Name: Eggplant Rollatini - Lightened!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 cup shredded mozzarella; 1 + 1/2 cups tomato sauce ( I used our mom's quick marinara sauce); olive oil cooking spray; chopped fresh basil; olive oil cooking spray; grated pecorino cheese

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Eggplant Rollatini – Lightened! Roasted thin slices of eggplant are stuffed with cheese, then rolled and topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pecorino cheese. Baked until the cheese is fully melted, these eggplant rollatini are very easy, light, and taste the best!

A casserole dish filled with Eggplant Rollatini topped with tomato sauce and melted cheese.

Originally published in 2015, this post has been updated today to provide a clearer and more enjoyable experience for you. We hope you find this updated version satisfying.

Eggplant Rollatini… but Better!

We love eggplant, especially when it is roasted or baked, and not fried! Today, we adapted our mom’s eggplant rollatini casserole recipe to make it easier, healthier, and remarkably lighter.

This version of eggplant rollatini is lighter than most recipes (and even our mom’s version) because this one doesn’t include a lot of heavy ingredients.

In the past, our mom would fry the eggplant slices, then stuff them with a heavier filling made with a mixture of ricotta cheese, eggs, and mozzarella, and top them with a bread crumb mixture.

Her version of eggplant rollatini is delicious, but it’s too heavy and much higher in fat and calories.

But not this recipe.

A white casserole dish filled with baked eggplant rollatini.

Our Eggplant Rollatini…

Eggplant slices are quickly roasted, then stuffed with a simple filling, and topped with a simple tomato sauce and grated cheese.

This recipe creates a very light and delicate texture, but without sacrificing flavor.

Best of all, it is gluten-free!

Ok, let’s make it!

Ingredients for Eggplant Rollatini- Lightened!

1 large eggplant
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1+1/2 cups tomato sauce (I used our mom’s quick marinara sauce
olive oil cooking spray
chopped fresh basil
grated Romano-Pecorino cheese

How to Make Eggplant Rollatini – Lightened?

*Follow along with our step-by-step directions, or jump down for our full recipe card.

1. Preheat oven to Roast at 375 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Also, spray the second baking (8 x 11) dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.

2. Rinse eggplant, dry with a paper towel, and cut off the top.
3. Hold the eggplant upright on top of a cutting board, and thinly slice off the outer skin, and discard it. Then begin to slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, rotating the eggplant to help slice easily.

QUICK TIP: If you keep the skin on the eggplant (as I did in our photos), it will become very charred and crispy. Some will like it … and some won’t. So for this recipe, I recommend removing the skins. You should get approximately 16 slices from one eggplant, depending on how thin you slice it.

A cutting board with thinly sliced eggplant.

4. Transfer slices into a large roasting pan. Lay them side by side, or slightly overlap them if you need to.
5. Drizzle very lightly with some olive oil over them. Place the pan in the oven on the center rack.
6. Roast eggplant slices for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly brown and softened, turning them over once halfway through.
7. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

A roasting pan filled with golden brown roasted eggplant slices.

8. Change oven temperature (from Roast) to BAKE, and REDUCE temperature to 350 degrees.

9. Take each eggplant slice and lay it on a flat surface or a plate. Then sprinkle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella over each. Pick up one end and roll the eggplant. Place each roll with the seam side down, and lay them side by side into the prepared baking dish.

White baking dish, filled with roasted eggplant sliced rolled up and placed side by side.

10. Spoon lightly some tomato sauce over each eggplant rollatini evenly.

A white baking dish filled with eggplant rolled with cheese mixture and topped with tomato sauce.

11. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella on top.

12. BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle on top with some grated Romano-Pecorino cheese and fresh chopped basil. Serve warm.

Yields: 16 eggplant rollatini

Storing

Store these rollatini in a sealed container, and store them in the refrigerator. Keep them chilled, they will stay for up 3 days.

A Delicious Side or Main Meal

My family enjoyed the lighter side of this eggplant rollatini. They did not miss the heavy ricotta cheese filling either. Just another delicious recipe to get your family to eat more eggplant!

This rollatini is even terrific to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish at dinner. Serve our eggplant rollatini as a side with any main dishes like our London Broil Steak Grilled Perfectly, and our recipe for Chicken Cutlets.

Perfect for those nights you just want a meatless meal.

Nothing fancy – just simple, light, and delicious! Serve them warm and enjoy! …they won’t disappoint!

… and Enjoy!

More Eggplant Recipes

Hello friends! Are you cooking with us? If you try this delicious eggplant rollatini recipe, please let us know and leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback is very important to us and to our readers. Thank you!

Eggplant Rollatini - Lightened!

Yield: 16 eggplant rollatini's

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Eggplant Rollatini - Lightened! Thin slices of eggplant are lightly roasted in the oven until softened; then lightly stuffed with shredded mozzarella, rolled into a roll, and topped with tomato sauce and pecorino cheese and baked until the cheese is fully melted.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 + 1/2 cups tomato sauce ( I used our mom's quick marinara sauce)
olive oil cooking spray
chopped fresh basil
olive oil cooking spray
grated pecorino cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to Roast at 375 degrees F (190.6 C).
Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Also, spray a second baking (8 x 11) dish with cooking spray, set aside.
Rinse eggplant, dry with a paper towel, and cut off the top.
Hold the eggplant upright on top of a cutting board, and thinly slice off the outer skin, and discard. Then begin to slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, rotating the eggplant to help slice easily.
Approximately 16 slices from one eggplant, depending on how thin you slice them. Transfer slices into a large roasting pan.
Lay the slices side by side, or slightly overlap them if you need to.
Drizzle very lightly with some olive oil over them. Place pan in the oven on center rack.
Roast eggplant slices for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly brown and softened, turning them over once halfway through.
Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Change oven (from Roast) to BAKE, and REDUCE temperature to 350 degrees (176.7 C).
Take each eggplant slice and lay it on a flat surface or on a plate. Then sprinkle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella over each. Pick up one end and roll the eggplant. Place each roll with seam side down, and lay them side by side into the prepared ( 8 x 11) baking dish.
Spoon lightly some tomato sauce over each eggplant rollatini evenly.
Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella on top.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted.
Remove from oven and sprinkle on top with some grated pecorino cheese and fresh chopped basil. Serve warm.
Yields: 16 eggplant rollatini

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 servings Serving Size: 2 eggplant rollatini
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 50Total Fat: 2.6gCholesterol: 2mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2.7gSugar: 3.7gProtein: 2.2g

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

xo Anna and Liz

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19 Comments

Roey says:

04/11/2021 at 2:08 pm

Am trying this as it looks delicious but why do the pictures show the slices with the skin still on when the recipe calls for cutting it off? Can you make it either way?

1. by Anna and Liz says:
  
  04/11/2021 at 2:31 pm
  
  HI Roey! To answer your question, yes you can do it both ways – with the skins on, or remove the skins. It’s a matter of preference. I prefer the eggplant rollatini with the skins on.
  I will go in and edit that – so it’s clear and not confusing. Thanks so much for asking a great question and bringing it up to my attention. Enjoy this recipe! Have a great weekend! 🙂
  warmly,
  Anna
  
SavoringTime in the Kitchen says:

01/22/2015 at 10:36 pm

My mouth is watering! They look delicious and I love how you've lightened them.

Joanne says:

01/22/2015 at 1:04 pm

Ooo this sounds great! Love that you've lightened it up!

Abbe@This is How I Cook says:

01/21/2015 at 5:57 pm

Very nice! And pretty! And good!

Sandra says:

01/21/2015 at 4:10 am

I love eggplants and this version without meat is just perfect. Thank you for this delicious looking recipe!

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 4:58 pm
  
  Thank you Sandra! Enjoy!
  
Sue/the view from great island says:

01/21/2015 at 3:58 am

I can't get enough eggplant, i love it — and my only problem with all your eggplant recipes is…which one do I start with??

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 4:53 pm
  
  Lol…Sue – we can relate… Since we love them all – it's hard to choose. Enjoy and many thanks for stopping by! Xo
  
Kitchen Belleicious says:

01/21/2015 at 3:35 am

i love how you lightened up the dish and yet it still is hearty and rich and delicious.

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 4:56 pm
  
  Thanks you! We are on a calorie count these days … Enjoy! 😉
  
Barbara Bakes says:

01/21/2015 at 2:16 am

What a delicious looking dish. Love that you lightened it up.

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 3:15 am
  
  Many thanks for the lovely comments Barbara, its always nice to hear from you! Have a great week! 🙂
  
Tricia Buice says:

01/21/2015 at 1:32 am

Well I could eat this everyday! I love all these eggplant recipes. Lightened up is pretty great this time of year – Christmas recovery you know. Have a great week!

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 2:13 am
  
  We agree Tricia – It's definitely time for recovery! Thanks for stopping by, have a great evening!
  
Betty says:

01/21/2015 at 1:26 am

I love how you've lightened this up! We love eggplant and will be happy to try this! 🙂

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/21/2015 at 2:10 am
  
  So glad to hear! Thanks Betty! Have a great evening!
  
Amy says:

01/20/2015 at 9:27 pm

This looks so good! I can't believe it's lightened. I adore eggplants and this is one gorgeous dish. Can't wait to try it.

1. annaliz says:
  
  01/20/2015 at 9:43 pm
  
  Thank you Amy! And we do too ! Thank you for your sweet comment.
  Xoxo

Eggplant Rollatini – Lightened! Roasted thin slices of eggplant are stuffed with cheese, then rolled and topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pecorino cheese. Baked until the cheese is fully melted, these eggplant rollatini are very easy, light, and taste the best!

Eggplant Rollatini… but Better!

We love eggplant, especially when it is roasted or baked, and not fried! Today, we adapted our mom’s eggplant rollatini casserole recipe to make it easier, healthier, and remarkably lighter.

This version of eggplant rollatini is lighter than most recipes (and even our mom’s version) because this one doesn’t include a lot of heavy ingredients.

In the past, our mom would fry the eggplant slices, then stuff them with a heavier filling made with a mixture of ricotta cheese, eggs, and mozzarella, and top them with a bread crumb mixture.

Her version of eggplant rollatini is delicious, but it’s too heavy and much higher in fat and calories.

Our Eggplant Rollatini…

Eggplant slices are quickly roasted, then stuffed with a simple filling, and topped with a simple tomato sauce and grated cheese.

This recipe creates a very light and delicate texture, but without sacrificing flavor.

Best of all, it is gluten-free!

Ok, let’s make it!

Ingredients for Eggplant Rollatini- Lightened!

1 large eggplant

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1+1/2 cups tomato sauce (I used our mom’s quick marinara sauce

olive oil cooking spray

chopped fresh basil

grated Romano-Pecorino cheese

How to Make Eggplant Rollatini – Lightened?

1. Preheat oven to Roast at 375 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Set aside.Also, spray the second baking (8 x 11) dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.

2. Rinse eggplant, dry with a paper towel, and cut off the top.3. Hold the eggplant upright on top of a cutting board, and thinly slice off the outer skin, and discard it. Then begin to slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, rotating the eggplant to help slice easily.

QUICK TIP: If you keep the skin on the eggplant (as I did in our photos), it will become very charred and crispy. Some will like it … and some won’t. So for this recipe, I recommend removing the skins. You should get approximately 16 slices from one eggplant, depending on how thin you slice it.

8. Change oven temperature (from Roast) to BAKE, and REDUCE temperature to 350 degrees.

9. Take each eggplant slice and lay it on a flat surface or a plate. Then sprinkle about 1 to 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella over each. Pick up one end and roll the eggplant. Place each roll with the seam side down, and lay them side by side into the prepared baking dish.

10. Spoon lightly some tomato sauce over each eggplant rollatini evenly.

11. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella on top.

12. BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle on top with some grated Romano-Pecorino cheese and fresh chopped basil. Serve warm.

Yields: 16 eggplant rollatini

Storing

A Delicious Side or Main Meal

My family enjoyed the lighter side of this eggplant rollatini. They did not miss the heavy ricotta cheese filling either. Just another delicious recipe to get your family to eat more eggplant!

This rollatini is even terrific to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish at dinner. Serve our eggplant rollatini as a side with any main dishes like our London Broil Steak Grilled Perfectly, and our recipe for Chicken Cutlets.

Perfect for those nights you just want a meatless meal.

Nothing fancy – just simple, light, and delicious! Serve them warm and enjoy! …they won’t disappoint!

More Eggplant Recipes

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition Information:

Did you make this recipe?

Happy and Healthy Cooking! 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

xo Anna and Liz

Related Posts:

Welcome! From Anna and Liz

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Weeknight Dinners Made Easy

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19 Comments

2 Sisters Recipes

Recipes

1. Preheat oven to Roast at 375 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Also, spray the second baking (8 x 11) dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.

2. Rinse eggplant, dry with a paper towel, and cut off the top.
3. Hold the eggplant upright on top of a cutting board, and thinly slice off the outer skin, and discard it. Then begin to slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, rotating the eggplant to help slice easily.