Eggplant Pizzas

We all love a good low-carb meal and these delicious eggplant pizzas are it! They are so simple, easy to make, and delicious.

I grill seasoned eggplant slices in olive oil and top them with my favorite toppings. Easy peasy. I love using eggplant as a base for pizzas when I am craving pizza but not all of the bready crust. It works so well for the base and is a lower-carb option. There are so many recipes that you can substitute the bread for grilled or baked eggplant.

Let me share with you how to make them. They are so easy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Lg. Eggplant (per 3 people) cut into 1/2-inch slices or rings
Pizza sauce – about 2 to 3 tbsp per slice
Salt and pepper
1/2 Bell pepper – diced fine
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
1 Tsp. Dried Parsley
1/4 Onion – diced fine
1 C. Mushroom – diced fine
1 Clove Garlic – minced
Mozzarella Cheese – about 2 cups grated
1/3 C. Parmesan cheese – grated
olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the top off of the eggplant and slice the eggplant into 1/2-inch slices or rings. Sprinkle each side liberally with salt and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Pat the eggplant with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid and salt.
2. Season the eggplant with pepper, thyme, and parsley on each side.
3. Heat up a skillet or grill pan over medium-low heat. Add a little bit of olive oil to coat the pan.
4. Add the eggplant to the pan without overcrowding the pan so they sear and not steam. Cook for 4 minutes per side and remove to a parchment-lined sheet tray.
5. Preheat the oven to 375*.
6. In a large skillet over medium-low heat add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the bell pepper, onions, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the thyme, parsley, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
7. Spoon over a little bit of your favorite pizza sauce or pasta sauce onto the eggplant. Sprinkle over some of the mushroom mixture and top with parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes to finish cooking the eggplant and to melt the cheese on top.
9. Remove to a serving tray and serve with your favorite side dishes.

• You can add your favorite toppings to this recipe. If you use things like bell pepper, onion, or spinach you may need to cook them before adding them to the top of the eggplant as they will not get cooked enough in the oven. Things like pepperoni will be fine as it will cook on top of the eggplant in the oven.
• You can double this recipe if you have a bigger family or want to meal prep for the week.
• They reheat well in the oven. Just place back on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through. They do not freeze well so I don’t recommend freezing them.
• Do not skip the step of salting the eggplant and letting it rest for 30 minutes. This helps remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant. Also, do not forget to pat off the excess moisture from the eggplant because if you don’t it will be way too salty.
• If you are adding Italian sausage to the mix cook the sausage first and then add the bell pepper and onion. Follow the remaining steps 6 through 9.