You’ve heard of zucchini pizzas, now get ready for a new pizza recipe that you will fall in-love with. Introducing my Mini Eggplant Pizzas; these tender, hearty pizzas are completely grain-free, swapping out the crust for delicious eggplant slices. Whether you’re looking to make healthier swaps as we move into 2023, or are looking for a way to get more veggies into a picky kid’s diet, I promise that you will fall in-love with these adorable bite-sized pizzas!
Friends, in the season of New Year’s Resolutions and eating healthier, let me be the first to remind you that eating healthy does NOT mean that you need to sacrifice your favorite foods. When people are first embarking on their healthy food journeys, there’s often this misconception that they have to give up their favorite foods in order to be healthy. And let’s be honest: it’s hard not to believe that!
After all, we are fed so many mixed messages when it comes to food. Whole 30 this, keto that, Weight Watcher’s this… I could go on and on about diet culture and the way that our beliefs about food are conditioned by food trends and the media. But point being: anyone that tells you that you need to give up your favorite foods in order to be healthy is WRONG!
And these pizzas are the perfect proof of that. These bite-sized pizzas are full of everything that you love about traditional pizza: creamy tomato sauce, salty, gooey cheese, and even tender beef, but with a veggie-packed twist. This is the perfect recipe for when you’re looking for a better-for-you way to satisfy your cravings, or even to get more veggies in! I especially love making this recipe for my two, picky little boys, who can sometimes have resistance to eating their vegetables.
But all of this to say: there is nothing wrong with enjoying both this recipe AND “traditional” pizza. Both foods are equally as worthy of having a spot in your diet. And, both are equally as delicious!
What You Need to Make These Adorable, Grain-Free Pizzas
- Eggplant: The star of the show, when it comes to this recipe, is the eggplant. Eggplant is one of my favorite healthy ingredients. It is low in carbs, high in fiber and antioxidants, and makes the perfect base for these pizzas!
- Olive Oil: I love using olive oil in this recipe because it is full of healthy fats and adds the best flavor. While some recipes can use other types of oil, I highly recommend using olive oil to achieve the best flavor.
- Ground Beef: While I love using ground beef in this recipe (especially 90/10 lean ground beef), you can truly use any meat that you’d like. Chicken, turkey, or even tofu work well in this recipe!
- Seasonings: We’ll be using a combination of Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper to season the beef!
- Marinara Sauce: Marinara sauce is an essential ingredient when it comes to pizza. And in this recipe, we’ll be cooking our ground beef in the marinara sauce for a warm and comforting twist to this recipe.
- Fresh Basil: This is optional, but highly recommended! I love the pop of color that fresh basil adds to this recipe, and the flavor that it adds to these pizzas!
- Mozzarella Cheese: Of course, what is pizza without the cheese?! I use traditional, shredded mozzarella in this recipe, but you can also swap it out with dairy-free mozzarella, if you prefer!
How to Make These Simple & Easy Bite-Sized Pizzas
Making these pizzas is truly a breeze! To make them, simply start by preheating your oven to 400 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Next, take your eggplant and slice it into rings that are approximately 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick, each. Once done, line up your eggplant rings onto the baking sheets. Sprinkle sea salt over the eggplant rings to draw out some of the moisture, and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
While the eggplant is sitting, prepare the meat mixture. Heat a large pan, on the stove, over medium heat and add in your olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in your ground beef, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Mash and stir your ground beef until it is browned and cooked all the way through. Then, once your beef is fully cooked, pour in the marinara sauce and stir until the meat is fully covered in the sauce. Let the beef cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Now that the eggplant has had time to have the moisture drawn out of it, place the trays with the eggplant into the oven and bake at 400 F for 16-18 minutes. Once the eggplant is fully cooked, remove them from the oven and top each eggplant ring with your beef mixture, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. If using fresh basil, chop up your basil finely and add it on top of the mozzarella.
Finally, turn on the broiler setting on your oven and pop your mini eggplant pizzas back in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Just watch them carefully so they don’t burn! Once the cheese is fully melted and golden, remove them from the oven, serve, and enjoy! If you have any leftovers, let them cool fully, then place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to one week.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! And, since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so that I can repost them! xx
** Photography by Gayle McLeod
Ingredients
- 2 Medium-Large Eggplants
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Jar Marinara Sauce
- ½ Cup Fresh Basil, chopped; optional
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Next, take your eggplant and slice it into rings that are approximately 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick, each. Once done, line up your eggplant rings onto the baking sheets.
- Sprinkle sea salt over the eggplant rings to draw out some of the moisture, and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- While the eggplant is sitting, prepare the meat mixture. Heat a large pan, on the stove, over medium heat and add in your olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add in your ground beef, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Mash and stir your ground beef until it is browned and cooked all the way through. Then, once your beef is fully cooked, pour in the marinara sauce and stir until the meat is fully covered in the sauce.
- Let the beef cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Now that the eggplant has had time to have the moisture drawn out of it, place the trays with the eggplant into the oven and bake at 400 F for 16-18 minutes.
- Once the eggplant is fully cooked, remove them from the oven and top each eggplant ring with your beef mixture, followed by a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. If using fresh basil, chop up your basil finely and add it on top of the mozzarella.
- Finally, turn on the broiler setting on your oven and pop your mini eggplant pizzas back in the oven for 4-5 minutes. Just watch them carefully so they don't burn!
- Once the cheese is fully melted and golden, remove them from the oven, serve, and enjoy! If you have any leftovers, let them cool fully, then place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to one week.
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What others are saying
Don’t you want to use a paper towel to blot away the moisture that you’ve drawn off the salted eggplant slices that have rested for ten min before you place the pan of these slices into the oven??
Hi Mary, you certainly can if you have excess moisture.
I have made this recipe a few times and the last time I skipped step 3, the salting of the eggplant. My husband was a chef at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn and said this step wasn’t necessary (I had been salting eggplant for years!!). We use Rao’s Marinara Sauce. These are great leftover!
I’m so glad it turned out well for you, Sarah!! And, good to know about the eggplant – thank you! ☻