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    Home » Starters

    Eggplant Pizza

    Published: Jul 1, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    Eggplant pizza is a fun and easy recipe to get your loved ones to eat more veggies.

    The eggplants are cut into round slices, roasted, and topped with a tasty tomato sauce and melty (vegan) cheese. This recipe is a sure hit with picky adults and kids alike.

    eggplant pizza
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Serving suggestions
    • More eggplant recipes
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Check out our Best Eggplant Recipes

    Eggplant pizza is so much fun! First, make the "pizza crust" with roasted eggplant slices, add some tomato sauce or marinara sauce, a pinch of melty cheese of any kind, and bake until it melts.

    Top with a few fresh basil leaves, and you've got a simple and delicious appetizer, side dish, or even main dish that everyone will love.

    From this eggplant pizza recipe you can expect a familiar, cozy flavor, similar to Italian eggplant parmigiana, sometimes known as eggplant parmesan. The crust is not crunchy like baked pizza dough, but it's delicious, nevertheless.

    You can even make a lighter and fresher version with a topping of diced cherry tomatoes marinated in olive oil, basil, and garlic. This version is similar to a tomato bruschetta, but with eggplant slices instead of the bread.

    This one is even healthier, and it tastes just as good. It's become a favorite appetizer in our family. We often serve it on a platter with grilled zucchini and crunchy crostini to add some delicious carbs to this low-carb eggplant pizza recipe.

    Note: The recipe is gluten-free and vegan, provided you use vegan cheese.

    eggplant pizza with fresh tomatoes

    Ingredients

    ingredients for eggplant pizza
    Ingredients for eggplant pizza: eggplant, vegan cheese or mozzarella cheese, tomato passata, fresh basil, dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

    Eggplant

    We recommend using a long and thin globe eggplant (the one with dark purple peel) to make smaller, cuter slices so that you can eat eggplant pizza as finger food without a fork and knife.

    Cheese

    In general, any melty cheese works. However, to make this vegan, use grated melty cheese; that's the most popular and is available in many supermarkets or online.

    Alternatively, some brands offer vegan mozzarella blocks made for pizza. Violife has some good options. You can even make yours with our melty vegan cheese recipe.

    To make this vegetarian, we'd recommend Italian mozzarella. Combined with the tomato sauce, basil, and eggplant is unbeatable.

    Tomato Passata

    Italia tomato passata would be best for this recipe because of its creamy texture and sweet taste. Also, it doesn't require pre-cooking. There are many imported Italian brands in US and western supermarkets nowadays. Alternatively, you can use tomato puree or crushed tomatoes.

    Olive oil

    We always recommend using extra virgin olive oil because of its superior flavor and nutritional profile compared to most other oils. A cheaper alternative would be olive oil.

    Dried oregano

    Dried oregano makes the sauce taste like authentic pizza sauce. You can substitute dried thyme for oregano.

    Garlic

    Garlic is optional. Some kids don't like it, so if you make this recipe for them, you might want to reduce or omit the garlic completely. However, we love this recipe with at least one garlic clove. You can thinly slice it or mince it.

    Salt & Pepper

    Use sea salt or kosher salt for the best flavor. Freshly ground black pepper is also recommended. Optionally, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to make the sauce spicy.

    Fresh Basil

    We use fresh basil to garnish the eggplant pizza and add that distinctive Italian aroma everyone loves.

    eggplant pizza with tomato sauce, melty cheese, and basil

    Instructions

    Roast eggplant discs

    Preheat the oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Wash and dry the eggplant, remove the stem, and cut it into ½ inch (1.3 cm) discs.

    eggplant slices

    Arrange the discs on the baking sheet, brush or drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.

    eggplan slices on a baking tray seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper

    Roast the eggplant for 20 minutes. While it bakes, make the pizza sauce.

    roasted eggplant slices

    Make pizza sauce

    Add tomato passata, dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil, finely sliced or minced garlic, salt, and pepper, to a bowl, stir, and set aside.

    tomato sauce for pizza

    Make eggplant pizza

    Apply pizza sauce on top of roasted eggplant slices and spread with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of (vegan) cheese.

    tomato sauce and cheese on top of slices

    Put back in the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melty and starts to brown.

    melted cheese on eggplant pizzas

    Transfer onto a serving platter, sprinkle with a pinch of dried oregano, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh basil leaves.

    eggplant pizza with tomato sauce, melty cheese, and basil

    Variations

    Our favorite variation of eggplant pizza is one with fresh tomatoes and basil, without the cheese. To make it, you'll need:

    • 8 ounces (230 grams) of cherry tomatoes or other small tomatoes
    • 1 clove of garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon of salt
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons of vinegar (balsamic or apple cider)
    • 2 twists of black pepper
    • 10 leaves of fresh basil

    Roast the eggplant discs for 25 to 30 minutes until fully cooked. To a bowl, add diced cherry tomatoes, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and chopped basil. Stir and set aside while the eggplants bake.

    tomato mixture

    Arrange eggplants on a serving platter on a single layer. Top with about a tablespoon of the tomato mix, and enjoy.

    eggplant pizza with fresh tomatoes

    You can, of course, top your eggplant pizza with many other toppings, including vegan sausage.

    Serving suggestions

    These eggplant pizzas can easily be served as an appetizer or dinner. Here are some scrumptious pairing ideas:

    • Starter: serve on crostini, or on a platter with other starters such as focaccia bread, bean dip, and chickpea farinata.
    • Main meal: by adding the eggplant on top of pasta, aglio e olio, or in a sandwich. You even make pizza dough with our flatbread recipe and top it with eggplant pizza.
    • Side dish: pair with protein and serve with tofu dishes. We love it with vegan fish, marinated tofu, and mushroom tofu.

    More eggplant recipes

    By now, you've probably realized that we're big fans of eggplant. Here are some of our family favorites:

    • Roasted eggplant
    • Air fryer eggplant
    • Sicilian caponata
    • Creamy eggplant dip
    • Eggplant pasta
    • Stuffed eggplant

    If you want more ideas, see our 35 best eggplant recipes.

    Storage

    Store leftovers in the fridge, covered with film or in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.

    The next day, you can serve them at room temperature, taking them out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

    You can also reheat them in the oven, with the broiler function on, for 5 minutes. We do not recommend freezing eggplant pizza.

    For many more starter ideas, check out our starters category page.

    Recipe

    eggplant pizza

    Eggplant Pizza

    Author: Nico
    Eggplant pizza is a fun and easy recipe to get your loved ones to eat more veggies.
    The eggplants are cut into round slices, roasted, and topped with a tasty tomato sauce and melty (vegan) cheese. This recipe is a sure hit with picky adults and kids alike.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main, Side dish, Starter
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 6 - 8 people
    Calories 158 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the "pizza crust"

    • 2 medium (just over 2 pounds) globe eggplants
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ⅓ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    For the pizza topping

    • ¾ cup tomato passata
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • 1 clove garlic
    • ½ cup melty cheese mozzarella or vegan grated cheese
    • Handful fresh basil to add on top

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 430°F or 220°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Wash and dry the eggplants, remove the stem, and cut them into ½ inch (1.3 cm) discs.
      eggplant slices
    • Arrange the discs on the baking sheet and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper. Roast eggplants for 20 minutes.
      eggplan slices on a baking tray seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper
    • To a bowl, add tomato passata, dried oregano, extra virgin olive oil, finely sliced or minced garlic, salt, and pepper, stir, and set aside.
      tomato sauce for pizza
    • Apply pizza sauce on roasted eggplant slices and spread it with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of (vegan) cheese.
      tomato sauce and cheese on top of slices
    • Put back in the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melty and starts to brown.
      Transfer onto a serving platter, sprinkle with a pinch of dried oregano and fresh basil leaves.
      eggplant pizza with tomato sauce, melty cheese, and basil

    Video Recipe

    Eggplant Pizza | fun way to eat more veggies

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving out of 6 (about 4 pizza slices per person).
    Learn more about roasted eggplants in our guide on how to roast eggplants.
    Check out the "variations" chapter above to make this recipe with fresh tomatoes.
    eggplant pizza with fresh tomatoes

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Eggplant Pizza
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 158 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 546mg16%
    Carbohydrates 18g6%
    Dietary Fiber 7g29%
    Sugar 8g9%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 226IU5%
    Vitamin B6 0.2mg10%
    Vitamin C 7mg8%
    Vitamin E 2mg13%
    Vitamin K 15µg14%
    Calcium 40mg4%
    Folate 44µg11%
    Iron 1mg6%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 33mg8%
    Zinc 0.4mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    Nico and Louise founders of the Plant-Based School.

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