Baked Eggplant Rollatini Ricotta (Printable)

Roasted eggplant slices wrapped around creamy ricotta, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.

# What You Need:

→ For the Eggplant

01 - 2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ For the Filling

05 - 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
06 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
09 - 1 tbsp chopped parsley
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced

→ For Assembly

13 - 2 cups marinara sauce
14 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - Extra chopped basil, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on the sheets. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
03 - Roast for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until soft and lightly golden. Remove and let cool enough to handle.
04 - In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Mix until smooth.
05 - Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
06 - Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
07 - Place 2–3 tablespoons of ricotta filling at one end of each eggplant slice, then roll up tightly.
08 - Arrange rolls seam-side down in the baking dish.
09 - Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the rolls and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
10 - Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbly and the cheese is golden.
11 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra basil.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasted eggplant becomes impossibly tender, almost melting into the creamy ricotta filling with each bite
  • Its one of those rare vegetarian dishes that leaves everyone completely satisfied without missing meat
  • Make it ahead and reheat beautifully for weeknight dinners that taste like Sunday supper
02 -
  • Overstuffing the rolls is tempting, but it leads to filling spilling out during baking
  • Letting the dish rest for 10 minutes after baking is crucial for clean, neat slices
03 -
  • Don't skip parchment paper when roasting the eggplant, or you'll spend hours scrubbing the baking sheets
  • If your ricotta seems watery, place it in a sieve over a bowl for 30 minutes before mixing the filling

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