Eggplant Rolls with Walnut “Meat”
Eggplant Rolls with Walnut “Meat” offer a vibrant, plant-forward bite inspired by Greek Aegean longevity cooking. Smoky eggplant and herby walnut filling come together in a vegan dish featured in My Greek Table: The Foods of Longevity. Finished with pomegranate, mint, and parsley, these Mediterranean rolls are perfect as a main or starter. Try Baked Vegetable Orzo Casserole – Yiouvetsi, Fakorizo – Greek Lentil Rice, or Quinoa with Corn Salad and Pistachios as complementary dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup walnuts
- 2 –3 large garlic cloves
- 1 –2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 4 medium eggplants
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 scant tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp ground fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses or petimezi
- ½ cup chopped parsley leaves
- ½ cup chopped mint leaves
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil plus extra for brushing
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For garnish: 1 cup pomegranate seeds ½ cup fresh mint, ½ cup fresh parsley, 1 Tbsp pink peppercorns
Instructions
- Toast walnuts in dry pan or oven at 320°F/160°C until golden. Cool. Grate garlic; add lemon juice if softer flavor desired.
- Slice eggplants lengthwise to 1 cm. Brush with oil and grill 10 min/side until charred and soft, or roast in oven. Cool.
- Pulse walnuts, coriander, cumin, fennel, paprika, petimezi, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper until coarse. Add 4 Tbsp warm water for texture.
- Place heaping teaspoon filling at wide end of eggplant slice; roll up tightly. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Serve arranged on platter, garnished with mint, parsley, pomegranate, and pink peppercorns.
Notes
Packed with plant-based protein, omega-3s, and antioxidant-rich ingredients, these rolls capture Mediterranean Blue Zone nutrition and vegan Greek cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalProtein: 9gFat: 22gFiber: 7g
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