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Serving spoon scooping one Eggplant Rollatini from oval baking dish.
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5 from 2 votes

Four-Cheese Eggplant Rollatini

Four-Cheese Eggplant Rollatini is the perfect balance of comfort and sophistication! Baked in a lively tomato sauce, tender roasted eggplant surrounds a creamy combination of four cheeses and fragrant herbs for a dish that's simply divine!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Vegetarian / Vegan Entrees
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small red onion finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes or 2 15-ounce cans
  • 1 can (28-ounce) petite diced tomatoes undrained, or 2 15-ounce cans, undrained
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to tolerance
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Eggplant and Filling

  • 2 medium globe eggplants (approximately 1 1/2 pounds each)
  • Salt
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup cottage cheese regular or reduced-fat
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese divided
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese divided
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
  • 2 medium width scallions white and light green part only, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large egg
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Angel hair pasta optional, for serving

Instructions

Sauce

  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 4-5 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly, 10-15 seconds, until fragrant.
  • Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and stir in the fresh basil. Set aside.

Eggplant and Filling

  • PREPARE THE EGGPLANT: While the sauce is simmering, prepare the eggplant. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9-inch or other large baking dish with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
  • Trim the stem and bottom ends of the eggplant. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise (top to bottom). Cut 5 1/4-inch slices from each eggplant for a total of 10, starting with the middle part of the eggplant. (Depending upon the size of your eggplant, you might be able to get 12 slices.) Reserve the ends for another use.
  • Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Generously salt the slices of eggplant, then place on the paper towels. Let sit for 30 minutes, then blot the eggplant dry with paper towels. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Spray the eggplant with cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the eggplant is pliable. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
  • PREPARE THE FILLING: Combine the cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a mini food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the Mozzarella, the parsley, scallions, garlic, egg, and salt and black pepper to taste. Place equal amounts of the cheese filling on each eggplant slice.
  • ASSEMBLE: Pour 2/3 of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Roll up and place the filled eggplant rolls in the baking dish with the seam side down.
  • Spoon the remaining sauce over the eggplant rolls then top with the remaining cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until heated through, bubbling and the cheese is starting to brown. Cover lightly with aluminum foil and let the Eggplant Rollatini rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve over angel hair pasta if desired.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:
  • If all you have on hand is regular diced tomatoes, use kitchen shears to chop them right in the can.
TIPS:
  • Cutting the eggplant in half through the middle first enables you to cut consistently sized slices rather than starting from the eggplant's side.  Score the eggplant all the way around first so you can mark where to slice.
    • Combining the cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a food processor or blender gives the filling a light "whipped" consistency.
    • Make this easy Eggplant Rollatini recipe easier! Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce or sauce you canned yourself from your own fresh, homegrown tomatoes to save time.
MAKE AHEAD:
  • Can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and refrigerated.
  • Let sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. You'll need to increase the baking time.
FREEZER-FRIENDLY:
  • Eggplant Rollatini can be frozen before baking or after baking.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator, then bake as directed if it was not baked before freezing.
  • If it has been baked, reheat in a 350-degree oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 | Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 607mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1094IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 527mg | Iron: 2mg