These Paneer Eggplant Roll-Ups are filled with a creamy paneer and spinach filling and topped with a spiced tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. These vegetarian roll-ups are gluten-free and make a great dish to serve while entertaining!
250gramspaneercrumbled, fresh paneer preferred, made from 1 & 1/2 liter milk
1/2teaspoonsalt
black pepperto taste
1/4teaspoongaram masala
2tablespoonschopped basil
For the sauce
2cupscrushed tomatoescanned/bottled, I used one with no added sugar or salt
1/4teaspooncardamom powder
1/4teaspoongaram masala
1/4teaspoonKashmiri red chili powder
1tablespoonbuttersalted
1/2tablespoontomato paste
1tablespoonheavy cream
1/2teaspoonsugar
1/4teaspoonsaltto taste, if using crushed tomatoes with salt, you might not need any salt
2tablespoonwater
1teaspoonkasuri methicrushed
5-6 oz mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prepare the eggplant slices
Slice each eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices lengthwise. From one medium eggplant, you would get 6 to 7 slices each.
Arrange the eggplant slices on a board and add salt generously over them. Flip and sprinkle on the other side too. Let the eggplants sit for 15 minutes, this is called "sweating" the eggplant. They will release moisture and this will prevent them getting too soggy in the oven.
After 15 minutes, you will notice that the eggplant slices have released moisture. Pat dry each eggplant slice from each side using a paper towel. Arrange them on a lightly greased baking sheet, spray with a little oil and bake at 400 F degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Make the paneer spinach filling
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and sauté few seconds and then add spinach to it (I used baby spinach). The leaves will start wilting as you stir.
Cook the spinach for around 8 to 10 minutes until the moisture from the spinach really dries out. Then remove pan from heat and squeeze as much remaining water as you can from the spinach by squeezing it with your hands. Then chop this spinach and set aside.
To make the filling, take a large bowl and to that add crumbled paneer (I use fresh paneer), prepared chopped spinach, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, garam masala and chopped basil. Stir with a spatula and mix until everything is well combined.
Make the spiced sauce
To a pan on medium heat, add 2 cups of crushed tomatoes along with cardamom powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, butter, tomato paste, cream, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, kasuri methi and 2 tablespoons water. Stir until everything is well combined and the sauce is heated through.The crushed tomatoes that I used had no added sugar or salt, if yours have added sugar and salt then adjust the amounts here accordingly.
Fill and roll the eggplants
Take one of the baked eggplant slices and place it on a flat surface. Take 1 heaping tablespoon full of the paneer and spinach mixture and place it over the broad end of the eggplant slice.
Roll the slice until you reach the other end and seal it. Fill and roll all the eggplant slices in the same way.
Layer and bake
Take a rectangular baking pan (I have used 12 x 9 inch dish) and add 3/4 cup the prepared sauce at the bottom of the pan. Spread it around the pan using a spatula.
Then place the prepared eggplant roll ups over the sauce, I could place 12 rolls into the pan. Top the rolls with the remaining sauce. And then with fresh mozzarella cheese.
Cover with a large sheet of aluminum foil and bake at 400 F degrees for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted. You can also broil for a minute or two if you want to brown the cheese a little. Top with fresh basil, let sit for 5 minutes and then serve.
Notes
Although "sweating" the eggplant (adding salt in the beginning) isn't necessary, I recommend you do it. The slices are sturdier this way, I know it's an extra step but worth it in my opinion.
You may add different vegetables like onion, peppers to the filling as well. I would cook these veggies along with the spinach.
Make sure to cut all eggplant slices equally so that they cook in the same amount of time in the oven. Don't cut them too thin- they will tear up after being baked and be difficult to roll and don't cut them too thick either or they will be difficult to roll. 1/4 inch is perfect.
I made fresh paneer for this recipe with 1 & 1/2 liter milk (which yielded 250 grams of paneer), and I think it works great for this recipe. The fresh paneer makes the filling very creamy. However if you can't make fresh paneer, use store-bought paneer and soak it in warm water for 20 minutes and then use in the recipe.