Eggplant Rollatini filled with creamy spinach and ricotta, baked in a fresh tomato sauce and finished with melted mozzarella. A lighter, low‑carb comfort meal that’s simple to prepare and impressive to serve.
Eggplant Rollatini is a lighter take on spinach and ricotta cannelloni, using thinly sliced aubergine as the pasta alternative. The rolls are filled with a silky ricotta and spinach mixture, baked in a simple tomato sauce, and topped with mozzarella for a golden, bubbling finish.
How to prepare the eggplant
I don’t find salting the eggplant necessary for this recipe. Trim the tops and slice each eggplant lengthwise into roughly 1cm (1/4 inch) slices. Rather than frying or grilling, bake the slices on a lined tray for 15–20 minutes until just tender — this makes them easy to roll without extra oil or fuss.
Step by step photos and instructions
Preheat the oven. Cut the eggplants into 1cm (1/4 inch) slices, place them on a lined baking tray, brush or drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for about 15–20 minutes until soft. Allow to cool slightly before assembling.
For the spinach: heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the spinach and stir until fully wilted. Remove from heat, let cool, then squeeze out excess moisture and finely chop.
To make the tomato sauce, sauté finely chopped shallot and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil for about a minute. Add canned chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup (60ml) water to rinse the can, tomato paste, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce reduces and the flavours develop.
Mix the filling by combining the squeezed, chopped spinach with ricotta, grated parmesan, a pinch of nutmeg and a little salt and pepper. Stir until well combined and creamy.
To assemble: place a heaped tablespoon of the ricotta mixture in the centre of each eggplant slice and roll up. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in a baking dish.
Spoon three quarters of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish, nestle the rolls in the sauce, then spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Scatter torn or sliced mozzarella over the rolls and bake at 180°C / 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden and the dish is heated through.
How to prep this in advance
You can assemble the rollatini and refrigerate them (covered) up to one day before baking. Alternatively freeze the assembled dish, then thaw fully before baking. This makes the meal ideal for busy weeknights or for preparing ahead of a dinner party.
Other filling ideas
Spinach and ricotta is timeless, but you can swap in other fillings to vary the flavour. Consider a sausage ragu, lentil ragu, pesto with extra mozzarella, or shredded chicken with ricotta and thyme for different takes on the same technique.
Recipe tips
- Salting the eggplant is optional — I skip it for this recipe.
- Slice the eggplant evenly and keep slices about 1cm (1/4 inch) thick so they roll easily.
- Two medium eggplants usually yield about 12 slices, serving 4–6 people (2–3 rollatini each).
- Grill the slices if you prefer a slightly charred flavour.
- Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the cooked spinach to avoid a watery filling.
- Use a good melting cheese; mozzarella is mild and melts beautifully.
- Turn the dish into a layered lasagna by alternating eggplant slices, ricotta and tomato sauce.
- Allow the dish to rest 5 minutes before serving to let the sauce settle.
More Eggplant Recipes You Might Like
Sides
Italian Stuffed Eggplant (Mozzarella and Tomato)
Mains
Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)
Pasta
Pasta Alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta)
Mains
Eggplant Lasagna with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
If you make these Eggplant Rollatini or try another recipe from the blog, please share how it turned out in the comments — I love hearing from readers!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to make the dish successfully.
Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach & Ricotta
By Emily
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants (aubergine)
- 15 oz (400g) canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 8.5 oz (250g) ricotta
- 8.5 oz (1 1/8 cup/240g) spinach
- 1 ball mozzarella
- 1 tbsp parmesan, grated
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Trim the eggplants and slice lengthwise into 1cm (1/4 inch) slices. Place on a lined baking tray, brush with about 2 tbsp olive oil and bake for 20 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool.
- Wilt the spinach in a frying pan with 1/2 tbsp olive oil, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Remove, cool and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Make the tomato sauce: heat 1 tbsp olive oil, sauté the shallot and garlic for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes. Rinse the can with 1/4 cup (60ml) water and add it, along with tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Combine the squeezed, chopped spinach with ricotta, parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and combined.
- Place about a heaped tablespoon of the ricotta mixture in the centre of each eggplant slice and roll up. Repeat for all slices.
- Spoon 3/4 of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a baking dish, arrange the rolls in the dish and pour over the remaining sauce. Top with sliced or torn mozzarella and bake for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
Video
Notes
Top Tips
- Salting the eggplant is optional for this recipe.
- Keep slices even and no thicker than 1cm (1/4 inch) to make rolling easier.
- Two medium eggplants typically yield about 12 slices, serving 4–6 people.
- Grilling the slices adds a pleasant char if desired.
- Remove as much moisture from the spinach as possible to avoid a watery filling.
- Use a mild melting cheese such as mozzarella for topping.
- Let the dish rest 5 minutes before serving.
How to Prep this in Advance
- Assemble and refrigerate (covered) up to one day before baking, or freeze and thaw completely before baking.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used unless stated otherwise.
- Canned tomatoes give the best results when using good quality brands.
- Vegetables referred to are medium sized unless noted.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 24 g |
Protein: 18 g |
Fat: 16 g |
Saturated Fat: 8 g |
Cholesterol: 43 mg |
Sodium: 314 mg |
Potassium: 1165 mg |
Fiber: 10 g |
Sugar: 12 g |
Vitamin A: 6125 IU |
Vitamin C: 33.2 mg |
Calcium: 367 mg |
Iron: 3.6 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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