Description
Zucchini Rollatini is a delicious low-carb Italian-inspired dish featuring thinly sliced zucchini rolled with a savory ricotta and Italian sausage filling, baked in marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese for a golden finish. It’s a lighter alternative to traditional pasta rollatini, perfect for a satisfying dinner that brings together fresh herbs and cheeses.
Ingredients
Scale
Zucchini
- 3 small/medium zucchini, sliced into 28 very thin slices
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, ground
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 whole egg
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping and Sauce
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- About 1 cup marinara sauce (divided, approximately 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup for layering and topping)
- Oil spray (for greasing the baking dish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the zucchini slices and rollatini later.
- Prepare zucchini slices: Slice the zucchini into very thin, pliable strips using a mandoline or sharp knife. Lay the slices on paper towels, sprinkle them with salt to draw out moisture, then cover with additional paper towels. Let sit for 20 minutes to release excess water.
- Dry and bake zucchini: Pat the zucchini slices dry with fresh paper towels. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes to remove more moisture and help prevent watery sauce later.
- Cook Italian sausage: In a small frying pan, brown the ground Italian sausage over medium heat until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and let cool slightly, then pat dry to remove excess fat.
- Make filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, ricotta cheese, grated parmesan, minced garlic, chopped basil, parsley, beaten egg, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until fully combined.
- Assemble rollatini: Once zucchini slices have cooled enough to handle, pat them dry again. Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each zucchini slice, spreading it evenly but leaving a small border at the edges. Carefully roll up each slice, placing the seam side down in a greased casserole dish that has been spread with half of the marinara sauce.
- Add sauce and cheese: Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the zucchini roll-ups evenly. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over the top to create a bubbly, golden crust.
- Bake rollatini: Bake the casserole in the oven at 400°F for 23 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown, and the sauce is bubbling.
Notes
- Serving size is about 3-4 roll-ups; recipe makes 28 total rolls depending on zucchini size.
- Substitute Italian sausage with ground beef sautéed with garlic or omit meat and add extra ricotta for a vegetarian option.
- Ensure zucchini slices are thin and well-dried to prevent a watery casserole.
- Use a mandoline slicer for uniform thin zucchini slices that roll easily.
- Let the sausage cool before mixing to avoid overheating the egg in the filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rollatini
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
