Baked Eggplant Rollatini

Name: Baked Eggplant Rollatini
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 medium eggplants sliced lengthwise 1⁄3 inch thick; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; Olive oil for cooking and spraying; 3 cloves garlic minced; 5 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped; 14 ounces ricotta cheese well drained; 1⁄3 cup roasted red peppers drained and chopped; 1 large egg lightly beaten; 2 cups tomato sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 25 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Thin eggplant slices baked until flexible, filled with a blend of ricotta, roasted red peppers, and wilted spinach. Rolled tight, topped with herbed tomato sauce and a mix of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Baked until bubbly with a golden crust. Textural play between creamy filling and tender eggplant. Moderate prep and cook time, serves four. Uses fresh spinach wilted quickly with garlic. Ricotta must be drained to avoid watery filling. Tomato sauce mixed with oregano for subtle herbal notes. Cheese topping forms a crunchy, melty finish. Adjust bake times by looking for lightly browned edges on eggplant and bubbly cheese for doneness.

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 60 min

Servings: 4 servings

#Italian-American #Vegetarian #Baked Dish #Eggplant Recipe #Comfort Food

Eggplant rollatini, a personal favorite for when I crave layered textures and rich flavors without overcomplication. The challenge is nailing that bendy eggplant slice — not overly crisp or mushy. Once figured that out, each bite has creamy ricotta blended with roasted peppers and garlicky spinach wrapped in tender eggplant. The tomato sauce isn’t just a drizzle but a lightly herbed bath soaking into the rolls as they bake. Cheese melting golden on top seals everything together. It sounds fancy, but trust me, a few tweaks and you can have a deeply satisfying meal with minimal stress. Learned the hard way how watery spinach wrecks the filling texture — step mustn’t be rushed or skipped. The aroma of garlic and oregano simmering in sauce fills the kitchen hours before the first bite. Great for a cozy dinner or impressing guests with something different yet approachable.

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants sliced lengthwise 1⁄3 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking and spraying
3 cloves garlic minced
5 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
14 ounces ricotta cheese well drained
1⁄3 cup roasted red peppers drained and chopped
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 cups tomato sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

About the ingredients

Eggplant slicing thickness is key. Too thin, rolls crack; too thick, tough when baked. Mandoline recommended for uniformity but sharp knife works if careful. Salt draws moisture from eggplant to reduce bitterness and sogginess — let salted slices rest before baking. Always dry spinach well after wilting — squeezing too soon leaves you with watery filling causing a soggy mess. Ricotta must be drained extensively — no exceptions. Roasted red peppers add subtle sweetness, but charred bell pepper could substitute if you want a deeper smoky note. Garlic infuses olive oil without overpowering, but powdered garlic is an emergency fallback. Tomato sauce needs a bit of oregano for that classic Italian punch; fresh herbs can replace dried if available but adjust quantities. Cheese blend important for crust and melt; mozzarella contributes stretch while Parmesan adds sharpness and browning. Olive oil spray helps keep rolls from sticking and adds crisp edges.

Method

Heat oven to 345°F. Spray 2 baking sheets with olive oil spray or brush lightly.
Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice eggplant lengthwise around 1⁄3 inch thick. Thicker slices risk collapsing; thinner ones get too brittle.
Lay slices on baking sheets. Season both sides with fine sea salt and black pepper. Let sit 15 minutes to draw moisture out—blot with paper towels if you notice excess liquid.
Bake slices 13-15 minutes, watching for slight browning at edges and pliability. Should bend without cracking. Crisp means overbaked; too soft means underdone.
Remove and cool slices completely on racks.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add garlic; sizzle gently 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Toss in spinach, stirring quickly until wilted and deeply reduced—should lose most volume but still vibrant green.
Drain spinach well in a fine sieve, then spread flat on paper towels to blot out water. Excess liquid here will turn filling runny and ruin baking texture.
Drain ricotta thoroughly by pressing through cheesecloth or fine mesh. Pat dry red peppers too.
Combine ricotta, chopped roasted peppers, spinach, and beaten egg. Mix just till incorporated; overmixing develops toughness.
On a clean work surface, place one eggplant slice at a time. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons mix near the edge, fold sides slightly inward and roll up snugly. Seams down. Avoid overfilling or rolls burst.
Place rolls side by side in a shallow baking dish coated with oil. This prevents sticking and encourages even browning underneath.
Mix tomato sauce with oregano. Spoon over each roll liberally but not drowning—enough to keep moist and form a sauce bed.
Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly across rolls. Cheese layer thickness affects final crust texture. Too little, dry; too much, soggy middle.
Bake uncovered 18-22 minutes. Watch for cheese to bubble and edges brown golden. Too long will dry eggplant; too short, cheese won't melt fully.
Remove from oven; let rest 6-9 minutes before serving. Resting lets juices set and filling firm up for cleaner slices.
Optional: garnish with fresh basil or drizzle extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Cooking tips

Start by prepping eggplant slices with salt and resting so surface moisture comes out. Prevent soggy rolls by thoroughly drying spinach and ricotta components. Watch eggplant closely when baking — look for slight edge browning and flexible texture, not crisp. Garlic should sizzle but not brown, or it turns bitter—in case of darkening, toss and add new cloves. Wilt spinach completely to shrink volume; moisture here ruins filling firmness. Rolls should be tight but not stuffed until bursting; filling too wet or overfilled leads to breakage during baking. Tomato sauce with oregano creates subtle herbaceous notes, stirred well before spooning, so flavor infuses evenly. Cheese topping must bubble and brown gently; watch after 18 minutes and tolerate minor variance around 20 minutes. Rest rolls post-bake to let juices redistribute—cutting hot causes filling to seep. Efficiency trick—prep fillings while eggplant bakes so assembly flows smoothly. Avoid common slip-ups like skipping drying steps, underbaking eggplant, or rushing resting period.

Chef's notes

💡 Salt eggplant slices thick enough, about one-third inch. Rest at least 15 minutes. Moisture draws out. Blot surface well or end up soggy base. Watch closely when baking. Edges should barely brown, flexible. Not cracked or brittle. Undercook, rolls fall apart. Overcook, dry and tasteless.
💡 Wilt spinach quickly over medium heat with garlic. Must not brown garlic or bitter. Spinach reduces dramatically. Drain and press water out. Wet spinach ruins ricotta mix texture. Drained ricotta essential too. Use cheesecloth or fine mesh. Otherwise, filling too wet, filling breaks open in oven.
💡 Mix ricotta, roasted peppers, egg and spinach gently. Don’t overwork. Over mixing makes filling tough. Use just enough filling to roll without bursting. Too much filling means filling spills out cracking roll. Keep rolls seam side down in baking dish. Olive oil coating on dish prevents sticking, encourages even browning underneath rolls.
💡 Tomato sauce with oregano adds a light herbal tone. Stir well before spooning. Spoon sauce liberally, but avoid drowning rolls. Cheese top matters. Mozzarella for stretchiness, Parmesan for sharp browning. Thickness impacts crust texture. Watch bubble action during last 5 minutes of bake for doneness cues.
💡 Rest rolls post-bake for roughly 6-9 minutes. Juices redistribute, filling firms up. Cutting too soon makes runny mess. Recommended to prepare filling while eggplant bakes to save time. Use a mandoline for even slices but a sharp knife works if careful. Roasted red peppers can be swapped for charred bell pepper if smokier flavor desired.

Common questions

How thick should eggplant slices be?

Around one-third inch thick works. Too thin, rolls crack open when folding. Too thick, tough to bake evenly. You want flexible but sturdy slices. Test by bending slice before bake.

What if my spinach is too wet?

Spinach must be drained thoroughly. After wilt, squeeze water out using towel or mesh. Wet spinach thins ricotta filling, makes rolls soggy and prone to breaking in oven. No shortcuts here.

Cheese topping not browning?

Could be too thick or oven temp low. Use even layer mozzarella and parmesan blend. Parmesan browns better. Watch closely last minutes. Or broil briefly but carefully; can burn fast.

How to store leftovers?

Cool completely. Wrap airtight or use container. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered in oven or microwave. For longer storage freeze in airtight container, thaw overnight in fridge.