Eggplant Involtini

Eggplant Involtini is one of those dishes that makes you fall in love with Italian food all over again!

Just stuff tender eggplant slices with creamy ricotta and bake in a rich tomato sauce until bubbling and irresistible. Equally lovely as a main or a side, it’s a meat-free, comfort dish that will win everyone over!

Our garden is never without two or three eggplant bushes, which produce lots of fruit, so I’ll often turn them into Eggplant Involtini. Eggplants, also known as aubergines, are very popular with my cousins in Calabria, and there are many ways to prepare them, but this is one of the best!

What are involtini?

Involtini translates loosely to “small roll or bundle” in Italian. In Southern Italy, involtini have been made for generations using meat or vegetables to wrap the filling. The filling is often cheese, vegetables, or cured meats. Using eggplant makes it lighter and vegetarian-friendly.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Not Fried: Since the eggplant isn’t fried in this recipe, it tastes lighter yet still rich and satisfying!
• Lighter: Cooking the eggplant slices on a grill pan gives delicious flavor without adding too much oil.
• Italian Flavors: What’s not to love about all the classic Italian flavors – tomato, cheese, and basil? It’s the colors of the Italian flag, just like my Bruschetta Recipe with Mozzarella!
• Make Ahead: Everything can be prepared in advance, making Eggplant Involtini the perfect choice for a mid-week meal or relaxed entertaining!

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

• Eggplants: Choose medium-sized eggplants that are glossy and firm with no soft spots. They should feel heavy for their size. Keep in mind that smaller eggplants have fewer seeds and are usually sweeter, so opt for the smaller ones.
• Ricotta Cheese: Use good-quality, whole-milk ricotta for the best flavor and texture. This isn’t the time to go low-fat. If you can’t find good ricotta at the store, try making your own with my easy homemade ricotta recipe.
• Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano): Buy a block and grate it yourself for the best results. Pre-grated cheese often has anti-clumping additives that can affect how it melts and tastes.
• Mozzarella cheese: I like to use fresh mozzarella, just be sure to drain it thoroughly so the Eggplant Involtini stays rich and creamy, not soggy. Low-moisture mozzarella also works.
• Tomato Passata: This is pureed and strained tomatoes that are 100% additive-free (aside from the optional basil leaf). You’ll find it usually sold in bottles. If you can’t find passata, pureed canned tomatoes are a good option.
• Breadcrumbs: For this recipe, use fresh breadcrumbs made with day-old bread, not pangrattato.
• Olive oil: Both regular and extra virgin can be used.
• Seasonings: Fresh garlic, basil, and parsley are available at most grocery stores. Be picky when choosing. Look for firm garlic and vibrant, not limp herbs.

With leftover eggplant, make my Marinated Eggplant recipe. It’s a regular on our table!

Instructions

Marcellina’s Hint: Today, I find most commercially grown eggplants are bred to be less bitter and don’t usually require salting. However, if the eggplants have a lot of seeds, they could be bitter. In this case, lightly salt the slices and let them sit for 20–30 minutes to draw out excess moisture and bitterness. Pat dry before cooking.

Substitutions

• Eggplant: Use zucchini instead of eggplant. Layer two, overlapping slices of zucchini. Then, fill and roll.
• Ricotta: Substitute mozzarella or cream cheese for half of the ricotta.
• Mozzarella: Sprinkle with parmesan or Romano cheese instead of mozzarella.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Eggplant Involtini can be eaten cold or heated through in the microwave or regular oven.

This recipe is perfect for making ahead. Assemble the dish right up to step 5, then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature for a bit before baking if you can, but if not, just add 5 to 10 extra minutes in the oven.

Equipment

Use a cast-iron grill pan to cook the eggplant slices. This means you’ll use less oil, and the eggplant involtini aren’t as heavy as if they were fried in oil. Don’t worry if you don’t have a grill pan. I’ll give you two other options for cooking the eggplant in the recipe below.

Top Tips

• Choose the right eggplants. They should be firm, shiny, medium-sized eggplants.
• Wash the eggplants well and trim off the tops. There’s no need to peel. Slice eggplants lengthwise from top to bottom into long slices rather than rounds. The first and last slices can be discarded since they’ll be mostly skin.
• Remove any bitterness by salting the slices for a short time. To do this, sprinkle the slices lightly with salt and allow them to stand for 20-30 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel before grilling. Commercially grown eggplants have mostly been bred to be mild, so this isn’t completely necessary, though salting draws out excess moisture and improves flavor and texture.
• The part that will take the longest is cooking the eggplant slices in the grill pan. If you have time, this can be done in advance, even the day before. Store in the fridge in an airtight container until needed.
• If you don’t have a grill pan, brush eggplant slices with oil and bake in the oven until cooked through. Alternatively, shallow fry in hot oil, then drain well on a paper towel.
• Season well with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Ricotta is mild, so seasoning makes all the difference.
• Allow the involtini to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the flavors settle and makes them easier to plate than straight out of the oven.

FAQ

There could not be a more versatile recipe. Served as an appetizer, side, or main dish, these Eggplant Involtini will be enjoyed by meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

If serving as a main dish, provide a salad like Green Bean Salad or Spinach Salad, or simply an arugula salad. Whichever way you serve this, be sure to have lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

More vegetarian recipes

• Ricotta Pie
• Eggs in Purgatory (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)
• Roasted Zucchini
• Pasta Shells Stuffed with Ricotta
• Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta from It’s Not Complicated

Made this recipe?
Please let me know if you liked it by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating and a review below. And remember to subscribe to my newsletter – it’s free!

This updated recipe was first published on September 11, 2010.