Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

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This Vegan Eggplant Rollatini is a great meal for your summer menu. It's light, yet satisfying and it's brimming with smoky flavor. Plus, it's easy to make and requires simple, budget-friendly ingredients. 

I LOVE eggplant season, but I'm the only one in my family who feels this way, so I don't buy it often. However, they will eat this Vegan Eggplant Rollatini whenever I make it. I slice the eggplant thin which makes it silky soft when grilled and helps infuse it with lots of smoky flavors. Then it's rolled up with vegan ricotta and baked in a savory sauce. It wins them over every time!

This dinner recipe has been on my blog for years, but it really needed a makeover, so I revamped the photos and tweaked the recipe a little. I made it simple with a store-bought sauce, but feel free to use homemade. Also, the vegan ricotta is easy to make, but you can use store-bought if preferred. Kite Hill makes a delicious one. 

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN EGGPLANT ROLLATINI

It's super simple to make and there are a few variations to choose from. I like to grill the eggplant first to provide a char-broiled flavor and then bake the eggplant with the vegan ricotta and marinara sauce. The flavors come together beautifully! Here's what you'll need to do:

START BY MAKING THE TOFU RICOTTA

This part is really easy! You just have to press the tofu for 15-20 minutes to drain excess moisture. Then you pop it in your Food Processor along with non-dairy yogurt, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, granulated onion, and garlic. Now pulse 4-5 times to reach a ricotta consistency. Add fresh basil if desired and pulse to break down into flecks.

HOW TO GRILL EGGPLANT

STEP 1 - Sprinkle each side of the eggplant slices with salt. You can spread them out in a colander over the sink or on a baking rack with a pan underneath. Let them sit for 15-20 minutes. This will release moisture, soften them and remove any bitterness. When done, lightly rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

STEP 2 - Heat a Grill Pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes. While the pan is heating, brush oil on each side of the eggplant slices to coat well. When the pan is fully heated, add the eggplant slices, leaving some room in between. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until softened and grill marks appear. Repeat until all the eggplant is grilled.

ASSEMBLE THE ROLLATINI

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C) and place approximately 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13X9 baking dish to lightly coat. Let the grilled eggplant cool just enough to handle. Now add 1 heaping tablespoon of tofu ricotta (more or less depending on size of slice) to the larger end of each slice and gently roll up. Place seam-side down into baking dish. Continue until everything is used up.

Pour the remaining cup of marinara down the middle of eggplant slices. Add more if needed, but don't cover completely or the eggplant will turn mushy. Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until heat throughout.

DO I NEED TO SWEAT THE EGGPLANT?

I highly recommend sweating the eggplant first. It will release excess moisture which will result in a better texture and it will grill better. Also, it will remove any bitter aftertaste that the eggplant may have. However, if you're in a pinch, you can skip the sweating and just salt them before they go on the grill (after the oil).

DO I NEED A GRILL PAN TO MAKE VEGAN EGGPLANT ROLLATINI?

Nope! You can make this without a grill pan. You can lay the eggplant slices out on 1-2 large baking sheets and roast them at 425° F (220° C) for 10-15 minutes to soften and make them pliable for rolling. Make sure to brush with oil first.

WHAT'S THE BEST GRILL PAN TO USE?

I love using a Cast-Iron Grill Pan because it heats up evenly and retains the temperature. It's easy to clean and it will last a lifetime, too. This Cast Iron Grill and Griddle combination works wonderfully too and I use it a lot. It covers two burners and offers more grilling space. It's a time saver!

CAN I USE AN OUTDOOR GRILL?

Yes, you can cook the eggplant on and outdoor grill too. Just watch the eggplant carefully to prevent burning or it slipping through the grates. To cook, heat a gas grill to med-high and place the eggplant slices on the grates. Cover the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING VEGAN EGGPLANT ROLLATINI:

• Don't slice the eggplant larger than ¼-inch pieces or the eggplant will take longer to cook and be harder to roll. It yields a nicer texture too.
• Make sure to oil the slices well to prevent sticking and for optimal texture.
• Oil the eggplant just before grilling. It's like a sponge and will absorb it fast.
• You can make the tofu ricotta a few days ahead of time to make it easier. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.

TOPPING/SERVING IDEAS:

Just before serving, top the rollatini with fresh-cut basil, pine nuts, vegan parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes or fresh cracked pepper if desired. It's satisfying on its own, but it also goes with salad and crunchy bread. YUMZ!

WANT MORE ITALIAN-STYLE VEGAN MEALS? YOU MAY LIKE THESE RECIPES:

• Vegan Meatballs
• Vegan Bolognese Sauce
• Vegan Pizza

I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

If you make this Vegan Eggplant Rollatini, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

Recipe

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5 from 18 votes

Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

This Vegan Eggplant Rollatini is a great meal for your summer menu. It's light, yet satisfying and it's brimming with char-broiled flavor. Plus, it's easy to make and requires simple, budget-friendly ingredients. 

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, Italian, Vegan

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Melissa Huggins

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Eggplant

• ▢ 2 large eggplants (cut length wise into ¼" fillets)
• ▢ salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil , more if needed (or preferred oil)
• ▢ 2-3 cups marinara sauce (a thicker variety)

Tofu Ricotta

• ▢ 14 ounces extra firm tofu , drained and pressed for 20 mins (*see note)
• ▢ ⅓ cup non-dairy yogurt , unsweetened
• ▢ 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice , freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ▢ ½ teaspoon granulated onion
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt , more to taste
• ▢ ½ cup fresh basil , loosely packed (*optional)

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Tofu Ricotta

• Break up the pressed tofu with your hands into large pieces and place in a food processor. Add the lemon juice, yogurt, vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic, onion, and salt. Pulse 4-5 until you've reached desired consistency (it should have texture). Add more yogurt if it's dry or add a splash of milk, oil or water. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed. Now add the optional basil and pulse until you see green flecks. 

Eggplant

• Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Place approximately 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13X9 baking dish to lightly coat. Set aside.
• Sprinkle each side of the eggplant slices with salt. You can spread them out in a colander over the sink or on a baking rack with a pan underneath. Let them sit for 15-20 minutes. This will release moisture, soften them and remove any bitterness. When done, lightly rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat a Grill Pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes. While the pan is heating, brush oil on each side of the eggplant slices to coat well. When the pan is fully heated, add the eggplant slices, leaving some room in between. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until softened and grill marks appear. Repeat until all the eggplant is grilled. (*see note for alternative to grilling)
• Let the slices cool just enough to handle. Now add 1 heaping tablespoon of tofu ricotta (more or less depending on size of slice) to the larger end of each slice and gently roll up. Place seam-side down into baking dish. Continue until everything is used up. Pour the remaining cup of marinara down the middle of eggplant slices. Add more if needed, but don't cover completely or the eggplant will turn mushy.
• Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until heat throughout. Enjoy!

Notes

CUTTING EGGPLANT: cut the slices no more than ¼-inch thick or the eggplant will take longer to cook and be harder to roll. To cut, slice off the ends and stand the eggplant up. Then carefully cut into slices (you should get 16-18 slices from 2 large eggplants). The skins can be removed if preferred. A mandoline works well too. 

NON-DAIRY YOGURT: If you can't find unsweetened non-dairy yogurt, you can use unsweetened non-dairy milk or water. Just add 1 tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Don't add to much or it will be watery. You may need to bump up the tangy flavor too. I've also used vegan sour cream to replace the yogurt and it was delish! 

PRESSING TOFU: wrap a block of tofu in a dish towel and place it on a rimmed plate. Add a cast-iron skillet on top (or something equally heavy)and let it drain for 15-20 minutes. Pat dry to remove excess moisture on the surface. You can also use a Tofu Press to make it even easier.

SAUCE: I like to use a thicker marinara sauce to avoid a watery dish. If I don't make it homemade, I like to use Newman's Own Marinara for this recipe. If you have a jar that seems watery, cook it down first on the stove for 5-7 minutes. You can add 2-3 teaspoons of nutritional yeast to thicken too.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD TO GRILLING EGGPLANT: if you don't have a grill pan, you can lay the eggplant slices out on 1-2 large baking sheets and roast them at 425° F (220° C) for 10-15 minutes to soften and make them pliable for rolling. Make sure to brush with oil first.

ALTERNATIVE TO BAKING IN OVEN: after you roll the eggplant with ricotta, you can serve it with warm sauce instead of baking it (as long as the eggplant was cooked all the way on the grill). The ricotta won't be warmed much, but it's still delicious!

TOPPING IDEAS: fresh-cut basil, pine nuts, vegan parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, fresh-cracked pepper. 

Nutrition

Serving: 3pieces | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 494IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

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