Warm, comforting and clean eggplant pizza
If you’re a regular here, then you know that one of my favorite things to do is take classic comfort foods and find a way to make it super clean and healthy - without sacrificing any of the flavor.
And that’s exactly what you’ll get with this eggplant pizza.
This recipe is not just clean and flavorful, but it’s super easy to make and ready in just 30 minutes.
Because it’s largely vegetables, the recipe below is ideal as an appetizer, snack or side dish.
For a more substantial meal, try adding a bit of protein. There are lots of ways you can do this, but my personal favorite is to crumble about 1/2 package of tempeh into the tomato sauce.
Speaking of sauce, I’ve included a simple homemade version below you can try with just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, but a store-bought pizza or marinara sauce works just as well if you don’t have what you need to make it from scratch. If your goal is to keep it clean and healthy, then be mindful of the oil and sugar content in the store-bought varieties.
As for plant-based cheese, there are so many that I love and use for different dishes and reasons (in fact, that is a question I get asked A LOT and I promise to do a post on all things plant-based cheese soon).
When it comes to shredded varieties that melt easily, Violife Foods has become my go-to. All of their products are soy, gluten, dairy and nut-free; they use coconut oil as their base and fortify their products with B-12, which you don’t see very often in plant-based cheese products - so that’s pretty cool.
Anyways, I hope this recipe brings you as much delight and comfort as it brings me.
As always, feel free to riff on some of the ingredients and do your own thing where you see fit. For instance, adding a few more veggies into the sauce is something I’ll definitely be doing when I go to make this again.
Let me know how it goes in the comments below. Ya’ll know I love to hear from you!
Warm, Comforting and Clean Eggplant Pizza
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Yields: 4 slices
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, sliced in quarters length-wise
1/2 tbsp avocado oil
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano (and more for garnish at the end)
1-2 cups leafy greens, chopped (I used spinach)
(1) 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (with liquid)
1/2 cup plant-based shredded mozzarella
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Lay eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Coat each with a very thin layer of avocado oil. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
While the eggplant bakes, begin to cook the tomato sauce. Place a medium to large pan on the stove, over a low to medium heat. Coat with water or a bit of spray oil to prevent food from sticking. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stiring frequently until onions and garlic begin to brown.
Add salt and oregano and stir until onion and garlic appear evenly coated with spices.
Pour diced tomatoes (with liquid) into the pan with the onions and garlic and mix well. Add leafy greens and sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes.
Once greens have wilted, transfer the sauce to a blender. Blend on a medium to high speed until completely smooth.
Transfer sauce back to the pan, and place it on the stove. Reduce heat to simmer.
Remove eggplant from the oven. Top each with heaping spoonfuls of tomato sauce until the eggplant is evenly coated. Sprinkle with cheese and more oregano.
Place eggplant back in the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.
While the pizza is best fresh, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. To reheat, place in the microwave for 2 minutes or in the stove at 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
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