These eggplant involtini are stuffed with creamy ricotta cheese and doused in a rich tomato sauce! They are saucy, garlicky, and creamy without feeling too heavy. They make for a delicious main course in the summer or a tasty dinner party side dish.
I’m not the biggest fan of eggplant parmesan. Don’t get me wrong, I love the saucy tomato, the tender eggplant, and the melted cheese, but I often find myself craving something lighter, less fussy. If you’re like me, I have a great solution for you.
Enter Eggplant Involtini. After researching the origins of the dish, conducting several tests, and trying it while traveling in Rome, I am happy to say I’ve finalized the recipe! I knew it was a winner when my husband, who is very picky about eggplant (read: he enjoys *very* few eggplant dishes), went for seconds.
👩🏽🍳 Cook’s Notes
- This dish is non-fussy and make-ahead friendly. The eggplant is simply sliced, roasted, then nestled in tomato sauce and baked.
- It’s well-balanced. The homemade tomato sauce is light, and the cheese filling is creamy and well-seasoned.
- It’s delicious and truly warm and cozy. Need I say more?
I love to serve this dish with lemon pesto or roasted branzino. It’s also wonderful with a side salad, like my kale caesar salad. Whatever you choose, you will definitely want some crusty bread, such as this fluffy focaccia, to sop up the sauce!
What is Involtini?
Involtini (also known as ‘rolls’ or ‘little bundles‘) is an Italian dish of meat or vegetables wrapped around a filling. Involtini is very common in Sicily, where you can find involtini di melanzane (eggplant rolls) often stuffed with ricotta cheese and topped with pine nuts.
I took inspiration from the Sicilian version of the dish, pairing the eggplant involtini with a basic tomato sauce.
Ingredient Notes
For the eggplant: I recommend large eggplants, like Globe or American varieties, because it’s easier to cut the vegetable into thin strips. Avoid any shapes that appear curved or vary in thickness, as they’ll be more difficult to cut.
For the tomato sauce: I like using hand-crushed whole peeled tomatoes (for a more rustic consistency) for the sauce. You can also use a high-quality tomato passata.
TIP: While I do provide a homemade tomato sauce recipe (which I LOVE, by the way), you can always use your favorite sauce or a high-quality good store-bought version.
For the ricotta filling: I call for a mix of ricotta, freshly grated pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan cheese if that’s what you have), and mozzarella cheese.
I like to add Calabrian chili paste to give the filling a bit of heat, but you can also use a pinch of red pepper flakes.
For a full list of ingredients and their quantities, refer to the recipe card.
Step-by-Step Photos and Instructions
Prep the Eggplant
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F/218°C. Trim off the ends of the eggplant, and carefully slice it lengthwise into ¼-inch thick pieces. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly even, as long as there aren’t any major tears you will still be able to roll them up easily!
💡Expert Tip:💡 I find it easiest to stand the eggplant upright, then slice vertically through the vegetable with a sharp knife. You can also use a mandoline to make this process easier!
Place the eggplant on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or a large cutting board lined with paper towels). Season both sides with salt, then let sit for at least 20 minutes up to 1 hour.
TIP: This step draws out moisture from the eggplant, leading to a better texture. Dab the slices with a paper towel to remove any accumulated excess moisture.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and add the eggplant, tossing to coat with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Roast eggplant until completely tender and golden brown, then set the cooked slices aside to cool.
Make the Tomato Sauce
Step 2: While the eggplant cooks, make the sauce. Saute the anchovies and minced garlic cloves in a bit of oil until the garlic is nice and golden brown and the anchovies dissolve.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes to the pot, simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Roll and Bake
Step 4: Combine the ricotta with the other cheeses, Calabrian chili paste (if using), fresh herbs, and seasonings.
Place 1 – 2 tablespoons (depending on the size of the slice) of the ricotta mixture on the widest end of the eggplant slice.
Step 5: Carefully roll up the eggplant into a bundle. Repeat with the remaining slices.
Step 6: Ladle the sauce in an even layer on the bottom of a baking dish. Place seam-side down over the sauce. If desired, spoon tomato sauce over the top. Top the casserole dish with the remaining cheese.
Step 7: Bake until the cheese is fully melted. I like to broil the top for a minute or two to make sure it’s crispy and golden brown. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Salting helps remove excess moisture from the eggplant, leading to a more tender texture (not to mention additional seasoning from the salt!). If you don’t salt the eggplant, the dish will still be good, but the texture may be slightly more firm. Larger eggplants also tend to taste more bitter without the salt.
Absolutely! I had success grilling the eggplant for 3 – 4 minutes per side on my grill pan with a bit of neutral oil. You can also grill the slices with an outdoor grill. Once the slices are softened, foldable, and tender, they’re good to go.
You can make all of the components 1 – 2 days in advance and then bake the involtini just before serving.
Option 1: Roast the eggplant, make the sauce, and prepare the filling. Then keep all of the components in separate airtight containers in the fridge. On the day of, assemble and bake the rolls.
Option 2: Roast the eggplant, make the sauce, and prepare the filling. Spread the sauce in a casserole dish, assemble the rolls, and top with cheese. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to bake.
Did you try this recipe?
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Note: This post was originally published in May 2023 and updated in July 2025 with updated instructions and images.
Eggplant Involtini
Equipment
- Mandoline, optional, for slicing the eggplant
- 11-inch by 7-inch baking dish, or an 8-inch to 10-inch cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
For the eggplant:
- 1 large globe eggplant, about 1 pound
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the tomato sauce:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 anchovy fillets, or 1 teaspoon finely chopped capers
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 14 ounces canned whole-peeled tomatoes, hand-crushed | or high-quality tomato passata
- ¼ cup water
- Salt and black pepper
For the ricotta filling:
- ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained if watery
- ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cubed
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste, optional | to taste
- Salt and black pepper
For the involtini:
- 2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cubed
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
For the eggplant:
- Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F/218°C.
- Prep: Trim off the ends of 1 large globe eggplant and slice into ¼-inch slices lengthwise. You should have about 10 slices.Place eggplant on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or a large cutting board lined with paper towels). Season both sides with salt, then let sit for at least 20 minutes up to 1 hour. Dab the slices with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Roast: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or drizzle eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 12 – 18 minutes until fork-tender, but not mushy. Set aside to cool completely and keep the oven on.
For the tomato sauce:
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Set a large ovenproof skillet with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 anchovy fillets and 4 garlic cloves, and saute for 2 – 3 minutes until golden-brown and aromatic. Add 14 ounces canned whole-peeled tomatoes and ¼ cup water to the skillet, and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until thickened. Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes into smaller pieces, then simmer for 10–15 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Spread ¾ of the sauce evenly over the bottom of an oven-safe casserole dish. Set aside.
For the ricotta filling:
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, ¼ cup pecorino romano cheese, ¼ cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs and 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste (if using). Season with salt and black pepper.
Prep the involtini:
- To each eggplant slice, spread 1 – 2 tablespoons of ricotta filling on the wider end. Carefully roll up into a bundle, then place seam side down in the tomato sauce. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, and arrange evenly in the skillet.
Bake:
- Top the eggplant with the remaining sauce, 2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese, and 2 tablespoons low-moisture mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered, until the top is nicely melted. Broil for 1 – 2 minutes, if desired, for a golden-brown top. Top with fresh basil, then cool for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
So incredibly good. The flavor was really yummy. Not super hard. I always wish I make enough for 6 or 8 with Karishma’s recipes for leftovers, but I forget and the default is 4!
Thank you so much for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed — feel free to scale up the recipe in the recipe card for larger servings!