Mediterranean Cheesy Eggplant Rolls

These Mediterranean Cheesy Eggplant Rolls have a rich and cheesy texture. We prepare these eggplant rolls with eggplants, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, oregano, olive oil, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil. These cheesy eggplant rolls contain approximately 11 g net carbs and 320 calories. We make these eggplant rolls in about one hour using simple roasting and baking steps. These Mediterranean Cheesy Eggplant Rolls are ideal for vegetarian meals, Mediterranean-inspired dinners, holiday gatherings, cozy weekend meals, healthy comfort food options, and special occasions. We can refrigerate these eggplant rolls for a minimum of four days and freeze them for nearly two months, so they are excellent for preparing them earlier. You can serve these Mediterranean Cheesy Eggplant Rolls with Greek salad, garlic herb rice, grilled chicken, warm pita bread, or roasted Mediterranean vegetables.

STATS:

• Course: Main Course, Side Dish
• Caloric Content: 320 kcal
• Diet: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Cook time: 35 minutes
• Portion size: 4 eggplant rolls
• Cooking Method: Baking
• Overall Yields: 4
• Level of Difficulty: Normal
• Overall Duration: 1 hour

EQUIPMENT:

• Knife
• Chopping board
• Sheet
• Baking paper
• Mixing bowls
• Spoon
• Oven
• Baking dish
• Pastry brush

INGREDIENTS:

EGGPLANT ROLLS:

• 2 eggplants
• Two tbsp. olive oil
• One tsp. salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

CHEESE FILLING:

• One cup of ricotta cheese
• Mozzarella cheese, one cup
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes

SAUCE:

• 2 cups marinara sauce
• One tbsp. olive oil
• Italian seasoning, half tsp.

TOPPING:

• ½ cup mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• Basil leaves

INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:

EGGPLANT:

• Eggplant will create a tender and silky structure for these rolls. You can also use zucchini slices, grilled sweet potato strips, or thin roasted pumpkin slices.

RICOTTA CHEESE:

• Ricotta cheese is utilized to provide a creamy richness and a soft texture to the filling. We can also use cottage cheese, mascarpone, or whipped feta cheese.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE:

• Mozzarella cheese creates the gooey and melted texture. You can switch it out with provolone, Monterey Jack, or dairy-free mozzarella.

PARMESAN CHEESE:

• Using Parmesan cheese will deliver a salty & nutty flavor. As a replacement, we can use Pecorino Romano or nutritional yeast.

MARINARA SAUCE:

• Marinara sauce provides acidity and balances the richness of the cheese filling. You could utilize crushed tomatoes with herbs, roasted red pepper sauce, or arrabbiata sauce instead.

OLIVE OIL:

• Olive oil will improve the Mediterranean flavor and help the eggplant roast properly. We could also utilize avocado oil or butter.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm the empty oven to 200°Celcius and cover the sheet with a baking paper.
2. Put the slices of eggplant on a sheet and coat them with olive oil, and garnish with pepper and salt.
3. Roast them till they are flexible and tender, for about eighteen minutes, and then cool them gently.
4. Stir the chili flakes, ricotta cheese, oregano, mozzarella cheese, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic in a dish.
5. Equally distribute one cup of marinara sauce in a dish.
6. Whisk the Italian seasoning into the leftover sauce.
7. Spread two tbsp. of cheese filling on 1 end of all the eggplant slices.
8. Put the eggplant slices in a dish after gently rolling them tightly.
9. Make more till each roll is assembled.
10. Spread the leftover marinara sauce on the eggplant rolls.
11. Equally garnish the surface with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
12. Bake them without covering till the cheese texture becomes bubbly and melted, for about eighteen minutes.
13. Broil them for an extra three minutes to create a golden texture.
14. Bring them out of the oven and leave them for five minutes.
15. Serve these eggplant rolls with fresh basil leaves.

TIPS:

• Include the chopped olives and spinach in the filling for additional Mediterranean flavor.
• Make uniform slices of the eggplants, so the rolls will not tear.
• The rolls will leak during baking if you put too much stuffing in them.
• After baking, cool these eggplant rolls to serve them easily.

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

• Put the remaining eggplant rolls in a closed dish and stock them for nearly 4 days.

FREEZER:

• Store these assembled and unbaked eggplant rolls for not less than 60 days.

FAQs:

May we utilize the meat in this cuisine?

• Sure, you can use lamb, ground turkey, or chicken in the cheese filling.

Could we prepare these eggplant rolls earlier?

• Yes, you can assemble these eggplant rolls twenty-four hours earlier and chill them before baking.

How can we avoid eggplant rolls?

• You can roast the eggplant first to prevent a watery sauce and eliminate the extra moisture content.

Are these eggplant rolls free of gluten?

• If every packaged item is verified gluten-free, then the recipe is naturally gluten-free.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS:

Calories: 320 kcal

Sodium: 540 mg

Net Carbs: 11 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugar: 7 g

Fats: 21 g

Proteins: 18 g

Portion Size: 4 eggplant rolls

Total Carbs: 16 g