These cheesy, pesto Eggplant Rolls are just wow!
They are the perfect comfort food and combine all my favorite flavors: pesto, cheese, and garlic-charred cherry tomatoes. They taste like fried cheese rolls, but way lighter & healthier since they’re made with just baked eggplant! These rolls can be eaten as a side dish, appetizer, or they are fantastic just on their own.
Guilt-free conscious, yay! Let the binge begin.
Cheesy Eggplant Rolls
Ingredients
- 3 large eggplants
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Pesto Sauce
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Cherry Tomato Topping
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Pinch of sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Start by washing and peeling eggplants. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into even, thin slices (around 1/4 inch thickness). Season both sides of eggplant slices with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Lay them out on baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until soft and golden in color. (Optional: The eggplant slices can also be grilled for that extra charred flavor.)
Pesto Sauce (makes about 1 – 1 1/2 cups)
- In a food processor, blend the walnuts and garlic for around 15 seconds. Add in the basil leaves, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and blend until a paste is formed.
- Gradually pour in olive oil and blend until the pesto sauce is thick and well-blended. Add the parmesan cheese and blend for 1 minute.
Cherry Tomato Topping
- Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise and sauté over medium-high heat in the olive oil. Once the tomatoes begin to soften, add the dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Allow the sauce to simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
To assemble the Eggplant Rolls:
- Spread a tablespoon of the pesto sauce on one side of the eggplant slice. Add 1 tbsp each of the grated parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat this for all the eggplant slices. Starting from one end of the slices, tightly roll the slices into finger-shaped rolls.
- Tightly pack the eggplant rolls on a baking dish. Top with the cherry tomato mixture. Sprinkle some additional grated cheese on top and bake at 375ºF for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted to desired level.
