Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan Rollups

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You have to check out this recipe for eggplant parmesan rollups. A delicious and easy way to enjoy a classic Italian dish, Eggplant Parmesan. These roll-ups are simple to make and perfect for a quick weeknight meal or appetizer. Made with fresh eggplant, cheese, and marinara sauce, these little bites will sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

black plate of eggplant parmesan rolls with extra sauce on edge of plate

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Eggplant Parmesan Roll Ups
What Goes With Eggplant Parmesan Rollups?
Ingredients
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make Eggplant Parmesan Roll Ups
Frequently Asked Questions
More Easy Recipes
📖 Recipe

Eggplant Parmesan Roll Ups

This recipe is the perfect meal to make when you want something tasty and easy. Eggplant parmesan is a family favorite Italian meal, but this recipe is a fun new spin that is simple and delicious.

It’s packed with flavor, but it doesn’t take long to prepare or cook. You can even prep this dish ahead of time so that all you have to do is bake it before serving!

Whether you just love eggplant parm, looking for a low carb version of a classic, want a lower calorie option, trying to add more vegetables, or just want something different for dinner, this is the recipe you need. So much flavor, healthy and nutritious, and a taste that is out of this world, this eggplant parmesan rollups.

If you prefer a more traditional choice, then you will love our classic chicken parmesan recipe with delicious homemade sauce.

white platter of eggplant rollups topped with parsley

What Goes With Eggplant Parmesan Rollups?

Whenever I make something with sauce, I have to have bread. I love crusty bread, cheesy garlic bread, or garlic knots. It just goes together so well. You could also serve with mozzarella and thyme pull-apart rolls or a simple focaccia bread instead.

You can also serve vegetables as a side dish. Roasted vegetables, like this garlic parmesan broccoli, are my favorite but any style of vegetables works great. Another easy addition is this sauteed garlic parmesan zucchini or even just a simple Caprese salad to start.

If you are looking for a simple side dish, salad is always a great choice. You can buy it pre-made to save time or make a large salad earlier in the week, store it in the refrigerator and pull it out when you are ready to serve.

oval baking dish of eggplant parmesan on black table with red pepper mill in background

Ingredients

2 medium Italian eggplants
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ cups tomato sauce (350 ml)
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 slices ham
14 slices mozzarella cheese
1 ¼ cup cottage cheese (200 g)

eggplant parmesan rollups on white platter

Handy Kitchen Tools

white wood table with black plat of rolled eggplant

How to Make Eggplant Parmesan Roll Ups

Begin by preheating the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside. Spray the baking dish for your roll-ups with non-stick spray, then set it aside.

Wash and slice the eggplants, removing the ends then cut them into ¼" lengthwise pieces.

stack of eggplant slices on white cutting board

Place the eggplant pieces onto the baking sheet then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and bake for 10 minutes to soften.

Once the eggplant is cooked, set it aside to let it cool before rolling them.

While the eggplant cooks, heat a medium skillet with olive oil and then add garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute, until just beginning to brown.

Add in the tomato sauce, basil, remaining salt, and pepper. Then simmer, stirring it regularly, for 10 minutes.

hand pouring herbs into skillet of sauce

Spread a small amount of the sauce onto the bottom of your baking dish.

Add a piece of ham and slice of cheese to each slice of eggplant, then roll and place onto the sauced baking dish seam side down.

Continue until all eggplant has been used.

Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the eggplant rolls.

sauce being ladled over eggplant rolls in baking dish

Top with cottage cheese and additional slices of mozzarella or your preferred shredded mozzarella cheese.

hand adding cottage cheese on top of eggplant rolls in baking dish

Bake for 20 minutes until heated through and the cheese has melted and browned nicely.

oval baking dish of eggplant rolls topped with cheese sitting on blue and white tablecloth

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Eggplant Taste Like?

Eggplant has a very mild flavor. It is similar to summer squash in flavor. Eggplant is spongy before it is cooked and develops a creamy texture once it is cooked. Because the flavor of the eggplant is mild and it acts like a sponge when it is raw, the eggplant takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with. When the eggplant is made into parmesan roll ups, it takes on the flavor of the sauce and the Italian seasonings.

How Do I Cut My Eggplant Thin?

When you are making these eggplant parmesan rollups you want the eggplant slices really thin so that it rolls well. If you have good knife skills, you can cut the slices by hand. If you are like most people, me included, it can be hard to get the slices thin and even. That is when a mandolin comes in. The slicer makes it much easier and faster to get the eggplant sliced thin. I recommend using a mandolin with a hand guard to protect your fingers.

Can I Use A Jar of Pasta Sauce For This?

You can make homemade pasta sauce for making eggplant parm but you don't have to. There are a lot of jarred sauces that taste great. There are benefits to using jarred spaghetti sauce. It is convenient and you can choose from a lot of different styles, like chunky, veggie, or garlic and herb.

What Cheese Goes in Eggplant Parmesan?

Typically when making eggplant parmesan you use mozzarella and parmesan cheese. However, you can use whatever cheese that you like. You want to look for cheeses that melt well. If you are looking to make these roll-ups with a twist on the flavors you can make them Mexican style instead of Italian flavors and use Mexican shredded or you can use cheddar cheese.

red and white oval baking dish of eggplant rolls topped with cheese

More Easy Recipes

A simple recipe for dinner may include pasta or an Italian-inspired dish. This is one of our favorites, and below are a few more that make for a perfect weeknight meal! Make sure that you bookmark these recipes, print them out, or pin them to Pinterest!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 4

Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan Rollups

Cheesy eggplant Parmesan rollups are a perfect weeknight meal loaded with flavor and perfect for adding extra veggies to your menu!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

2 medium Italian eggplants,sliced into ½" pieces
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ cups tomato sauce (350 ml)
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
12 slices ham
14 slices mozzarella cheese
1 ¼ cup cottage cheese (200 g)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray a baking dish (10" oval was used) with non-stick spray and set it aside.
Remove the ends of the eggplants, then slice them both lengthwise into ½" strips.
Place the eggplant slices onto the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 10 minutes then remove and set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until just beginning to brown, being careful not to burn.
To the skillet, add the tomato sauce, basil, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes.
Pour ½ cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish, and spread it out to lightly cover the base of the dish.
Place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese onto each slice of eggplant.
Roll the eggplant and then place each piece seam side down onto the sauce in the baking dish.
Top with the remaining sauce.
Add cottage cheese over the top of the eggplant pieces with sauce.
Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese slice.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, heated through, and all of the cheese has melted.