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Eggplant Involtini with Moroccan Marinara Sauce - gluten-free! | TheRoastedRoot.net #glutenfree #healthy #recipe #italian
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5 from 1 vote

Eggplant Involtini with Moroccan Marinara Sauce

Eggplant Involtini with Moroccan Marinara Sauce is a rich, incredible vegetarian and gluten-free "pasta" dish perfect for eggplant lovers!
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time3 hours
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 332kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

Eggplant Involtini

  • 2 large eggplants sliced length-wise into ¼-inch thick slices
  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt to taste

Moroccan Marinara Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Tiny pinch ground cinnamon optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
  • 1 cup Harissa sauce mild, medium, or hot
  • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped

For Serving:

  • Fresh basil chopped
  • Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

Prepare the Moroccan Marinara Sauce:

  • In a medium-sized non-stick skillet, heat the oil to medium. Add the onions and peppers, and sauté, stirring frequently until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon (optional), red pepper flakes (optional) and sea salt, and sauté an additional 3 minutes.
  • Add the Harissa paste and chopped tomatoes and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Note: if you’re in a time crunch, reduce the simmer time to 10 minutes.

Prepare the Eggplant:

  • Using a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife, slice the eggplants lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices. You should end up with 12 to 16 slices and you can save the end slices for other uses, as they will not roll well.
  • Sprinkle each side of the slices with sea salt and place in a colander in the sink. Allow eggplant to sit for 1 to 2 hours to allow much of the water to drain out. Use your fingers to gently press out any of the excess liquid. (Note: You can also layer the eggplant slices on a cutting board or divide between two plates and put paper towels between layers. Put a heavy object (such as a text book cast iron skillet) on top of the slices in order to speed up the process slightly).
  • In a small bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, garlic, green onion and salt until well-combined. Set aside until ready to use.
  • Heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet (enough to generously coat the surface) over medium-high heat. Place two eggplant slices on the hot skillet and allow them to cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking another 2 to 3 minutes, until browned on both sides and slightly softened but not too floppy. Place cooked eggplant on a plate and repeat for remaining slices.

Prepare the Eggplant Involtini:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Poor the Morroccan Marinara Sauce into the bottom of a 13" x 9" casserole dish.
  • Scoop some of the ricotta mixture onto the end of each eggplant slice (I used about ¼ cup of ricotta per slice), and roll them up. Place each eggplant roll in the casserole dish, nestling them into the sauce.
  • Place casserole dish on the center rack of the oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly, the eggplant slices are cooked through, and the ricotta is gooey.
  • Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil.

Notes

Use your favorite store-bought pasta sauce instead of making it homemade to lessen the prep for this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 25g