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Three Cheese Zucchini Rollatini

Three cheese zucchini rollatini with tender zucchini planks rolled around a ricotta-mo zzarella-parmesan filling and baked until golden. Tight roll-ups nest in bubbling marinara, with a three-cheese cross-section visible when sliced.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

zucchini
  • 4 large zucchini sliced lengthwise into thin planks; use mandoline if possible
  • 1 tsp salt for sweating
  • 1 cup marinara sauce 1 cup for topping/assembly; keep remaining quantity for bottom and spooning
  • 1 tsp salt for tasting within filling
Three Cheese Filling
  • 2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded; use 1 cup in filling
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 0.25 tsp salt and black pepper to taste; add as needed
Topping and garnish
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded; for topping
  • 1 extra parmesan for garnish
  • 1 extra basil for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sweat, dry, and soften the zucchini
  1. Salt the zucchini planks and let them sit for 15 minutes, then pat them completely dry to remove surface moisture.
  2. Grill the planks on a grill pan or bake at 400°F for 8 minutes to soften slightly and remove moisture, then let cool.
Make the three-cheese filling and assemble
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Mix the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, parmesan, egg, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
  3. Spread 1 cup marinara on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
  4. Lay each zucchini plank flat, spread a spoonful of three-cheese filling along one end, and roll tightly.
  5. Place the rolls seam-side down in the baking dish.
  6. Spoon the remaining marinara over the rolls and top with shredded mozzarella.
Bake, rest, and garnish
  1. Bake for 28–35 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling.
  2. Rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with extra parmesan and basil.

Notes

Key pro tip: after sweating the zucchini, pat very dry so the rollatini bake up tight instead of watery. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat covered in a 350°F oven until warm. Freeze is not recommended because the zucchini can soften and release water. For a dietary swap, use part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella to lower calories while keeping the same rolled, cheesy texture.