Eggplant Involtini wit Lemon Thyme Ricotta
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Typical of Italian cuisine, this eggplant involtini dish showcases simple ingredients at their finest. Eggplant slices are first baked, then rolled around creamy ricotta, infused with lemon and thyme. The flavor notes somehow permeate the eggplant covering before it all melds together with a simple and delicious tomato sauce. It’s mouthwatering!
We love vegetarian dishes that are hearty enough to stand on their own as a satisfying main meal, and this eggplant involtini does exactly that. Eggplant and ricotta are a match made in heaven, but when you add fresh herbs, a bit of lemon, and a vibrant, uncomplicated tomato sauce, it’s a winning dish.
To keep it on the lighter side, we skip the traditional deep-frying of the eggplant slices and opt for baking them instead. It’s less fussy and gives you tender, less oily eggplant slices – all the flavor, none of the guilt.
Ingredients needed
Typical of Italian cuisine, this dish is made with a minimal selection of delicious and fresh ingredients, its simplicity allowing the flavors to truly shine. This is what you need:
- Globe eggplant: Roasted to make a velvety base for our involtini.
- Parmesan: Grated, to join the ricotta in the filling.
- Diced tomatoes: The base of the simple tomato sauce, the acidity and freshness of the tomatoes balances the creaminess of the ricotta.
- Balsamic vinegar: Brings balance to the flavor of the tomato sauce.
- Ricotta cheese: Whole milk ricotta makes a luscious filling.
- Lemon juice: For a bright citrus note.
- Thyme and basil: For a fresh herbaceous note.
- Garlic cloves: for savory depth.
How to make eggplant involtini
This eggplant involtini recipe takes a total time of 45 minutes, and the result is so worth it. These are the instructions:
- Preheat and slice: While the oven preheats, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat. Then, slice your eggplants! Drizzle them with olive oil and salt before baking until soft.
- Make your sauce: Cook the garlic, then add all the other tomato sauce ingredients and bring to a boil before simmering.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix all the ricotta filling ingredients together.
- Assemble and bake: Divide the ricotta mixture evenly between the cooled eggplant slices and roll them. Place the rolled eggplant, seam-side down, in a single layer in a baking dish with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top, then put the baking pan in the oven until bubbly. Top with fresh basil and enjoy!
What to serve with eggplant involtini
Serve it with a side of garlic bread and a Caesar salad with a homemade caesar salad dressing and lemon pepper croutons for a simply delicious main course meal.
If you’re serving this as a side dish, pair it with some heartier protein like baked pork chops or Italian braised chicken.
Eggplant Involtini wit Lemon Thyme Ricotta
Ingredients
- 2 large globe eggplants
- Olive oil (for drizzling)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup grated parmesan (plus extra to serve)
- ½ cup basil (plus extra to serve)
Tomato Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Ricotta Filling
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the tops and bottoms off the eggplants and then thinly slice them lengthwise into 4-5 slices each. Drizzle them with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until soft.2 large globe eggplants, Olive oil, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- While the eggplants are roasting, prepare the rest of the meal. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add all the other tomato sauce ingredients and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gently simmer.1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir all the ricotta filling ingredients together.1 cup whole milk ricotta, ½ cup grated parmesan, Juice from 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, Sea salt and pepper
To assemble the easy eggplant involtini
- When the eggplants come out of the oven, set them aside to cool for a minute. Keep the oven on. Pour the tomato sauce into a baking dish.
- Divide the ricotta filling between the eggplant slices, heaping the filling on the wide end of the eggplant, and top with the basil. Carefully roll the eggplant around the filling and place, seam-side down, in the tomato sauce in the baking dish.½ cup basil
- Sprinkle the parmesan over the top and bake in the oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve with extra parmesan and some basil sprinkled over the top.½ cup grated parmesan
Video
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More eggplant recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of my vegetarian recipes and all of our dinner ideas!
Could this be prepped the day before and then cooked in the oven for lunch the next day?
I haven’t tried it but I think that would work!
I never leave reviews but this was too good. Way easier than Eggplant Parmesan and just as tasty. Great light meal during the summer. Paired with crusty bread and a salad. My husband and 7 year old loved it.
Why do you not peel eggplant?
Because the peel is edible. And honestly without it I think the eggplant slices would likely fall apart.
Couldn’t find the recipe on the IG page I saw it first. Googled and saw yours, stopped looking! Thank you…♥️
I made this for our grown son, my husband and I. Knowing my son, if I had told him it had eggplant in it, he would not have come for dinner. We all LOVED it! He asked for the recipe.
Just a couple of minor adjustments: I doubled the garlic (we love it) than the recipe called for. I got the sauce cooking first. I forgot to pick up a fresh lemon so used 2 T of Lemon Juice from concentrate, gradually adding more until I got it to the taste I liked. I laid a full leaf of basil on top of each roll and cooked in an oval corning ware casserole pan covered for about 20 minutes.
Easy and absolutely delicious! Definitely adding this to the menu, my picky boys loved it!
I loved this recipe! I made it for my family’s dinner, and it was so good. When I wanted to make a meal for a family friend I made it again, and it was so easy to make some for myself with a separate pan for the family friend. Thanks for such a great recipe!
You’re very welcome!
This was delicious! I wasn’t sure about the thickness of the slices, and I ended up with some a bit thicker than others – half a millimetre seemed to be perfect. I added a spoonful of harissa paste in place of the chilli flakes, and also added oregano leaves to the ricotta mixture. YUM.
That’s so great to hear, Trish! Thank you for the comment!
I had to come back and review this, because I’ll be making this again and again. This was easy and delicious. I think this would be great to make as a sympathy meal or for someone who has just had a baby, as it would be easy to re-heat. Thanks for the great recipe.
So happy you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for stopping by to comment!
Loved this recipe! The only thing I did different, is I layered it instead of Rolling. Layering it saved me some time
That’s a great idea!
Can I substitute mars alone cheese rather than ricotta ?
Was that an auto correct for mascarpone? If it is, then yes you can! Mascarpone would be really nice in this recipe. 🙂
I loved this. The flavor was amazing. Such a great meal. I could eat this every day! So delicious.
I could eat it every day, too! You and I clearly have the same taste. 🙂
Made it tonight. Since my teenage boys don’t like eggplant I made chicken crepes for them. I thought hubby and I would have a nice eggplant dinner but the boys kept going after the eggplant. Lucky we got to have a couple each. Totally delish!! Great recipe.
Hahaha that is awesome! Well, maybe not so awesome that you hardly got any, but awesome that your boys loved the recipe so much!
I’m out of town but can’t wait till I get home so I can make thisure for family and friends
I can’t wait for you to get home so you can make this … you’re going to love it!
The eggplant involtini was delicious. I did add a crushed garlic clove and a dash of nutmeg to the ricotta mixture. Very tasty. Looking forward to leftovers.
So happy to hear you liked the recipe!!
This looks mouth-watering-ly good. All those delicious flavors, yum! I can’t wait to make it, probably before Valentines! I’m so glad you didn’t deep fry the eggplant in all that oil, I can just imagine the amount it would soak up, not very appealing.
I hope you like it as much as I do!!