this vegan eggplant rollatini is a delicious take on a classic Italian-American dish. in this recipe we bake the eggplant instead of frying, and it keep it a little bit lighter without the dairy.
the inspiration
I had a lot of fun designing a whole Christmas menu. All the recipes are here on my blog and on YouTube. So, when I was thinking about the menu as a whole I really wanted a super cozy side dish.
The pasta I had made for the menu was the Italian Christmas Eve Spaghetti with Walnuts & Hazelnuts. Since that was in a garlic and oil sauce, I thought it would be fun to make a bit of more indulgent side dish. Then, eggplant rollatini came to my mind.
I have come to like eggplant later in life. My mom doesn’t like it very much so to be honest we didn’t eat a lot of it. But now in certain dishes like this or the Baked Eggplant Parm I have come to love it.
the ingredients
- Eggplant: of course we need eggplant to make eggplant rollatini. Try to find one that has a nice shape, the longer ones are better. You can either use globe or Italian.
- Breadcrumbs: we will need some breadcrumbs to bread the eggplant. I personally like to take panko breadcrumbs and blend them up to make a finer breadcrumb. I then season them with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried parsley, and a little extra salt. If you can find seasoned breadcrumbs that do not contain milk that is perfect, but I find it hard so I like to use panko for that reason. If you are gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Chickpea Flour: I like to use this as an egg replacer. So, we will mix with water and then dip the eggplant in it before breading it. You can also use non-dairy milk or a vegan egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill.
- Marinara Sauce: I am cheating and using store-bought sauce. I personally love Rao’s. Use whatever sauce you like or you can definitely make homemade.
- Vegan Mozzarella: we will need vegan mozzarella cheese for putting on top of the eggplant rollatini.
- Non-Dairy Milk: I like to mix this with the vegan mozzarella to make a vegan cheese sauce. It helps it to bake up better and create a better texture.
- Tofu Ricotta: we will fill the eggplant rollatini with vegan tofu ricotta. So, we need some tofu as the base of the vegan ricotta cheese. It is only a few ingredients and takes seconds to make. You can also use a store-bought vegan ricotta like Kite Hill or Tofutti if you prefer.
Eggplant Rollatini History
Eggplant rollatini (involtini di melanzane) traces back to Southern Italy, where thin slices of eggplant were used to wrap ricotta or other fillings as a resourceful, meatless alternative to traditional rolled dishes. It became popular in Italian-American cuisine in the 20th century, where baked versions with tomato sauce and mozzarella evolved into the style commonly served in restaurants today.
eggplant cutting tips
To cut an eggplant isn’t necessarily hard because it is a softer vegetable but it is a big, oblong vegetable so it can be hard. There are a few ways you can go about cutting it into thin slices.
One way you can cut the eggplant is with a mandoline. If you have one it is great for that. If you do not own one you do not need one, a sharp knife does the trick just fine.
I personally like to first turn it on its side and make as thin of slices as I can. Once I got more towards the middle I will cut the top off. Then, you may find it easier stand the eggplant up and carefully cut down. If you cut a piece and it feels too thick you can always carefully glide your knife down it to make it thinner.
making tofu ricotta
Tofu ricotta is so easy to make. You really only need firm or extra firm tofu, non-dairy milk, salt, and nutritional yeast. All you have to do is then either put in a food processor or blender. I opt for a blender because it is smaller.
Blend it up until it reaches a consistency you like. For this recipe I personally like it to be a little smoother. However, you can leave a bit on the thicker and chunkier side if you like.
Be sure to taste the vegan tofu ricotta so you can add in extra salt if needed.
Why do we need to salt eggplants?
Salting eggplants is a technique used to draw out excess moisture and reduce bitterness, especially in larger or older eggplants. It also helps the slices stay firmer during cooking, resulting in better texture for frying, roasting, or layering in dishes.
how to make the vegan eggplant rollatini
- After the thinly slicing the eggplant lay all the eggplant out on either a cutting board or wherever you have room. Create one layer of eggplant and then sprinkle liberally with salt. Then, you can make another layer of eggplant, and repeat again. Set to the side for 20 minutes as the salt draws the water out.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry with a towel. Then, dip the eggplant in a chickpea “egg”, which is just chickpea flour and water mixed together. Allow the excess to drip off.
- Then, coat in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Bake in the oven until golden and crispy. They should be flexible and be able to be rolled up, they do not need to be overly crisp.
- Place a dollop of the tofu ricotta filling (about 1 tablespoon) onto the breaded eggplant slice.
- Roll the eggplant up.
- Spread the sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish. You want at least 1 cup. Place the rolled up eggplant in a baking dish.
- Pour sauce over the rolled up eggplants.
- Top with the melted vegan mozzarella sauce.
- Bake in the oven until warmed, golden, and melty.
serving the vegan eggplant rollatini
After it comes out of the oven and the scents have filled your kitchen it is time to dig in. You really do want to eat this right away. However, right before you serve you can garnish with a bit of fresh parsley or fresh basil. Then, I like to top with lots of vegan parmesan cheese.
You will also want to serve the vegan eggplant rollatini with extra marinara sauce. The eggplant will soak it up in the oven so if you like things saucy, definitely warm up some sauce to serve on the side.
why you’ll love this vegan eggplant rollatini
There are so many reasons to love this recipe. First and foremost, my recipe is a bit lighter than the one you would get in a restaurant. That makes it much better as a side dish or an appetizer because it will be delicious but won’t make you feel overly full.
This is a great way to incorporate a veggie that a lot of people typically stay away from. The flavors are so delicious, and I promise even if think you aren’t a fan of eggplant you will like this.
If you are skeptical of eggplant rollatini it is similar to lasagna roll ups. So, if you like those flavors you should enjoy this. While it is a lot of steps, it is truly worth the labor of love.
more christmas recipes
vegan eggplant rollatini faq
Is this recipe allergy friendly?
It does not contain any nuts. To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs. To make it soy free, replace the tofu ricotta with a nut based ricotta. You can either use almonds or cashews.
How long do leftovers last?
Up to 4 days in the fridge in air airtight container. I would not recommend freezing as the texture and consistency of the eggplant and tofu ricotta will change in the freezer.
How do I reheat?
You can either microwave it, pop in the oven or air fryer, or even warm it up on the stove. This is great to store in individual portions so then you can just reheat a small amount.
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Vegan Eggplant Rollatini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 globe or Italian eggplant thinly sliced into 20 pieces, around 19 ounces
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- ¾ cup water
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 cup tofu ricotta see note
- ½ cup non-dairy milk unsweetened and unflavored
- ½ cup vegan mozzarella shreds
- 3 cups seasoned breadcrumbs see note
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Thinly slice the eggplant into 20 slices. Then, lay all the eggplant out on either a cutting board or wherever you have room a lot of room. Create one layer of eggplant and then sprinkle liberally with salt. Then, you can make another layer of eggplant, and repeat again. Set to the side for 20 minutes as the salt draws the water out.
- Pat the eggplant slices dry with a towel. Then, dip the eggplant in a chickpea “egg”, which is just chickpea flour and the water mixed together. Allow the excess to drip off.
- Then, coat in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Repeat with all the eggplant slices.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden and crispy. They should be flexible and be able to be rolled up, they do not need to be overly crisp.
- In a small saucepan or pot melt the vegan mozzarella and non-dairy milk together. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and you make a cheese sauce.
- Increase oven temp to 425°F (218°C). Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a baking dish.
- Place a dollop of the tofu ricotta filling (about 1 tablespoon) onto the breaded eggplant slice. You don’t want too much or the filling with all come out. Roll the eggplant up.
- Place the rolled up eggplant in a baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled up eggplants.
- Top with the melted vegan mozzarella sauce.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until warmed, golden, and melty.
- When done top with fresh chopped parsley, vegan parmesan, and serve with extra sauce. Enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated.
- For any questions you may have please refer to the FAQ above the recipe card.
- I used my tofu ricotta recipe which comes out to slightly less than a cup.
- To make seasoned breadcrumbs I take a whole can of panko, put it in the blender along with approximately 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried parsley. Blend it up.
Nutrition
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hey there!
Hey, I’m Francesca!
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I am happy to have you here and hope you explore more delicious vegan recipes.
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