Vegetarian eggplant rolls with tomato basil sauce

Believe or not, this vegetarian bake recipe is not only kid friendly - it’s diet friendly! Soft baked eggplant is stuffed with garlic flavoured low fat ricotta and zucchini, then slathered in a rich tomato and basil sauce. Plus it’s easy on the diet! A great (healthy) tasty family dinner option!

Ingredients

  • 2 small fresh eggplants

    trimmed, sliced lengthwise into 4

  • 1 tsp olive oil

  • 3 cloves fresh garlic

    sliced

  • 800g whole tomatoes, canned in tomato juice

    chopped

  • 2 tbsp fresh basil

    torn

  • 1 small zucchini

    finely diced

  • 150g Ricotta cheese, reduced-fat

  • ½ cup fresh parsley

    chopped

  • 2 tbsp fresh basil

    chopped

  • 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

    chopped

  • 1 egg

    lightly beaten

  • 1/2 small onion

    finely chopped

  • 1 tbsp oil spray

Equipment

  • 1 baking tray
  • 1 large non-stick frying pan
  • 1 medium saucepan
  • 1 20cm square ceramic baking dish
  • 1 chopping board

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 230C. Spray a baking tray with oil and set aside.
  2. Lay eggplant in a single layer on prepared baking tray and spray with oil. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
  3. To make filling, spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and place over medium-high heat. Add onion and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, or until onion starts to soften. Add a third of the sliced garlic and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
  4. Meanwhile combine ricotta, parsley, basil and 2 tablespoons Parmesan in a separate bowl. Stir to combine. Add cooled onion mixture to ricotta mixture then add egg and season well with salt and pepper.
  5. To make sauce, place the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, or until light brown. Add crushed tomatoes and stir to combine then reduce heat to low. Add basil and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
  6. To make eggplant rolls, reduce oven temperature to 210C. Spoon 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce into the base of a 20cm square ceramic baking dish. On a clean chopping board place a slice of eggplant. Spoon 2 tablespoons of ricotta filling at narrow end and roll up. Place in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.
  7. Arrange rolls in a single layer in dish. Spoon over remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted.

Notes

Tip
They are best reheated in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes, however if you are short on time, the microwave is fine.
Storage
These can be made a day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

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