If you are looking for a delicious vegetarian dish that’s bursting with flavor and that you’ll actually want to eat, try this guilt-free eggplant rollatini. This traditional Italian dish features rolled bundles of eggplant filled with ricotta cheese and topped with tomato sauce for a hearty meal that’s reminiscent of lasagna and that everyone will love…our kids don’t even realize they’re getting a full serving of veggies when they chow down!
Regardless of whether you’ve got vegetarians to serve, this dish tastes great and is good for you – when it comes to keeping our dinner routine interesting, that’s a win-win in our book!
Eggplant Rollatini
Yield(s): Serves 6
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 eggplants
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 package frozen spinach, thawed
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
- 2 cups parmesan cheese, grated, divided
- 3/4 cups fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Trim ends off eggplants. Cut lengthwise into approximately 1/4-inch thick slices.
- Place eggplant slices on baking sheets and season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.
- Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, basil leaves, salt, pepper and 1 cup of parmesan cheese. Squeeze water out of spinach and add it to the cheese mixture.
- Place approximately 3 tablespoons of cheese and spinach mixture on each eggplant slice. Roll into a loose bundle and place seam-side down in a large baking dish.
- Top eggplant rolls with marinara sauce. Sprinkle on mozzarella and remaining parmesan cheese.
- Place baking dish in oven and bake 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Recipe adapted from Epicurious