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. The dish is filled with pasta sauce, spinach, garlic, cheese, and herbs! 

Zucchini rollatini is loaded with melty cheeses and tastes absolutely decadent. It makes for a delicious, flavorsome, and cheesy vegetarian meal that’s liked by everyone. 

This fancy looking zucchini rollatini is so easy to make and tastes so flavorful. The recipe is perfect for all the cheese lovers and needs some simple ingredients. The cute little roll ups make a perfect crowd pleasing recipe for get-togethers.

Make the zucchini rollatini this summer to feed the crowd, since these squashes are so abundant this time of the year. To make it a fun activity, involve kids to roll up the zucchini slices. 

Rollatini is an Italian side dish also known as Involtini. Traditionally, it is made with thinly sliced eggplant and Italian cheeses. The combination of zucchini, spinach, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, and Italian herbs tastes equally incredible in pasta sauce. 

There are some tips and tricks to make the zucchini rollatini not soggy and watery. Slice the zucchini thin, sprinkle some salt, blot the water with a paper towel, and bake them before rolling. 

In traditional rollatini recipes, the main ingredient is ricotta cheese. I have used cream cheese so it will not release moisture and it tastes absolutely delicious with the spinach and garlic. You can use ricotta cheese but make sure to remove all the excess water. 

I like to use store bought pasta sauce in moderation for a quick roll ups recipe. You can make your own marinara sauce or pasta sauce for this recipe – you might be growing them in your backyard this time of the year 🙂

Ingredients 

• Zucchini
• Spinach
• Garlic
• Cream cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Pasta sauce
• Italian seasoning
• Red crushed pepper
• Black pepper powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt 

Zucchini Rollatini Step By Step Recipe

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! 

Tips For Making Zucchini Rollatini 

• 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. 

Variations

• Use store bought or homemade marinara sauce instead of pasta sauce in this recipe. 
• I have used cream cheese for this recipe but you can use ricotta cheese. Make sure to remove all the excess water from it by straining through a fine mesh strainer. 
• You can mix 3 cheeses: cream cheese/ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella. 
• Use some fresh basil leaves as they will taste amazing in this dish. 
• Bake the zucchini rollatini uncovered in the oven until the cheese is browned for 25-30 minutes. 

How To Store Zucchini Rollatini?

Store the zucchini rollatini in an airtight container for 3 days in a refrigerator. 

To reheat the roll ups, you will need to turn on your oven to 400℉/200℃ for about 7-8 minutes. 

How To Serve Zucchini Rollatini? 

Serve this dish as a side dish along with some simple pasta as a complete meal. 

Roll ups can be served along with some garlic herb breadsticks, soup, and spiced Indian coleslaw or tomato corn salad for a delicious lunch. 

Serve the zucchini roll ups with some avocado sandwiches, spiced lentil burgers, or quinoa veggie burgers. 

DID YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE? 

If you’ve tried the Zucchini Rollatini recipe then don’t forget to rate it. 

I will love to hear from you! 

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