brimming with a tasty cheese filling, while marinara sauce ties it all together, offering all the elements we love from Italian food. Brookes describes, "This recipe is so wholesome and warming with soft baked eggplant; a delicious, rich, herby filling; and plenty of melty cheese." The final dish is baked in a large casserole, making it an excellent option to bring to a potluck or serve at a dinner party. Plus, if you're eager to have leftovers, simply double the recipe and make it in a larger baking dish.  

For this recipe, you'll need large eggplants and olive oil. Then, get out some marinara sauce, garlic cloves, a large egg, spinach leaves, fresh basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Don't forget the ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan, and shredded mozzarella. "Using three types of cheese here helps to make the dish super rich and flavorful," Brookes comments. 

Start by preheating the oven to 400 F. Then, chop off the top and bottom of the eggplants so they stand upright. Slice them lengthways into strips that are about ¼-inch thick. Grease a baking sheet and lay the eggplant slices across the surface. Drizzle olive oil over the top and bake for 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the ricotta cheese, ⅓ cup Parmesan, garlic, egg, spinach, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir the contents thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly throughout the cheesy mixture.

Spread out ½ of the marinara sauce to coat the bottom of a baking dish. When the eggplants are cool enough to manage, begin the assembly. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto the shorter end of an eggplant slice, then roll it up to make a tube shape. Continue the same process until you have filled all the eggplant slices with the ricotta mixture.

One by one, carefully transfer the stuffed rolls to the baking dish, placing the seam side down to prevent it from coming undone. Pour the rest of the marinara sauce over the center of the rollatini, leaving the edges of the rolls uncovered.

Top the dish with 1 extra tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and the shredded mozzarella, then cover with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking the rollatini for an extra 10-15 minutes until the cheese starts to bubble and brown. 

Remove the baking dish from the oven and garnish with fresh basil, if you like. Lastly, let it cool down enough to avoid burning any mouths, then dig into this warm and savory baked eggplant rollatini dish. "I like to serve this as a side along with some salad and rice or pita bread," Brookes comments, adding, "You could also serve it alongside some fish, chicken, or another protein."

Transfer any leftovers to a sealed container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Reheat the rollatini in the microwave or oven before serving once again.