Description
Delicious Zucchini Rollatini features thinly sliced zucchini rolled around a flavorful mixture of ricotta cheese, Italian sausage, and fresh herbs, baked with marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. This low-carb Italian-inspired dish makes a perfect main course or hearty side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Zucchini and Sauce
- 3 small/medium zucchini, sliced into 28 very thin slices
- About 1 cup marinara sauce
Cheese and Meat Filling
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/2 pound Italian sausage, ground
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F to prepare for baking the rollatini later.
- Prepare Zucchini Slices: Slice zucchini into very thin strips using a mandoline or sharp knife to make them pliable. Lay them on paper towels, sprinkle salt over the slices, cover with additional paper towels, and let sit for 20 minutes to draw out moisture.
- Dry and Bake Zucchini: Pat the zucchini slices dry with paper towels, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture further.
- Cook Sausage: In a small frying pan over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage until fully cooked. Drain any excess fat and set aside to cool.
- Mix Filling: Combine the cooked sausage, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, chopped basil, parsley, egg, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Stir until well mixed.
- Assemble Rollatini: Once zucchini slices have cooled, pat dry again. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each slice and spread it evenly, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray, then spread about half of the marinara sauce evenly over the bottom.
- Roll and Place: Carefully roll each filled zucchini slice and place seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining slices.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour remaining marinara sauce over the zucchini rolls, then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 23 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Serving size is approximately 3-4 roll-ups; this recipe makes 28 roll-ups, which yields about 8 servings depending on zucchini size.
- If you prefer, substitute Italian sausage with ground beef sautéed with garlic or omit meat altogether, adding extra ricotta instead.
- Using paper towels to draw out zucchini moisture is key to preventing watery marinara sauce in the casserole.
- Use a mandoline slicer for uniform thin zucchini slices to ensure even cooking and easy rolling.
- Allow rollatini to cool slightly after baking for easier serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll-up
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
