Last week I came back from spending a month in Europe. I traveled to Poland, Belarus, and Lithuania and added two new countries to my list! It was the longest trip I’ve ever taken, and I tried so many delicious foods. One of my favorites was a dish I discovered at a Georgian restaurant in Poland, called nigvziani badrijani or Georgian eggplant rolls with a walnut filling.

When I arrived in Belarus after 28 years since leaving at the age of six. It was a surreal moment. Words can’t fully capture what it felt like to step back onto the soil of my homeland. There’s a deep sense of peace and belonging that fills you when you return to the place where your roots are planted. It’s as if a missing piece of yourself suddenly falls back into place. I felt an overwhelming rush of emotions joy, nostalgia, gratitude, and pure love.

My family was so sweet. The whole time I was there they made vegetarian dishes just for me, even though they are usually meat eaters. They even joined me and ate vegetarian the entire time. One night my grandmother made rolled eggplant as an appetizer for dinner, but instead of the traditional walnut filling she used cheese.

What Eggplant Should I Use?

When making eggplant rolls ups regardless what filling you decided to make the best choice is:

Medium-sized globe eggplants or Italian eggplants
You want ones that are long enough to slice into wide strips.
The skin should be smooth and shiny, with a deep purple color.
Avoid very large eggplants they tend to be seedy and bitter and the thin Asian varieties they’re too narrow to roll properly.

Tip: Look for firm eggplants that feel heavy for their size. When sliced lengthwise, each piece should be broad enough to hold the walnut filling and roll up easily.

Frying vs Baking

I used a grill pan to cook the slices. This gave them a lovely charred flavor and those beautiful grill marks, while keeping them tender enough to roll. Traditionally, you can fry the slices for a golden, slightly crisp texture, or bake them for a lighter, easier version, but the grill pan was my favorite for that smoky, summer vibe.

The Filling

When I made the dish at home, I filled the eggplant slices with a mix inspired by traditional Georgian flavors, but with my own twist:

1 cup walnuts
½ cup fresh parsley
½ cup farmers cheese
2–3 garlic cloves
1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
2–3 tablespoons water (to adjust consistency)
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon fenugreek (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Every bite had that perfect balance of richness, freshness, and subtle spice. It wasn’t just delicious it felt like a way to bring a piece of my travels and the warmth of family meals back into my own kitchen.

Spread a layer filling on one end of each eggplant slice. Roll the slice carefully from the filled end, keeping the filling inside, and place it seam-side down on a serving platter. Repeat with all slices until the filling is used. Sprinkle the rolls with pomegranate seeds for color and sweetness, and garnish with fresh parsley for a bright, fresh touch!

If you try this Rolled Eggplant with Walnut and Farmer’s Cheese Filling, I’d love for you to leave a comment or share a rating! I always enjoy reading your thoughts. Don’t forget to share your creations on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest using #victoriasearthkitchen—I can’t get enough of seeing your beautiful dishes come to life. If you love this recipe, be sure to check out some of my other favorite vegetable-forward dishes on the blog for more inspiration.