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Eggplant Rollatini with ricotta filling being pulled up from a casserole dish by a spatula.
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Eggplant Rollatini

This Eggplant Rollatini is fried to golden perfection, stuffed with an herb ricotta filling, and baked with marinara sauce and melty mozzarella!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Salting Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 652kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Rollatini

  • 2 large eggplant or enough for 10-12 slices
  • 1-2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 eggs whisked well
  • 1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs can sub all Italian
  • ½ cup vegetable oil plus more as needed
  • 1 ¼ cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup Mozzarella cheese
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
  • Parsley to garnish

Ricotta Filling

  • 1 ¼ cups Ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¾ teaspoon EACH: dried basil, oregano, salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Eggplant

  • Note: See notes for air frying and baking methods as an alternative to deep frying.
  • Cut 2 ends off the eggplant and slice lengthwise into even, ¼-inch slices. You can use a long sharp knife or a mandoline. You’ll want 10-12 slices. (10 fit in my casserole dish but it’s nice to have a few extra in case.)
  • Sprinkle each side of the eggplant with a light coating of salt. Layer on paper towels so that the top and bottom are covered. Let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine the filling ingredients and set aside in the fridge.
  • Set up a breading station using 3 wide bowls or trays. Bowl #1 = Flour and Garlic powder. Bowl #2 = Whisked Eggs. Bowl #3 = Italian and Panko breadcrumbs.
  • Take the eggplant slices and use dry paper towels to dab away excess moisture/salt. (A little salt left on the surface is fine.)
  • Dip each slice into the flour and tap off excess. Transfer to the eggs and coat each side. Use your fingers to slide off excess eggs, too much will cause it to bleed through the breading.
  • Transfer to the breading and coat each side generously. I use a spoon to scoop the breading on top, and the back of a spoon to pack it down. Repeat until all slices are breaded.
  • Add about ¼-inch of vegetable oil to a wide skillet or Dutch oven. (I use a cast iron skillet.) Heat it over medium-high heat to 350-360° F. Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before adding the eggplant. Test it by adding some breading to the oil, if it fries right when it hits the oil, it’s ready.
  • Fry the eggplant in batches for 3-4 minutes, gently flipping halfway through until each side is golden. Set aside on a cooling rack to keep it crispy. Repeat until all are fried.

Bake

  • Preheat oven to 375° F.
  • Spread ¼ cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
  • Scoop a heaping 2 tablespoons of filling onto the middle of each eggplant slice and roll it up. Place it seam-side-down in the baking dish. Repeat for all.
  • Spoon up to 1 cup of marinara sauce over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. (I add the sauce/cheese on the middle of the eggplant and leave the edges exposed so they’re extra crispy.)
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and begins to brown slightly. If desired, broil at 450° F for 1-2 minutes to brown the top more, watch it carefully during this time.
  • Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving. Serve with Garlic Bread with Cheese!

Notes

Instead of Deep Frying:
To Air Fry: Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Air Fry about 4 slices at a time at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Flip, spray again, and air fry for 5 more minutes, or until golden. Repeat.
To Bake: Line the breaded eggplant on a light colored, lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until the top begins to turn golden. Flip and bake 8-10 more minutes, until golden.
Pro Tips:
  • Salting the Eggplant: Salting the eggplant is necessary to draw out excess moisture so that the end result is nice and crispy! The salt also ensures that the eggplant absorbs less oil, which makes it crispy as well.
  • Choosing Ripe Eggplant: Ripe eggplants are dark and glossy on the surface and have a little give when you press on the skin, similar to a tomato. Overripe eggplants have a more wilted, dull appearance and are very soft.
  • Slices: You'll need 10-12 (1/4-inch) slices for this recipe, I like to have 2 eggplants on hand in case all slices don't come out perfectly, so I can choose the best ones. You can use a madoline or a chef knife. If the eggplent is wider than the mandoline, you'll need to trim each side so that it's the same size.
  • Marinara: An indulgent dish like this deserves only the best marinara sauce, I highly recommend using Rao's marinara, it's truly restaurant worthy! 
  • Mozzarella: Low Moisture Whole Milk mozzarella shredded from a block is definitely best for this recipe, it melts very well. (Don't use fresh mozzarella as it's too wet.) I like using Dragone or Galbani. 
  • Spinach makes a great addition to the filling as well, I would sauté 1 heaping cup of roughly chopped spinach, let it cool, and mix it into the filling. 
  • Baking/Air Frying: The notes section of the recipe card has instructions on how to bake or air fry the eggplant instead of deep frying if preferred.
  • If you're short on time, you can't go wrong with my Eggplant Casserole recipe, it has all of the flavors of Eggplant Parmesan, but without the breading and frying!
Storage
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers reheat well.
  • To Reheat: Place on a baking sheet or dish and cover with foil. Bake at 325° F for 15 minutes or until heated through. (If frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight.)
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 5 servings in this recipe, (or 2 rollatinis per person).

Nutrition

Calories: 652kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 207mg | Sodium: 1443mg | Potassium: 666mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1186IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 539mg | Iron: 5mg