Grilled eggplant rolls with bresaola and cheese — a light and quick recipe. A fun and fast idea to prepare; proof that often just a bit of imagination is enough to pair two simple ingredients we usually have at home and serve something very tasty.
This recipe wasn’t invented at the table but right at my favorite local zero-mile market stall. One look was enough: on one side some deep purple eggplants, glossy and firm; next stall over, a primo sale as white as snow, very fresh.
With the arrival of warm weather, the desire for fresh, colorful dishes grows, and the pairing felt natural.
I added the savory note of bresaola and the character of arugula to create a dish that is a true ode to spring: light, protein-rich and stress-free at the stove!
These grilled eggplant rolls with bresaola and cheese are the perfect answer for anyone looking for a light, quick and uncomplicated idea.
Eggplants are often associated with long cooking or frying, but in this version they become the stars of a very fresh and incredibly scenic dish. The secret? The sweetness of the eggplants (I chose the ones with purple skin, tender and delicate) that wraps around the bold flavor of the bresaola and the creaminess of the soft cheese.
It’s a “dinner-saver” recipe but also a very elegant idea for an appetizer with friends or a buffet.
They come together in a flash and, as you can see from the photo, bring all the cheer and scent of summer to the table.
Ready to discover how to make them in less than 15 minutes?
If you don’t want to pull out the grill pan, you can grill the eggplants in the air fryer or in the oven.
If you have many guests and want to grill all the eggplants at once, the oven is your best ally. Compared to the grill pan, oven-grilled eggplants tend to stay more even and less “charred,” which makes them very elegant to look at.
This method is very quick and allows you to use very little oil, keeping the recipe super light.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Electric oven, Air fryer, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 229.17 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.80 (g) of which sugars 2.15 (g)
- Proteins 17.80 (g)
- Fat 16.36 (g) of which saturated 0.97 (g)of which unsaturated 0.28 (g)
- Fibers 1.77 (g)
- Sodium 835.11 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 165 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Grilled eggplant rolls with bresaola and cheese — light and quick recipe
- 2 round eggplants (2 medium ones have tender skin and sweet flesh)
- 3.5 oz bresaola (air-dried cured beef)
- 5.3 oz primo sale cheese (cut into thin sticks or slices)
- 1 bunch arugula (fresh)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- to taste lemon (juice)
Tools
- Cast iron grill pan
- Air fryer
- Mandoline
Steps
Grilled eggplant rolls with bresaola and cheese — light and quick recipe
The first step for a great result is the cutting. Wash and trim the purple eggplants.
With the mandoline: Set the blade to about 0.16 in (approximately 5/32 in). Run the eggplant firmly to get uniform slices.
“With a knife, use a long sharp blade, keeping your hand steady so you don’t make slices that are too thin at the edges.”.
Having the same thickness ensures even cooking: you won’t have burnt slices and others raw, and the rolls will all look identical.
Choose the most convenient method for you.
In the Air Fryer (Very fast): Arrange the slices in the basket (you can slightly overlap them). Brush them with a little oil and cook at 392°F for 8-10 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through.
In the Oven (For large quantities): Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 392°F (convection) for about 12 minutes.This is the golden rule. The slices must be arranged in a single layer, well spaced. If they overlap, the contact points won’t grill but will become soggy due to steam.
Try to arrange them like a “comb” or checkerboard to fill the entire surface of the sheet.
Place the flesh directly on the parchment. The paper will help prevent sticking and allow the heat to distribute evenly.Do not pour oil over them (they would absorb too much). Use a pastry brush and lightly coat just the surface of the slices with a drizzle of EVO oil.
Do not salt them now! Salt would draw out water during cooking and instead of grilling they would end up “boiling” in their juices. Salt them only once baked and cooled.Flip them halfway through cooking.
On the Stove or Grill Pan : Heat the pan well and grill 2-3 minutes per side until the typical stripes appear.
Once cooked, let them cool completely.
Cut the primo sale into thin sticks, as long as the width of the eggplant slice.
Take a slice of eggplant, place a slice of bresaola on it (fold if necessary) and a few leaves of fresh arugula.
Place the stick of primo sale at the end and roll carefully, pressing tightly.Thanks to the uniform thickness, the roll will stay closed perfectly.
Arrange the rolls on a serving plate.
Garnish with slices of fresh lemon (which you can squeeze at the last moment to give an incredible freshness) and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil at the end.
Tips
After grilling the eggplants, don’t rush. If you fill them while they’re still warm, the heat will make the Primo Sale release water and will ruin the texture of the bresaola. Let them cool well, preferably on a rack.
Quick marinade: If you want a more intense flavor, brush the already-grilled eggplant slices with a mix of oil, lemon juice and a pinch of oregano before adding the bresaola.
Choose bresaola sliced very thin. If a slice is too thick, it will be hard to roll and will overpower the delicate flavor of the purple eggplant.
Storage
The rolls keep very well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 24 hours.
I don’t recommend freezing because grilled eggplant and fresh cheese would lose their optimal texture.
What to serve them with?
Being a light, protein-rich dish, they pair wonderfully with:
A salad of cherry tomatoes and basil.
Slices of toasted multigrain bread (maybe rubbed with a little garlic).
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Vegetarian version?
If you have guests who don’t eat meat, you can replace the bresaola with a thin layer of black olive tapenade or simply double the amount of arugula and add a small sun-dried tomato leaf.
Which eggplant do you recommend?
For the rolls, I strongly recommend the purple eggplant over the classic elongated black variety. Here are the reasons:
Endless sweetness: It has a much more delicate and less bitter flavor. It almost never needs to be salted to “bleed”.
As shown in the slicing photo, the flesh is very white and compact. This means the slice won’t tear during cooking and holds the filling well.
The purple skin is very tender. Once grilled or cooked in the air fryer, it becomes almost imperceptible to the bite, ideal for rolling.
The contrast between the bright purple edge, the pale flesh and the red of the bresaola is wonderful.
If you can’t find the purple, here are alternatives .
Striped eggplant: Very similar in sweetness with a thin, showy skin.
Classic black eggplant: It’s fine — choose firmer, younger ones (to avoid too many seeds) and make slightly thinner slices because the skin is tougher.
“Look for eggplants with taut, shiny skin that feel heavy for their size: it’s a sign they’re fresh and full of flesh!”Which cheese to choose?
Here are the best alternatives to Primo Sale:
If you want a saltier, stronger taste: feta — it crumbles a bit more, but the pairing with bresaola and arugula is a timeless classic.
Goat cheese..For a creamier, more elegant result. In this case you won’t make sticks, but spread a thin layer of cheese directly on the eggplant.
Pizza mozzarella (the firmer block type): If you want a more neutral flavor beloved by kids. Being drier, it won’t release water and will keep the shape perfectly.
White scamorza: If you’re looking for a milkier note. Cut into thin matchsticks, it gives good structure to the roll.
Well-drained cow ricotta: The absolute “light” choice. Mix it with a bit of lemon zest and pepper to make it special.
The trick to avoid mistakes: Avoid cheeses that release too much whey (like fresh mozzarella in a bag) because they would moisten the bresaola and make it soggy. Always choose dry or firm spreadable cheeses.
