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vegan eggplant involtini

Eggplant Involtini

This lightened up version of an Italian comfort food satisfies a variety of dietary restrictions making it the perfect entertaining dish. It is dairy free, gluten free and vegan. Dress it up for the holidays with pine nuts or chopped pistachios and fresh basil.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium eggplants sliced lengthwise, 1/4”
  • salt
  • 1/2 red onion small dice
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 3 cups cauliflower rice about a 10 oz bag of frozen
  • ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 2 cups marinara sauce

optional toppings

  • pine nuts or chopped pistachios
  • extra chopped basil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Lay eggplant slices in a single layer atop paper towels or a clean dish towel. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Let them sweat for about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and press dry between paper towels or a kitchen towel.
  • Meanwhile, heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more.
  • Add in the cauliflower rice and cook until heated through (I use frozen so this takes about 8 minutes). Remove from heat.
  • Stir in the red wine vinegar, two teaspoons of the olive oil and the chopped basil. Set aside.
  • Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan or grill pan (if you wish to achieve grill marks). Cook the eggplant for about 2 minutes per side and transfer to a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
  • Pour about ¾ cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a baking dish.
  • Fill the eggplant slices by placing about 3 tablespoons of the cauliflower filling at one end of the slice and then carefully rolling them up. Place the involtini seam side down in the baking dish. Continue the process with the remaining eggplant slices and filling.
  • Pour the remaining marinara over the involtini and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Top with crushed pistachios or pine nuts and extra chopped basil.

Notes

I like to place the filling at the narrower end of the eggplant slices and roll toward the thicker end.