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Grilled eggplant roll-ups filled with herbed ricotta, baked in marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella in a white dish

Grilled Eggplant Roll-Ups: Low-Cal and Basil-Ricotta

Grilled eggplant slices rolled around herbed part-skim ricotta, baked in marinara with a light layer of mozzarella.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Calories: 230
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Eggplant
  • 2 large eggplants (about 900g / 2 lbs); sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch (6mm) planks, 12 slices total
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for sweating the eggplant
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing before grilling
Herbed Ricotta Filling
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta (225g)
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan (25g)
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • pinch red pepper flakes optional
Sauce and Topping
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium marinara sauce (360ml)
  • 1/3 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (38g)

Method
 

Prep the Eggplant
  1. Slice eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch (6mm) planks, about 12 slices total.
  2. Lay slices on a wire rack, sprinkle both sides with kosher salt, and let sit 20 minutes until beads of moisture appear.
  3. Pat slices dry with paper towels.
Grill the Eggplant
  1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high, about 200C/400F. Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil.
  2. Grill slices in batches, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until tender and marked with char but not mushy.
  3. Move grilled slices to a plate and let cool 2 to 3 minutes before handling.
Make the Filling
  1. In a bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, egg white, basil, garlic, lemon zest, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  2. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.
Roll and Bake
  1. Heat oven to 180C/350F.
  2. Spread 2 tbsp filling near the wide end of each eggplant slice and roll snugly.
  3. Spread 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange roll-ups seam side down.
  4. Top with remaining marinara and scatter mozzarella over the top.
  5. Bake 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly and the center reaches 165F/74C.
  6. Rest 5 minutes, scatter with fresh basil, and serve.

Notes

  • Salt eggplant a full 20 minutes, this step controls texture more than anything else.
  • Use a grill pan indoors if outdoor grilling isn't an option, results come close.
  • Check filling temp hits 165F/74C before pulling roll-ups from the oven.
  • Let roll-ups rest 5 minutes after baking so the filling sets and doesn't spill out.