Eggplant slices topped with pizza sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese! These Eggplant Pizza Bites are quick and easy to make and are the perfect healthy (but still delicious) appetizer or snack for special occasions or weeknight dinners! Naturally Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Low Carb – can be made Dairy-Free & Vegan too!
Eggplant Pizza Bites
Hey loves!
Today I have these healthy but delicious Eggplant Pizza Bites or Mini Eggplant Pizzas… call ’em how you want, they’re basically eggplant slices topped with pizza sauce & cheese!
These are super quick & easy to make and are the perfect healthy appetizer or snack for the Holidays, game day, or just weeknight dinner!
To take these to the next level, I recommend using fresh mozzarella instead of shredded mozzarella cheese but both will work! If you go for for fresh mozzarella, please give fresh mozzarella di bufala a try: it’s made with water buffalo milk instead of cow milk & it’s slightly tangy and packed with flavor!
Ready? Let’s make some mini veggie pizzas! 💕
Ingredients for Mini Eggplant Pizza Bites
- Eggplant. Keep the skin on! It’s healthy, adds a ton of nutrients to your eggplant pizzas and it also keeps the pizzas from falling apart in the oven – it kinda gives them a bit of structure!
- Olive oil. I recommend using a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for best flavor!
- Salt & pepper.
- Marinara sauce.
- Garlic. I recommend using fresh garlic but garlic flakes or powder will work too.
- Dried oregano or fresh oregano. You can also add a pinch of fresh or dry basil if you love basil!
- Fresh mozzarella cheese. I recommend using fresh mozzarella di bufala for some extra flavor & deliciousness – it’s made with water buffalo milk instead of cow milk and it’s slightly tangy and a lot more flavorful than regular mozzarella. Shredded mozzarella will also work. If you’re dairy-free or vegan, you can make these with your favorite vegan cheese, just make sure the cheese you’re using melts easily.
Topping Ideas
You’ll find the full recipe + ingredients in the recipe card down below but this is what you’ll need:
- Pepperoni or vegan pepperoni
- More fresh mozzarella cheese!
- Fresh basil or oregano
- Capers
- Cherry tomatoes
- Sliced bell peppers
- Cremini mushrooms
- Caramelized onions
- Sauteed corn
- Spinach leaves
- Jalapenos
- Olives or Greek Kalamata olives for more flavor!
- Tinned sardines in oil
- A dollop of sour cream or smetana (Russian sour cream)
- Mini meatballs
Should you salt eggplant before cooking?
Salting eggplants isn’t mandatory but I highly recommend doing it!
Why?
It removes the bitterness from your eggplants and it also helps them get more tender instead of spongy.
Simply slice your eggplants into 1/2-inch thick slices, place them onto a plate or worksurface lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with salt.
Let the eggplants sit for 10-30 minutes (depending on how much time you have on your hands). During this time, the slices will sweat out part of their natural moisture (it’ll look a bit brownish).
Finally, blot them dry with paper towels and follow the rest of the recipe!
HAPPY COOKING LOVES!! I hope you’ll love these easy mini eggplant pizzas as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
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Eggplant Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella I recommend fresh mozzarella di bufala, shredded mozzarella will work too, use dairy-free if you're DF and vegan mozzarella cheese if you're vegan
- Topping ideas: pepperoni or vegan pepperoni, extra fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil or oregano, capers, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, cremini mushrooms, caramelized onions, sauteed corn, spinach leaves, jalapenos, olives or Kalamata olives, tinned sardines in oil, d dollop of sour cream or smetana, mini meatballs optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the marinara sauce, olive oil, garlic, and dried oregano. Season to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for a minute, then turn off the heat.
- Place the eggplant slices onto a non-stick baking sheet (or a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper).
- Spread about 2 teaspoon of your prepared sauce on each eggplant slice, then top with a few pieces of mozzarella cheese. If you want to add toppings such as pepperoni or mini meatballs or any other topping that needs to be cooked, add it now.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the eggplants are tender. Remove from the oven and serve immediately! Top with fresh toppings if desired.
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