Today I want to share with you a very easy, healthy and tasty recipe for eggplant rollatini. However I didn’t stuff them with cheese and spinach as usual. I made a healthier version of this recipe and everyone in my family loved it! Even my hubby, who isn’t the biggest fan of eggplant in the world (what’s with those men?) gave me a compliment on this! 🙂
So let’s talk more about the stuffing. No cheese at all, but STILL very delicious! My secret – a veggie mixture of onions, garlic, celery, tomatoes and parsley. The combination of these vegetables along with the eggplant creates a delicious flavor and texture that almost anyone will love.
Maybe you noticed that this is my second recipe in a new category called 7 ingredients or less, where I decided to post only simple and easy meals and this recipe is no exception. The first one has become quite popular on Pinterest, so I hope this one will do the same. 😉
This eggplant rollatini is much lighter than the regular version. As I mentioned, I didn’t add the cheese. Also, the eggplant has been grilled instead of fried so it was not greasy at all!
This is an outstanding summer appetizer, snack or main course for any party! Plus it is so cheap to make! Doesn’t a bite of this look so tasty?
Tempting?
Mouthwatering?
You have to agree with me. It looks so juicy and super delish! Seriously, you need to try this!
Ingredients
- 2 medium Italian eggplants
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 1/3 cup celery stalks (about 3 stalks), diced
- 1 14.5 oz. (400g) can diced tomatoes , undrained
- 1/3 cup parsley , chopped
- olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Cut the two ends off the eggplant and slice lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices (I used OXO’s mandoline slicer). Salt the slices to help remove excess moisture and any bitterness from the eggplants and place in a colander. Set aside for about 15 minutes.
- In a medium pan over medium heat, heat 5 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, garlic, celery and cook for about 3 minutes or until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the tomatoes and parsley and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Rinse the salt off the eggplant with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat the grill to medium or heat a grill pan on the stove top over medium-high heat. Make sure it’s hot before beginning. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of each slice of eggplant with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until you have nice grill marks and the eggplant is pliable, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 11 x 7-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread an even layer of the vegetable filling onto the eggplant slices leaving a little space around the edges (1 heaping tablespoon of the filling on each slice). Starting at the short end, roll up slices and place seam side down in a baking dish. Top with remaining vegetable mixture and bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Enjoy!
2 Comments
Michelle
September 8, 2014 at 4:36 pmThanks for this yummie recipe it was soo good and easy, my mom loved it
Jovita
September 8, 2014 at 5:52 pmHi, Michelle! Thank you so much for taking the time to report back to me about it. I’m so glad you tried and loved this recipe!