Eggplant Pizza Recipe with Spinach and Mushrooms
Roasted eggplant rounds act as pizza crust, topped with fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and spinach. These easy-to-make, gluten-free, low-carb eggplant pizza rounds are ideal as a vegetarian side, for lunch, or as a snack! The great thing about pizza is that you can switch up the toppings. I went with vegetarian options this time, but you could use different sauces like pesto, different veggies (like bell peppers or zucchini), and add meats like prosciutto or shredded chicken!
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 6 ounces sliced white mushrooms
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup marinara sauce, store-bought (or homemade spaghetti sauce)
- 10 oz fresh mozzarella
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Season the eggplant with kosher salt on both sides (I used about 1 teaspoon). If you have the time, set the eggplant aside and let it “sweat” for about 20 to 30 minutes then wipe off the beads of water and any excess salt. If you don’t have the time, you can season the eggplant lightly with kosher salt and move on to the next step.
- Prepare a large sheet pan and brush it with extra virgin olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in one single layer. Brush the top of each eggplant slice generously with extra virgin olive oil.
- Bake on the middle rack of your heated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggplant has softened, turning over halfway through.
- Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat about 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, tossing regularly until they gain some color. Stir in the spinach briefly until it wilts. Season with a little bit of kosher salt.
- When the eggplant is ready, take it out of the oven and top each eggplant slice with 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce and 1 slice of fresh mozzarella.
- Turn the oven to broil and return the sheet pan to the oven. Broil very briefly watching for the cheese to melt (about 1 to 2 minutes).
- Remove the eggplant from the oven. Arrange the mushroom and spinach mixture over the eggplant slices. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- It's important to slice the eggplant into thicker rounds (about 1/2-inch slices) so that they do not burn in the oven and also so that they provide a sturdy base for your toppings.
- Salt the eggplant for about 20 minutes to "sweat out" some of its bitterness and improve its texture.
- Change up the toppings! Add a handful of cherry tomatoes or olives. Or go for a margherita pizza with mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and basil. Try a different combination of veggies like bell peppers, zucchini and onions.
- Serving ideas: Serve eggplant pizza for a snack or light meal. I like serving it alongside other small bites like buttered radish and Greek salad skewers.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
- Visit our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils, spices and more.
Nutrition
Calories: 179.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 12.9g | Fat: 10.9g | Saturated Fat: 6.3g | Cholesterol: 37.3mg | Sodium: 521.1mg | Potassium: 491.8mg | Fiber: 3.4g | Sugar: 5.5g | Vitamin A: 1451.5IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 260.7mg | Iron: 1.2mg
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