Eggplant Pizza Recipe (Low-Carb) - Elavegan (2024)

This easy low-carb eggplant pizza recipe requires just a handful of pantry-friendly ingredients, including versatile toppings, and is ready in 30 minutes. The mini pizza is gluten-free, grain-free, keto, low-calorie, vegetarian (vegan), and perfect for parties and mid-week meals!

Using veggies as a base is a great way to enjoy lower-calorie, often low-carb pizza. I’ve already shared a zucchini crust pizza, but now it’s the turn of this eggplant pizza recipe. When baked, eggplant is tender and almost creamy, but with a neutral enough flavor to make a wonderful low-carb pizza for your toppings of choice.

As much as I often adore carbs, sometimes I’m in the mood for something a little lighter without sacrificing comfort and wholesomeness. You can’t go wrong with a veggie-based low-carb pizza, then! It’s still tomatoey, cheesy, garlicky, and loaded with your favorite toppings, but all supported by healthier eggplant slices instead of calorie and carb-heavy pizza dough. Win-Win!

Enjoy them as a simple party appetizer, snack, mid-week side, or even light main. Just note that this is definitely a fork and knife type pizza, as the eggplant becomes tender once cooked.

Is Eggplant Keto, and What Are Its Health Benefits?

Eggplants (also called aubergines) are highly nutrient-dense, containing good levels of manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamin K. Even better, though, eggplants are packed with antioxidants and are naturally low-carb, so perfect for a keto diet.

In fact, eggplants are a wonderful high-fiber, low-calorie, nutrient-dense food. They can support heart health, blood sugar control, and the polyphenols in eggplant may help protect the body from cancer (source). Luckily for us, they are also versatile and can be baked, fried, grilled, sautéed, and turned into keto eggplant pizza bites, of course.

If you’re a big eggplant fan, you might also enjoy this creamyeggplant chickpea curry or lentil-stuffed eggplant!

The Ingredients

This eggplant pizza recipe is super pantry friendly and versatile enough with the toppings to work with what you’ve got. It’s cheesy, garlicky, herby, and delicious!

• Eggplant: You’ll need one large eggplant. Make sure it’s heavy for its size and blemish-free. Choose one uniform in size to make even-sized slices.
• Olive oil: Or another neutral oil like avocado oil, etc.
• Tomato sauce: Use the marinara sauce or pizza sauce of your choice. Make sure it’s keto-friendly if necessary. Tomato purée would work in a pinch.
• Garlic: I used fresh minced garlic, though garlic powder will work too.
• Salt & black pepper: To season the eggplant slices.
• Oregano: A small amount of dried oregano adds more classic pizza flavor. Italian seasoning would also work.
• Dairy-free cheese: I used homemade vegan mozzarella.
• Toppings: I used a combination of cherry tomatoes and olives. Keep reading for other recommendations.
• Basil: I highly recommend using some fresh basil for garnish.

Optional Additions & Toppings

• Other vegan cheese: Experiment with vegan Parmesan cheese, feta, smoky cheese, etc.
• Spice: Thinly sliced chilies/ jalapeños or red pepper flakes could add some heat.
• Vegetables: There are plenty of veggies to choose from, including:
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Sun-dried tomatoes (instead of fresh)
  • Sweetcorn
  • Bell pepper
  • Red onion OR caramelized onion
  • Mushrooms (sautéed first)
  • Chickpeas
  • Baby spinach
• Protein: e.g, finely chopped marinated tofu/tempeh (cubed or shredded), vegan ham/bacon, vegan sausage, etc.
• Pesto: Swirl over the top of the eggplant pizza for a flavor boost. Like this avocado pesto.

For thefull ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

How To Make Eggplant Pizza

• First, preheat the oven to 425 °F (220 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Then, slice the eggplant horizontally into ½-inch (1 cm) thick round slices, brush each slice with a bit of olive oil on both sides and then transfer them to the baking sheet.

• Sprinkle the eggplant with salt, pepper, and half of the dried oregano and bake for 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, combine the remaining oregano with the tomato sauce, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.
• After the 15 minutes, spread each eggplant slice with the tomato sauce and top it off with the cheese and toppings of your choice. I usedhomemade mozzarella with cherry tomatoes and olives.

• Bake the eggplant pizza bites for a further 10-12 minutes, then remove them from the oven, garnish with fresh basil, and enjoy!

You can optionally broil them for a minute or two at the end, too, if preferred.

Storage Instructions

Make ahead: Depending on how you plan to top the eggplant pizza bites, you could pre-chop some toppings a day or two in advance and store them in airtight containers in the fridge.

Store: I highly recommend enjoying the eggplant pizzas immediately for the best flavor and texture. However, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Reheat: Place the eggplant pizza bites back in the oven for a few minutes.

Serving Recommendations

You can enjoy these mini eggplant pizza bites as an appetizer, party food, side dish, or even main (if you eat enough of them). Enjoy them with:

• Other appetizers: You could serve them at a party with other appetizers, like vegan jalapeño poppers, buffalo cauliflower wings, cheesy garlic breadsticks, garlic white bean dip, etc.
• Salad: Complete the low-carb meal with a simple side salad. Alternatively, go for something heartier like lentil salad with tahini dressing.
• Fries: Since the eggplant pizza bites are fairly light, you could enjoy them with a side of fries or potato wedges. Or make these carrot fries, yuca fries, polenta fries, or loaded nacho fries.
• Grains: Make a heartier meal by pairing the eggplant pizzas with a side of rice, quinoa, or even a brown rice salad.
• Veggies: You could also serve them with additional roasted, sautéed, or otherwise cooked vegetable side dishes. I.e., cooked broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, etc.

FAQs

Should I peel the eggplant?

Eggplant peel is not only edible but provides the eggplant pizza bites with some stability. So I don’t recommend peeling the eggplant unless the peel is particularly tough.

Can I slice the eggplant lengthwise?

If you’d prefer larger eggplant pizzas, slice the pieces vertically rather than in small horizontal rounds. The cooking times will be the same.

Do I need to salt the eggplant slices?

Salting eggplant will help draw out excess moisture from the vegetable and help to avoid soggy eggplant pizza. However, I haven’t found it necessary with the high-heat roasting method I’ve used. However, feel free to experiment if you want to remove even more liquid from the eggplant.

Can I make air fryer eggplant pizzas?

Yes, however, I recommend salting the eggplant slices for ten minutes and patting them dry with paper towels. Then cook the eggplant slices at 400F/205C for 7-8 minutes, flipping at 5 minutes. Top with the toppings, and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

Don’t overcrowd the basket; leave space between each eggplant slice for air to circulate. The time will vary slightly between air fryer models.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Slice them evenly: So the eggplant pizzas all cook at an even rate.
• Don’t underbake the eggplant: Eggplant can be spongy and rubbery when not cooked enough. So make a test one and adjust if necessary.
• Don’t skip the pre-roast: If you just whack all the toppings on the eggplant slices and hope for the best, you’re asking for a disaster. The first 15 minutes of roasting time are needed to bring out some water from the eggplant slices and get it to the correct texture.
• Don’t use too many toppings: Otherwise, the eggplant pizza might turn out soggy.

More Vegan Pizza Recipes

• Vegan Neapolitan style pizza
• Vegan calzone
• Deep dish pizza
• Pizza ring with spinach
• Sweet potato pizza crust
• The BEST gluten-free pizza crust
• Mexican pizza with refried beans
• Avocado chickpea pizza

If you try this easy, low-carb eggplant pizza recipe, I’d love a comment and★★★★★recipe ratingbelow. Also, please don’t forget totag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebookwith@elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.