Vegan Eggplant Rollatini
Rollatini is one of those dishes that feels genuinely special at the table — tender roasted eggplant wrapped around a creamy, herb-flecked filling and baked in bubbling marinara until golden at the edges. The filling here is the real star: soaked cashews and pressed tofu are blended together with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper into a ricotta-style mixture that is surprisingly rich and satisfying. Folded through with fresh spinach and basil, it has that bright, layered flavor you'd expect from a classic Italian-American bake. Roasting the eggplant planks first at high heat is what makes the whole thing work — it drives out excess moisture and leaves the slices pliable enough to roll without cracking, so every piece holds together beautifully in the dish. A generous pour of marinara and two rounds of vegan parmesan — one before the foil goes on, one after it comes off — give you that irresistible saucy, slightly crisp finish. This recipe serves four and comes together with straightforward techniques that any home cook can handle on a weeknight or a lazy Sunday. Serve it straight from the baking dish with extra basil scattered on top and watch it disappear fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the eggplant
- 2 large eggplants (about 2 lb total), trimmed
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the cashew-tofu ricotta
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then drained
- 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
For assembly
- 2 ½ cups marinara sauce, divided
- ½ cup vegan parmesan, divided
For serving
- fresh basil leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Slice each eggplant lengthwise into planks about 1/4 inch thick — you need at least 12 planks total. Lay them in a single layer on a colander or paper-towel-lined baking sheet, sprinkle both sides with 1 tsp of the kosher salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes until beads of moisture appear on the surface. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- 2
While the eggplant drains, place the drained cashews in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the pressed tofu, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, minced garlic, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed, about 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the chopped spinach and sliced basil. Set aside.
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