Name: Eggplant Rollatini Bolognese Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cups shredded mozzarella (divided); salt; 1 pound ground beef; ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 small onion (finely chopped); 1 garlic clove (finely chopped); 1 stalk celery (finely chopped); 1 carrot (finely chopped); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 28-ounce can tomato purée (Muir Glen is organic with no added sugar and gluten-free); 1 6- ounce tomato paste (Muir Glen is organic with no added sugar and gluten-free); 1-inch parmesan cheese rind; 1 dried bay leaf; oregano (about 1 teaspoon); parmesan cheese to taste (optional)

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You’re going to love this nutritious low-carb eggplant rollatini bolognese . Serve it as an appetizer or as the main course. Buon appetito!

Today, I am revisiting one of my favorite recipes: eggplant rollatini. This time I’ve updated it with a special twist, stuffing these delicious bundles of eggplant with mozzarella cheese and a meaty bolognese sauce.

I’ve found that the more research I do on gluten free and healthy living, the more I keep revising my recipes in an effort to use the most nutritious ingredients and cooking methods.

After more than ten years of following a gluten-free lifestyle, my family is also trying to avoid sugar, most grains, eat organic whenever we can, enjoy green drinks, and eliminate processed food.

We’ve improved our diet, and we’re feeling terrific. In order to update my eggplant rollatini recipe to fit our current diet, I decided to leave out the breadcrumbs and broil the eggplant instead of frying.

Once rolled up with the mozzarella and meat sauce, the result was absolutely perfect. And I’m thinking, Almond flour bread would go well with this to sop up the sauce.

Not only is this eggplant rollatini a nutritious choice for an appetizer or side dish or hearty dinner, it’s a quick and convenient one too. It’s one of my 22 keto recipes with ground beef.

I decided on this dish for today because I have friends visiting this afternoon.

Make-Ahead Convenience

The great thing about eggplant rollatini bolognese is that it can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge until it’s time to bake.

Honestly, I think it’s even better when the flavors mingle a while before cooking. Knowing that dinner is taken care of, I’ll enjoy my friends’ company and not be preoccupied with thoughts of dinner preparation.

Sometimes I get caught up in a daily routine of too much work and responsibilities. It’s good to take a break and spend carefree time with friends, drinking cool Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade Pressé, enjoying fresh fruit, talking, and laughing together.

Especially when you can look forward to savoring wonderful eggplant rollatini bolognese for dinner.

I chose my ingredients carefully. Here’s what you’ll need.

Ingredients

For eggplant rolls:

Eggplant or aubergine: with its velvety, tender slices effortlessly soak up the rich flavors within this casserole

Extra-virgin olive oil and salt: enhance the taste of the eggplant and help with the cooking process
Mozzarella: melts and forms a gooey, cheesy filling and topping for the eggplant rolls

For easy Bolognese sauce:

Ground beef: adds protein and a rich, meaty flavor to the filling
Soffrito foundation of the sauce: onion, garlic, celery, and carrot are sautéed in oil
Tomato sauce: tomato puree and tomato paste
Italian herbs: oregano and a bay leaf for a burst of flavor
Parmesan cheese rind: infuses the sauce with its flavor

Instructions

*Free printable recipe card is available at the end of the post.

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Prep the eggplant

First, slice up the eggplants. With two medium-sized eggplants, you should be able to cut about 18 (¼-inch thick lengthwise) eggplant slices. You can use t his mandoline slicer. I love this simple tool for cutting up thin strips.

To keep your casserole from gettin watery, roast the eggplant slices. Brush them with olive oil, season with salt, and arrange as many as will fit on a broiling pan. Broil about 4-5 minutes on each side and repeat until all the slices are browned.

Be careful to check the slices after 3 minutes as some of my slices in the second batch burned a little.

For Bolognese sauce

In Bologna, where the sauce originated, three different kinds of ground meat – usually beef, lamb, and veal – are browned beforehand while sautéing vegetables and herbs.

Then, they are all mixed together with puréed tomatoes in a pot that simmers for hours (sometimes overnight) on the stove. This, however, is my easy bolognese with just ground beef like my Zucchini Noodles With Bolognese Sauce and delicious Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups.

Italian cooks call the foundation of this sauce: soffritto. It always begins with celery, onions, and carrots.

First, sauté the celery, onion, and carrot in oil in a large skillet until the onions are translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Next, add the beef to the sautéed vegetables, season with salt, and cook stirring frequently, until the meat has browned.

Then, add tomato purée, tomato paste, a bay leaf, salt, and oregano to taste. Finally, add a parmesan cheese rind to the pot and simmer.

The cheese rind infuses your sauce with flavor plus it adds a bit of thickness. So next time you’re about to finish up that wedge of cheese, save the rind.

And that’s it. Your easy homemade Bolognese sauce is ready.

Assemble casserole

Next, grease a baking dish and spoon some sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Place no more than a tablespoon of beef bolognese sauce on the end of each broiled eggplant slice, sprinkle with mozzarella, and roll up.

Place in your baking dish, seam side down. Spoon more sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces). Cover and set in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350℉. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the rollatini are heated through and the mozzarella cheese has melted.

How easy is that? You’re going to love this nutritious dish. Serve it as an appetizer, or as the main course along with a choice (or two!) from my vegetable and salad collection. Buon appetito!

Pro tips and recipe notes

Can I make the bolognese sauce ahead of time? Yes, prepare the bolognese in advance, refrigerate, and reheat when assembling.
Can I substitute ground beef with another protein? Yes, ground turkey or chicken can be alternatives to beef for a lighter option.
Can I use store-bought tomato sauce for the bolognese? Yes, you can use pre-made tomato sauce. Just be sure it gluten free. Then cook your ground meat, drain, and stir in the sauce.
How can I store leftovers? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

I can’t wait for you to try this recipe. And if you have any questions, please reach out to me in the comments or shoot me an email, and I’ll respond ASAP.

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