Zucchini Rollatini - Zucchini Roll Ups
Get the flavors of lasagna without adding extra carbs in this Zucchini Rollatini. These flavorful zucchini roll ups are absolutely delicious and not watery.
Ingredients
- 2 large Zucchini
- 2 cup Spinach
- 2 large Garlic cloves chopped
- 4 oz Cream cheese room temperatured
- 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded, add some more if you wish
- 1/2 cup Pasta sauce or marinara sauce
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Red crushed peppers
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper powder freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/3 tsp Salt or as required
Instructions
Preparing The Spinach
- Boil the water in a pot on high and turn off the heat.
- Transfer the spinach leaves and let them sit in the water for 1 minute.
- Transfer the spinach to a colander, rinse with cold water, squeeze out the water from the leaves, and chop the spinach.
Preparing The Zucchini
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into long and thin slices using a mandoline, vegetable peeler, or a sharp knife.
- Spread them on a baking tray, sprinkle ¼ tsp salt, and set aside for 7-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400℉/200℃.
- Dab the zucchini slices with a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture from them.
- Bake the zucchini slices for 5 minutes in the oven.
Mix The Filling
- In a small mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic, spinach, herbs, salt, and spices.
Rolling The Zucchini
- Spread a few tablespoons of pasta sauce at the bottom of a 9/10 inch baking dish.
- Place and spread 1 to 1.5 tbsp of cheese filling over the zucchini slice. If the zucchini slices are very thin, you can overlap 2-3 slices and roll them together.
- Tightly roll up and transfer to the baking dish. Repeat the same process with the rest of the zucchini slices.
- Pour the remaining pasta sauce on each roll up and sprinkle some mozzarella cheese on the top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Baking The Rollatini
- Preheat the oven to 450℉/180℃.
- Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is golden on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the zucchini into thin and long slices between ¼ to ⅛ inch thickness. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline for the best results. You can use a sharp knife as well.
- Pat dry the zucchini slices after they release the moisture from them. It helps the dish not to get too watery.
- Rolling the zucchini slices becomes very easy if you bake them for 5 minutes. Don’t skimp on this step.
- Remove all the excess water from the spinach before cutting. Make the cream cheese filling thick but spreadable.
- If you slice the zucchini paper thin, you can overlap 2-3 pieces and spread the filling.