This Eggplant Pizza Recipe is the perfect way to incorporate eggplant into your life. It's made with slices of roasted or air-fried eggplant topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan, and your choice of pizza toppings.
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It's eggplant season! So, of course, I'm coming to you with as many eggplant recipes as possible.
Eggplant is one of my favorite foods. It's so tasty and so versatile, so I'm always looking for new fun ways to enjoy it. This recipe uses my roasted eggplant slices as a base or a delicious snack or easy lunch.
The eggplant "crust" is loaded up with all of the best pizza flavors and toppings—tomato sauce, gooey cheese, and whatever add-ons your heart desires.
Make vegetarian pizza bites or add your favorite pizza topping protein! This recipe is the perfect one to add to your dinner rotation.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy recipe. Just 5 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking.
- Perfect pizza flavor. With an eggplant pizza crust, this low-carb pizza recipe gives us the classic flavors of pizza, but in a lightened-up, gluten-free meal.
- Customizable. Use my suggestions or load these up with your favorite pizza toppings.
🧾Ingredient Notes
These mini eggplant pizza bites are the perfect gluten-free dinner made with simple ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
Eggplant - You'll need 1 larger eggplant sliced into ½-inch slices. The eggplant slices create the perfect base for the pizza toppings. Use large globe eggplant or Italian eggplant in this recipe.
Olive Oil - Brushing the eggplant slices with olive oil helps prevent them from burning as they cook.
Salt and Pepper - We're seasoning the eggplant slices with just a little bit of salt and pepper before cooking. You can also add a little Italian seasoning if your sauce is too plain.
Tomato Sauce - You can use your favorite easy pizza sauce or marinara sauce. Either will work!
Cheese - A combination of shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan gives the best flavor.
Pizza Toppings - Use any pizza toppings of your choice! I love pepperoni, mushrooms, and fresh basil.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
💭 Eggplant Pizza Topping Ideas
One of the best parts of making any pizza-inspired recipe at home is that you get to decide what you put on it. So, load these mini pizzas up with any and all of your favorite toppings!
Here are a few ideas:
- Pepperoni
- Mushrooms
- Basil
- Pesto
- Artichokes
- Green Pepper or Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Italian Sausage
- Leftover Meatballs
- Jalapeño
- Pineapple (and ham)
- Olives
⏲️How to Make Eggplant Pizza
Pre-cooking the eggplant in the air fryer is my preferred method. I find that it does a better job of getting rid of any excess moisture from the eggplant rounds. The less moisture, the better the texture!
How to Slice Eggplant
The first step is to slice up your eggplant. No need to peel it first. Simply give it a quick rinse, dry it completely, then slice it into ½-inch slices.
Make sure the slices are as even as possible, so the mini eggplant pizza bites cook at the same rate!
Air Fryer Method
Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Place the slices in a single layer in the air fryer preheated to 400ºF, then cook for 4 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 4 minutes.
Remove the eggplant from the air fryer, top each slice with sauce, cheese, and your desired toppings, then cook for another 4-5 minutes.
Oven Method
Brush each eggplant slice with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Place the sliced eggplant in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. You can line the baking sheet with parchment paper if you desire.
Remove from the oven, layer the toppings on top of each eggplant slice, then broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
🥗What to Serve with Eggplant Pizza
Eggplant pizza can be served as a main dish or as a side dish.
If you're serving them as a main dish, enjoy them with a side of gluten-free garlic bread, sautéed broccolini, or Boursin mashed potatoes.
If you're serving them as an appetizer before digging into a big plate of spaghetti and meatballs, pasta with sausage and broccolini, or gluten-free chicken piccata.
Expert Tips
- If you have an air fryer, use it. I've tried both methods, and I get the best results using the air fryer.
- Use freshly grated cheese. The smooth, melty texture of freshly grated cheese is just unmatched.
- Make zucchini pizzas. No eggplant? Trying to use up the zucchinis you already have on hand. Simply use that instead. No other changes to the recipe are needed.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover eggplant pizza in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm in the oven or back in the air fryer at 350ºF until heated through.
But in all honestly, I am not a fan of leftover eggplant pizza. Instead, I just slice off what I want to eat that day.
More Eggplant Recipes
💬Frequently Asked Questions
Does the eggplant need to be salted?
This is optional for this recipe. The added salt brings out the flavor of the eggplant and draws out excess moisture as it cooks. While this is a necessary ingredient for many eggplant recipes, you actually can skip it for this one if preferred.
Simply air frying or baking the eggplant without the salt rids it of the excess water with no issues!
Do you peel eggplant?
No, you do not peel eggplant. The skin of the eggplant is totally edible and softens up just fine in the air fryer or oven. No need to add an extra step to your process.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Eggplant Pizza
Ingredients
- large eggplant sliced in ½-inch slices
- 2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup simple tomato sauce pizza sauce or marinara sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- pizza toppings of choice- pepperoni, mushrooms, fresh basil etc.
Instructions
- Brush both sides of the eggplant with olive oil, sprinkle with the pepper.large eggplant, 2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 F degrees.
- Place the eggplant in a single layer and cook for 4 minutes. Flip cook and cook for 4 minutes more. Remove the eggplant
- Top each eggplant slice with a thin layer of sauce. Top with mozzarella, your desired toppings, and sprinkle with the parmesan.½ cup simple tomato sauce, ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, pizza toppings of choice- pepperoni, mushrooms, fresh basil etc., ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese bubbly and brown.
Oven Roasted Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees.
- Place the eggplant in a single on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Flip halfway through. Remove the eggplant from the oven and turn it to a broil.
- Top each eggplant slice with a thin layer of sauce. Top with mozzarella, your desired toppings, and sprinkle with the parmesan.
- Broil for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned.
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