eggplant-pesto-goat-cheese-pizza

Dishing About Cooking: Eggplant Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza 

After a long day of work, it’s always nice to come home and make something delicious. Today I decided to make this eggplant pesto goat cheese pizza. It was really easy to make and is so tasty! The best part about this recipe is that you can substitute the ingredients for what you have on hand or your favorite veggies. Give it a try!

How to make the perfect Eggplant Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza 

This recipe is for a really delicious and hearty pizza. The crust is an easy dough recipe with olive oil, sugar, salt, yeast, and flour. For the toppings: we’ve got a pesto made from eggplant that’s been roasted in the oven and mixed with basil leaves, garlic cloves, pine nuts (or walnuts), grated parmesan cheese and some salt. We also have goat cheese crumbles that are seasoned with cumin seeds and red pepper flakes. Finally we add sliced tomatoes to complete this dish! 

Ingredients 

Eggplant Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza

  • 7 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed 
  • 1 1 1/2- to 2-pound eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices 
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 pound store-bought or homemade pizza dough 
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced 
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper 
  • 6 ounces mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 1/4-inch slices 
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan 
  • 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pesto 

Step by step Cooking Instructions 

Eggplant Pesto Goat Cheese Pizza

  1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. 
  2. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering and add eggplant slices in one layer (do not overcrowd). Turn over with tongs until all of both sides are browned and then drain on paper towels for about five minutes. Season the eggplants on both side with salt and pepper before cooking them.* 
  3. Roll out dough into an oval shape or rectangle that is slightly larger than your pizza pan. Spread pesto evenly onto surface of dough, leaving a half-inch border around edge; scatter garlic across top of pesto followed by sliced goat cheese. Arrange seasoned eggplant rounds in circles atop cheese.* 
  4. Bake spinach 15 to 18 minutes. 
  5. Transfer spinach to a plate and sprinkle with shredded cheese or crumbled feta, if desired. 
  6. Serve pizza warm out of the oven.* 

Tips and tricks 

  • *If you want to make this a white pizza, replace the pesto with garlic-infused olive oil. 
  • *Add some fresh rosemary if your not into basil and goat cheese; it’s delicious with both eggplant and spinach.* 
  • *This recipe makes one large or two small pizzas.* 
  • *Topping options: tomato sauce (tomato puree), arugula, burrata cheese, green olives, feta cheese*, cooked bacon*, shrimp*. 

Conclusion 

eggplant-pesto-goat-cheese-pizza

One of the greatest things about this pizza is that it’s a little bit different than your typical eggplant pesto goat cheese pizza. I love how well these ingredients work together and would recommend giving them a try! It might be just what you’re looking for in an appetizer or dinner recipe. If you like the taste of spinach for the goat cheese pizza, I have this recipe of Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Pizza to please your taste! Happy cooking!

Jennifer Glover