How to Make Eggplant Rollatini (Best Homemade Recipe)

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See how to make eggplant rollatini from scratch with garden-grown eggplant, homemade marinara sauce, and a creamy cheese filling made from homemade ricotta cheese. This eggplant rollatini recipe is one of our favorite Italian dishes to make. 

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Best Eggplant Rollatini Recipe Ingredients

To make this delicious eggplant rollatini recipe you will need:

Simple Tomato Sauce

• 28oz can whole tomatoes
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ​1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• ​1 Tbsp kosher salt
• fresh basil

Eggplant & Breading

• 2-3 medium eggplants
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 3-5 eggs

Cheese Mixture

• 1 lb ricotta cheese
• 4 oz shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

​Plus additional parmesan cheese and fresh mozzarella for topping.

How to Prepare Eggplant for Homemade Eggplant Rollatini Recipe

First, trim the ends and cut the eggplant into approximately 1/4′ thick slices. 

Place the 1/4-inch slices in a shallow baking dish with a saltwater soak for 20 minutes. Salting the eggplant tends to reduce both the natural bitterness of the eggplant as well as the sponginess. It draws out the excess moisture to yield a more tender texture when cooked. 

How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce for Eggplant Rollatini

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large sauce pot on medium heat. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and saute until translucent. We love our Caraway nonstick, non-toxic, ceramic cookware. You can find it online here: Caraway Cookware.

Next, add the chopped garlic and canned whole tomatoes to the pot. Then add up to 1/4 cup water to the can to rinse the can and add the water to the sauce pot. 

Use a handheld immersion blender to blend the tomatoes, onions, and garlic until smooth. 

Add 2 sprigs of fresh basil to the pot, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, add 1 Tbsp salt, stir, and remove from heat.

​The Best Way to Bread Thin Slices of Eggplant 

Remove the eggplant from the saltwater soak and place on a paper towel stack to dry.

There are a few steps to the breading process. First, whisk a few eggs in a shallow bowl. Start with 3 eggs, and add more as needed. Pour the flour into a separate shallow bowl, and the breadcrumbs into another. 

Set up a large work surface with the bowls and a clean plate. You need a clean plate for the breaded strips of eggplant. 

Start by dredging a piece of eggplant in the flour. Make sure to coat both sides. 

Then transfer the eggplant to the bowl with the egg and again coat the entire piece of eggplant. 

Next, place the eggplant in the breadcrumbs and fully coat it before transferring it to a clean plate or bowl. 

Repeat these steps for all of the tender eggplant slices. 

How to Fry Eggplant

Pour 1/4-1/2″ oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. When the oil gets nice and hot carefully place the eggplant slices into the skillet.

Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edge of an eggplant slice sizzles and the breading turns golden brown. Flip the eggplant over and cook the same on the other side. Cook a few pieces at a time and do not layer the eggplant for this step. 

Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to a large baking sheet layered with paper towels. 

How to Make the Creamy Ricotta Filling 

The cheese filling ingredients are a very simple combination of different cheeses and an egg. 

​In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, egg, and fresh parsley. You can use store-bought ricotta or try our homemade ricotta recipe. 

Next, sprinkle salt and pepper and some freshly grated parmesan. 

Stir the cheese mixture until smooth and combined. 

How to Assemble Eggplant Rollatini Rolls 

First, spread a cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. 

Then grab the fried eggplant slices and ricotta mixture. 

Spread a single layer of the cheese mixture on a slice of eggplant. 

Carefully roll the sliced eggplant with the cheese filling inside. Do this for each piece of eggplant. 

Place the eggplant rolls in the casserole dish with the seam side down. 

Continue until the whole dish is full of cheese-filled eggplant rolls. 

Cover the rolls of eggplant with the tomato sauce. If you don’t use it all that’s fine. Use any leftover eggplant rollatini sauce for your pasta side dish. 

Top the eggplant rollatini with more freshly grated parmesan.

And lastly, a few slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

The Best Homemade Eggplant Rollatini Recipe 

Remove from the oven when the cheese topping is melted and bubbling.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve this eggplant dish with a little garlic bread, or any homemade bread. 

This popular Italian dish is the ultimate comfort food. 

This Italian eggplant rollatini recipe easily pairs well with any pasta dish or meat. 

Store any leftover eggplant in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It is just as delicious the next day and the day after that if it lasts that long.

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