Why do you salt the eggplant?

Because eggplant is water-rich, it's essential to "sweat" it with salt before assembling the dish to remove excess moisture. Skipping this step will cause the eggplant to release it's water during baking, resulting in a soupy mess. The salt will also draw out any excess moisture from the eggplant, leaving it tender.

How do you slice eggplant for rollatini?

There are two ways to cut the eggplant: by hand with a chef's knife, if you're skilled enough to make accurate 1/4 inch cuts, or with a mandoline slicer, which I highly recommend.

Do I need to peel the eggplant?

Nope! Even though eggplant skin seems tough when it’s uncooked the skin becomes tender and adds so much flavor to this dish once it is cooked.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can prepare the vegan ricotta cheese up to three days in advance and assemble the eggplant rollatini the day before baking. Simply arrange them in a baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Before baking, let the dish come to room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. Then, bake it in the oven

Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

Name: Vegan Eggplant Rollatini
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2-3 large eggplants (20-22 slices); Salt; 2-3 cups marinara tomato sauce; 400g/ 14oz firm tofu; 1/2 cup (70g) cashews, soaked; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Description

Delicious vegan eggplant rollatini is stuffed with a creamy tofu ricotta cheese and baked in the most delicious tomato sauce. It's a healthy, naturally gluten free and easy meal that's sure to impress!

Ingredients

Scale

2-3 large eggplants (20-22 slices)
Salt
2-3 cups marinara tomato sauce

Tofu ricotta:

400g/ 14oz firm tofu
1/2 cup (70g) cashews, soaked
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

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Instructions

Salt the eggplant: Use a mandoline to thinly slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Salt the eggplant on both sides with a small pinch of coarse salt and place on a clean kitchen towel. Let it “sweat” the excess moisture out for 15 minutes – then pat dry with paper towels and wipe off the remaining salt.
Ricotta: Meanwhile, in a high speed blender or food processor and add the tofu, cashews, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer the ricotta to a bowl and fold in the basil. Set aside.
Prepare rollatini: Spread 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce on the bottom of your casserole or baking dish. Lay a piece of eggplant on a cutting board or plate and spread about 2 ttablespoons of ricotta filling on the eggplant, then roll it up and lay the rollatini in the baking dish with sauce. Repeat until finished.
Bake: Spoon the remainder of the tomato sauce over the rolled-up eggplant. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast or mozzarella cheese, if desired. Cover with foil or lid and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes. Garnish with basil and enjoy!

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. To reheat, use microwave or cover the entire dish with foil and warm up in the oven.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Italian