Italian Eggplant Rollatini (Involtini di Melanzane al forno) – delicious baked authentic eggplant rolls stuffed with ground meat (or hamburger meat). Easy oven-baked dinner for the whole family that can feed a crowd.
Italian-style Eggplant Rollatini (called Involtini di Melanzane) recipe – simply called eggplant rolls with ground meat in tomato sauce, baked in the oven. If you like eggplant, definitely check out my popular recipe for Oven Roasted Eggplant Wedges (with olives and tomatoes) or Stuffed Eggplant Recipe (Mediterranean).
Behind the Bites:
Eggplant Involtini, known in Italian as “Involtini di Melanzane,” are a delightful dish made by rolling thin slices of eggplant around a flavorful filling. This dish showcases the versatility of eggplant and is popular in various regions of Italy.
Eggplant, initially native to India and brought to the Mediterranean through trade routes, was probably introduced to Europe by the Arabs during the Middle Ages. It became particularly popular in Southern Italy, where the climate is ideal for growing aubergines. By the 16th century, eggplant had become a staple in Italian cuisine, especially in regions like Sicily, Campania, and Calabria.
The concept of “Involtini”, traces back to ancient Roman cuisine, which often featured foods wrapped in leaves or meat. With time, the dish evolved to the modern version we know today.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Eggplants (aubergines) – fresh, cut in equal thickness slices
- Ground meat – beef mince, or a mix of beef and pork is what I usually use. However, turkey or chicken mince works too.
- Onion
- Egg
- Fresh parsley – or dried
- Vegetable oil – for coating eggplants
- Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper as needed
- Italian tomato sauce – plain tomato sauce from a bottle like this one I most often use
- Mozzarella cheese – or any type of cheese that melts well in the oven
How to cook Italian Eggplant Rollatini?
1st: Prepare eggplant: slice eggplant and coat with herbs de Provence and oil. Bake in the oven.
2nd: Prepare the ground meat mix and make oval-shaped balls. Roll inwards and arrange close to one another in a baking dish. Drizzle with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven. Serve immediately.
NOTE: If needed, pierce each rollatini with toothpick to keep it from falling apart. I like to leave some space between the filling and the edges of the rolls, however this is not necessary.
What to serve with Eggplant Rollatini?
My preferred accompanying dish to Eggplant Rollatini is salad, here are some suggestions:
Italian Eggplant Rollatini (Involtini)
Equipment
- 1 Baking dish
- 1 baking tray
- some baking paper
Ingredients
- 3-4 medium eggplants /aubergines/
- 2-6 tbsp. vegetable oil (like sunflower or canola)
- 2 tbsp. Herbs de Provence
- 500 g (17oz) ground meat mix
- 1 medium egg,
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
- 500 g Italian tomato sauce
- 100 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- First, remove top and bottom of eggplants. Cut each eggplant into thin slices, equal in thickness.
- Then, brush each eggplant slice with a mix of 1 tbsp. of Herbs de Provence and vegetable oil on all sides. Place onto backing paper and bake until soft (check with toothpick/fork).
- In the meantime, mix ground meat, minced onions, chopped parsley, 1 tbsp. of Herbs de Provence and egg.
- With slightly wet hands make oval-shaped pieces of ground meat equal to the number of eggplant slices.
- Place each oval on the wider side of the eggplant slice (when cooked) and roll inwards. Arrange all stuffed sliced next to each other into ceramic baking dish.
- Drizzle with tomato sauce on all sides and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake in oven on 180C/360F with ventilation for approx. 15-20 minutes or until mozzarella cheese gets golden on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Great!