My mom’s eggplant ricotta lasagna rolls are such a satisfying and comforting meal. This recipe is gluten and grain-free, high protein, and requires very little oil, making it a much lighter, healthier variation on eggplant parmesan and lasagna. I am a huge eggplant lover and this is one of my favorite recipes of all time. Many people are stumped or intimidated by cooking eggplant, but once you learn how to cook it correctly, you will be hooked. This recipe makes 15 rolls but is very easy to double.
The Best Eggplant Rolls
My mom's easy recipe has a lot of the flavors of lasagna and eggplant parmesan, but with less oil, and no gluten or grains.
Ingredients
- 4 Italian eggplants
- olive oil (see notes)
- salt to taste
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg (optional, see notes)
- ½ cup grated parmigiano
- ⅓ cup fresh dill, chopped (optional)
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce, or more if you like
- 1/3-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Peel each eggplant, then cut into 4 slices lenghtwise. Trim the rounded end pieces so that they are flat and even on each side (and easy to roll, once cooked). Don’t discard any peeled scraps as you can use them in your cooking for other recipes.
- Set the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and drizzle each piece on both sides with olive oil plus season with salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the eggplant are soft. Place the cooked eggplant to the side to cool while you make the filling.
- In a bowl, add the ricotta, egg, if using, grated parm, and dill, if using, and season with salt. Mix until well combined.
- Cover the base of a small oven-safe pan (we used an 8×8 inch pan) with a thin layer of marinara.
- Take one slice of eggplant so that the wider side is closest to you and place about 1 teaspoon of the ricotta mixture on the widest part. Gently roll the eggplant and place it in the pan. Continue until all the eggplant slices are rolled and neatly placed in rows in the pan.
- Top the rolls with the rest of the marinara sauce and the mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Instead of olive oil, you can use any oil of your choosing. Be sure to pick an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or avocado oil.
The egg serves as a helpful binder for the ricotta filling, but it is optional, so feel free to leave out if you are intolerant to eggs.
The eggplant skin can be very tough, which is why I peel it in this recipe. If you do not peel the eggplant, you must soak the raw slices in salted water to help break down the tough, bitter flavor.
Fresh dill can be omitted or replaced with any freshly chopped herbs, such as basil, parsley, oregano, or a combo of all three.
You can use your own homemade sugo in place of storebought marinara (check out my recipe). My favorite storebought brand is Rao’s.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
