This low-carb eggplant rollatini recipe has creamy ricotta and spinach rolled up inside melt-in-your-mouth eggplant, topped with savory marinara sauce and mozzarella. It's a satisfying, comforting vegetarian dinner for any night of the week.
Prep Time: 30 minutesmins
Cook Time: 1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Yield: 5servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Equipment
1 13 x 9-inch baking dish
Ingredients
2mediumItalian eggplants(cut lengthwise into 10 (1/4-inch thick) slices (21 oz total when sliced))
1/2cupPecorino Romano cheese(or Parmesan cheese, grated plus more for serving)
8ouncesfrozen spinach(heated through and squeezed well)
1garlic clove(minced)
1cuppart-skim mozzarella(shredded (I like Polly-O) 4 oz total)
Instructions
Cut the 2 ends off the eggplants. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into 1/4-inch thick slices until you have a total of 10 slices about the same size. It's easiest to do this with a mandolin.
Sprinkle the eggplant with kosher salt to help remove excess moisture and bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes. Pat dry with a towel.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Season the eggplant with a little more salt and pepper, then arrange on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover tightly with foil and bake until eggplant is tender and pliable but NOT fully cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Spread 1/4 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg then mix together with ricotta, Pecorino Romano, spinach, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
Pat eggplant dry with paper towels. Dividing the ricotta-spinach mixture (about 2 generous tablespoons each) evenly and spoon onto one end of each eggplant slice, spreading to cover. Starting at the short end, roll up slices and arrange them each seam side down in the prepared dish. Top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese and tightly cover with foil.
Bake until the eggplant is very tender, about 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving with additional Pecorino Romano if desired.
Notes
Meal Prep Tip: Double this and freeze the other half for meal prep!