If you’re looking for a dish that’s rustic, elegant, and bursting with bold flavors, these Mediterranean Eggplant Roulades are it. Thin slices of roasted eggplant are rolled up around a creamy, tangy filling of goat cheese, ricotta, and feta with sautéed shallots, garlic, and basil. Every bite is a perfect balance of richness, saltiness, and savory depth. Whether served as a light main or an impressive appetizer, they’re as satisfying as they are beautiful on the plate. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and a touch of coastal charm—this is comfort food with a Mediterranean soul.
I am a huge eggplant fan and love it stuffed and baked, in eggplant parmesan, and grilled with ginger-sesame marinade. But, don’t worry, even if you are not, you will probably love the taste of these roulades. We like to serve them with a side helping of Kalamata olives and fresh cherry tomatoes.
I prefer to use the larger eggplants because they provide plenty of room for a lot of this savory filling, and they are easier to roll up! Each large eggplant yields about five roulades, so multiply for the number of people you plan to serve. Two roulades make a perfect-sized side dish, but three or four would be ample for a main vegetarian meal. These are also excellent if made ahead of time and reheated, so if you happen to make extra, all the better! They reheat beautifully for “must go” (leftover) night!
Be sure to sweat the eggplant slices before you cook them, so they don’t end up soggy. That is probably the biggest key to making eggplant appetizing and appealing. No one wants soft, mushy eggplant! As soon as you slice the eggplant, lay the slices out on the wire baking rack. Salt each side and allow to sit for up to 20=30 minutes or so. After they’ve sweated, wipe up the liquid from both sides of the slices with a paper towel. Now you are ready to cook the slices before you fill and roll them!
Mediterranean Eggplant Roulades
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 2 large eggplants (ends removed and sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch slices)
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Filling
- 2 large shallots (finely chopped and sautéed until translucent)
- 6 large basil leaves (snipped into small pieces)
- 1-2 cloves garlic.minced
- 4 oz. goat cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 2/3 cup grated mozzarella (for on top of roulades before baking)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
Garnishes
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar reduced by half in a saucepan over medium heat until syrupy
- 20 cup kalamata olives (halved or quartered)
- 20 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 sprig basil
Instructions
Eggplant
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease both a 9×13 casserole dish and a baking sheet. Set aside.
- Cut both ends off the eggplant and slice lengthwise into 5 or so slices. Lay sliced on a wire cooling rack over a large baking tray.
- Sprinkle both sides of slices with salt. Allow to sweat out liquid for about 30 minutes. When sweated, mop up the liquid with a paper towel and lay eggplant out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until soft and pliable, but still somewhat al dente. Remove from oven and cool.
Filling
- Meanwhile, place all filling ingredients into a bowl and mix well. When ready to roll, place 2-3 tablespoons of filling at the narrow end of the eggplant slices. Roll tightly and place, seam side down, in a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle grated mozzarella over the tops of each roulade.
- Bake at 350 F for approximately 30 minutes, or until cheese is beginning to brown and roulades are heated all the way through. Remove from oven and drizzle balsamic glaze over each roulade and sprinkle pine nuts evenly over the roulades.
Garnishes
- Serve the roulades with the tomatoes and olives and a garnish of basil on each.
