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Home » Recipes » Vegan Dinner Recipes » Vegan Pizza » Eggplant Pizza with Caramelized Onions

Eggplant Pizza with Caramelized Onions

by Sarah McMinn / Posted: September 9, 2021 / Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Total Time: 43 mins

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two photos of eggplant pizza
eggplant pizza graphic photo
top view of pizza on surface
slice being lifted with hand
eggplant pizza on surface
eggplant pizza graphic photo

This crispy eggplant pizza is the best, ever! Made with roasted eggplant and sweet caramelized onions that are nestled atop creamy vegan cheese and a quick homemade crust, this vegan pizza recipe is perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner.

top view of pizza with roasted eggplant

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Pizza is one of those things that never gets old. With so many different options for toppings, you can eat a different pizza every night.

One of my favorites? This delicious roasted eggplant pizza! It is the perfect amount of savory, sweet, smoky, and crispy.

This eggplant recipe is a great way to enjoy dinner at home when you are searching for something homemade and full of flavor. Family-friendly, easy, and vegan-friendly, this pizza is a crowdpleaser. And it will be hard to say "no" to seconds.

Fresh rosemary, garlic, and olive oil create succulent flavors that pair well with the crispy homemade crust. Highly versatile and easy to work with, this straightforward recipe is definitely a keeper.


Table of Contents show
Recommended Ingredients and Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
Serving and Storing
Tips and Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
More Vegan Pizza Rcipes
Eggplant Pizza with Caramelized Onion
Pizza Crust
Pizza Topping

Recommended Ingredients and Equipment

You do not need a lot of ingredients for this recipe, just a handful of basics! Some of these items are pantry staples that you may already have. Any of these ingredients can be found at a well-stocked grocery store.

Here is everything you need.

ingredients for eggplant pizza

Ingredient Notes

  • Yeast: For this vegan pizza, we use fast-acting yeast. You can find yeast at the baking section at most grocery stores. Be aware that there is a difference between active and instant yeast. Active yeast takes about 15 minutes longer to allow dough to rise. Learn about the different types of yeast before getting started.
  • Flour: In this recipe, we used both whole wheat and white flours to give this pizza a lighter consistency. Feel free to use all white or a gluten-free 1:1 blend.
  • Water: Make sure the water is warm but not hot to allow the yeast to properly activate.
  • Eggplant: The roasted eggplant gives this pizza its pungent flavor and wow factor. Be sure to check for these tips for picking out the perfect eggplant from the grocery store.
  • Vegan Mozzarella: You can buy vegan mozzarella or make your own. I recommend Miyoko's brand which is creamy, subtly, and melts perfectly.
  • Rosemary: Fresh rosemary is preferred for this pizza, but in a pinch, dried rosemary will do. Feel free to experiment with different types of fresh herbs such as thyme or sage.

Time Saving Tip - To save on time, consider buying pre-made pizza dough or a pre-baked pizza crust. My preference is pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza.

Recommended Equipment

You will need a pizza stone or baking sheet, mixing bowls, kitchen utensils, chef's knife, a towel, and a pizza cutter. (<<affiliate links)


Step-by-Step Instructions

Step One – Make the Crust

First, combine yeast and water in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes to allow it to bloom.

Pro Tip: Be careful not to overheat the water. If it's too hot, the heat will kill the yeast and it will not work. For best results, use a thermometer. For more detailed information on activating yeast, check out this article from Feast and Farm.

mixing yeast and water with flour

Mix together the flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and, while mixing, add the water and yeast mixture.

kneading dough on surface

Place the dough onto a floured surface and knead it together for 5 minutes. Once the dough is elastic and shiny, transfer it to a large oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and place in a warm area until doubled in size.

Step Two – Broil the Eggplant

placing eggplant slices on baking sheet

Next, turn the oven to broil. Slice the eggplant and place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush each side of the eggplant with oil and sprinkle with salt.

Broil the eggplant until lightly golden, flipping once. Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow it to cool. Turn the oven down to 425F.

Step Three: Caramelize the Onions

onions cooking in pan

To make caramelized onions, first coat the bottom of a heavy-bottomed sauté pan with olive oil. Heat it over medium-low heat and add the sliced onions.

Cook the onions slowly, stirring them every few minutes. After 10 minutes, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and continue to cook for another 10-20 minutes until onions have reduced in size and are caramel in color.

Step Four – Assemble Pizza & Bake

top view of eggplant pizza

Shape the dough to fit a floured pizza stone or baking sheet. Lightly brush olive oil over the crust and top with the vegan cheese. Place the broiled eggplant over the cheese. Top with the onions and rosemary.

Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes until the crust is lightly browned. Allow the pizza to cool before slicing.

front view of pizza slices on white surface

Serving and Storing

Serving – Serve this pizza for either lunch or dinner. Pair with salad, appetizers, or garlic bread.

Storing – Store the leftover pizza in an airtight container for up to five days. Gently reheat the pizza in the oven or on the stovetop before eating.

Tips and Tricks

  • To save on time, consider buying pre-made pizza dough or a pre-baked pizza crust. My preference is pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza.
  • For extra cheesy flavor, top this eggplant pizza with grated vegan parmesan cheese. I recommend Violife Parmesan.
  • Generously flour the surface of your pizza stone or baking pan to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom.
  • If using a pizza stone, make sure the stone is heated all the way before placing the pizza on it. Otherwise you risk cracking the stone while baking.
  • Looking for gluten-free? I recommend using a 1:1 baking flour blend or finding a premade gluten-free pizza crust at your local grocery store. I recommend this almond flour crust (<<affiliate link) from Simple Mills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you peel eggplant before cooking?

No, you do not have to peel eggplant before cooking. The skin becomes nice and tender once it is cooked.

What does eggplant taste like?

Eggplant is mild and easily absorbs the flavors it is cooked with. Eggplant is used in all types of pizzas and is commonly used as a pasta substitution in lasagna.

Can I make the pizza dough in advance?

Yes! Pizza dough can be made up to 1 day in advance. When making in advance, refrigerate the dough during the first rise to allow it to rise more slowly.

When you are ready to use it, pull the dough out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours in advance to let it return to room temperature before shaping.

Can I make pizza dough without yeast?

Yes! If you don't have yeast, you can use baking powder instead. Follow this No-Yeast Pizza Crust recipe and substitute a neutral flavored, unsweetened non-dairy milk for the cow's milk.


More Vegan Pizza Rcipes

  • 11 of the Best Vegan Pizza Recipes
  • Vegan Chicken Alfredo Pizza
  • Portobello Pizza
  • Vegan Banh Mi Pizza
  • Roasted Beet Pizza

Check out all my vegan pizza recipes for more inspiration.

top view of eggplant pizza with vegan cheese

Eggplant Pizza with Caramelized Onion

This crispy eggplant pizza is the best, ever! Made with roasted eggplant and sweet caramelized onions that are nestled atop a quick homemade crust, this vegan pizza recipe is perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner.
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 221kcal
Author: Sarah McMinn
Cost: $15

Ingredients

Pizza Crust

  • 2¼ teaspoons fast acting yeast
  • ⅔ cup warm water
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Pizza Topping

  • 1 medium eggplant, sliced ¼" thick
  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup vegan mozzarella cheese, I recommend Miyoko's brand
  • 3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
  • salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Start by making the crust. Combine yeast and warm water and set aside. Mix together flours and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and mix. While mixing, slowly add water/yeast mixture.
    Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place in a large oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and place in a warm area for 1 - 1½ hours, until doubled in size. Once the dough is ready you can begin preparing everything else.
  • Turn the oven to broil and move an oven rack to the top shelf. Slice the eggplant ¼ inch thick and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil for 4-6 minutes on each side, until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool. Turn down the oven to 425F.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Sauté sliced onions until caramelized, stirring frequently. This takes about 10 minutes. They will be dark in color (not burnt) and fragrant. Add garlic and sauté for another minute before removing from heat.
  • Shape the dough to fit on a floured pizza stone or baking sheet. Lightly brush the remaining olive oil over the crust and top with the vegan cheese. Place the broiled eggplant over the cheese, covering the entire surface. Top with caramelized onions and fresh rosemary.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese has melted. Allow the pizza to cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Serving and Storing– Serve this pizza for either lunch or dinner. Pair this salad with salad, appetizers, or garlic bread. Store the leftover pizza in an airtight container for up to five days. Gently reheat the pizza in the oven or on the stovetop before eating.
Make in Advance - The pizza dough can be made up to 1 day in advance. When making in advance, refrigerate the dough during the first rise to allow it to rise more slowly. When you are ready to use it, pull the dough out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours in advance to let it return to room temperature before shaping.
Recipe Tips
  1. For extra cheesy flavor, top this eggplant pizza with grated vegan parmesan cheese. I recommend Violife Parmesan.
  2. Generously flour the surface of your pizza stone or baking pan to prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom.
  3. If using a pizza stone, make sure the stone is heated all the way before placing the pizza on it. Otherwise, you risk cracking the stone while baking.
Time Saving Tip - To save on time, consider buying pre-made pizza dough or a pre-baked pizza crust. My preference is pre-made pizza dough which can be found in the refrigerated section of most well-stocked grocery stores. When baked, it tastes as fresh as if made in your kitchen while eliminating a time-consuming step in homemade pizza.
Variations - Looking for gluten-free? I recommend using a 1:1 baking flour blend or finding a premade gluten-free pizza crust at your local grocery store. I recommend this almond flour crust (<<affiliate link) from Simple Mills.
 
 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 219mg | Potassium: 232mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

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Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest and read more about me here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Florian says

    November 28, 2022 at 3:32 am

    5 stars
    Effort Vs. results are excellent on this one! Eaters remarked that this could be served in a restaurant. I did end up using homemade vegan mozzarella, as it is a shame to use heavily processed food on a recipe like this and also a lot cheaper. Will definitely make again!!

    Reply
  2. Pete says

    November 20, 2022 at 10:43 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe! The eggplant and caramelized onions were an excellent combo!

    I made mine with an almond-flour crust and used a pesto sauce / Requeijão mixture as the base. The Requeijão was to counteract the tablespoon of cayenne pepper in the flour. Then on top of everything I spread some tomato bruschetta.

    The eggplant is a definite keeper to future pizzas!

    Reply
  3. Lindsay says

    September 30, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! The combination of flavors is fantastic. I needed a faster dinner tonight so I used store bought naan bread but I will try your dough recipe in the future. Yum, this will be added to my favorites!

    Reply
  4. Barbara Jordan says

    August 16, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    I have not tried the pizza yet, although I plan to. A problem that I have with eggplant is the skin. It is so tough. Do you think that the flavor of the eggplant would change if I peel it first?

    Thanks
    Barbara

    Reply
  5. Nikki says

    May 28, 2020 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out sooo DELICIOUS! I’m not vegan so I made mine with a combo of Parmesan and Mozarella cheese and it came out great. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Rachel says

    December 06, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Can this be made with a pre-made crust? I want to try this but I’m worried about the time-suck.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      December 07, 2019 at 8:08 am

      Yes, for sure!

      Reply
  7. Tammy says

    October 09, 2017 at 4:21 pm

    I made this for supper tonight. Followed exactly but added fresh mushrooms too. So delicious and pretty easy. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Chloe says

    July 19, 2017 at 12:07 pm

    What temperature do you set the oven for broil?

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      July 20, 2017 at 6:54 pm

      Most ovens have a broil setting, but if yours doesn't, you can set your oven to 500 F.

      Reply
  9. JOSIE LEJEUNE says

    May 13, 2017 at 5:04 am

    Yum yum! Made this today - absolutely delish. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  10. Shanna says

    August 14, 2016 at 6:03 pm

    Can tbis be assembled before and popped in the oven right before guests arrive?

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      August 17, 2016 at 8:23 pm

      Yep, that would be fine.

      Reply
  11. Becky says

    September 29, 2014 at 1:45 am

    Oooh this sounds amazing. I've never tried aubergine on pizza either!

    Reply
  12. Kelly G. says

    September 09, 2014 at 3:59 pm

    I don't know why, but I've never tried eggplant on pizza! I'll have to give this a try - you can't go wrong with caramelized onions!

    Reply
  13. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    September 08, 2014 at 11:31 pm

    This pizza looks like heaven! I love love love eggplant and it looks delicious on this pizza! I was always 'scared' to cook with eggplant until this year and now it somehow makes it way into a lot of the dishes I cook!! Pinned and shared on Facebook!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 09, 2014 at 6:57 am

      Thanks, Ceara. Did you learn a secret to eggplant success I should know about?

      Reply
  14. veggiebytes says

    September 06, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    Hooray that E is for Eggplant! I love eggplant even though I might have a slight allergy to it, especially if it is not ripe. I think the alkaloids in it make my mouth itch sometimes. Anyway, I like to have pizza without all the tomatoes and tomato sauce more often than not, so I usually get some kind of pesto. This looks like another yummy alternative, especially with the caramelized onions. Have a great Vegan MoFo and I'll be back for a visit...I'm curious what you will do for "X"!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 07, 2014 at 2:34 pm

      I'm curious about X too!

      Reply
  15. Caeli @ Little Vegan Bear says

    September 05, 2014 at 5:34 pm

    Great pizza!

    Reply
  16. Vegalina says

    September 05, 2014 at 10:52 am

    This looks so yummy! I have to say that I just loove egglpant. Especially for BBQ's eggplant is key 🙂
    Your pictures are amazing by the way!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 07, 2014 at 2:33 pm

      BBQ eggplant sounds amazing! I'm going to have to try that soon!

      Reply
  17. Caitlin says

    September 05, 2014 at 8:20 am

    i feel the same way about eggplant! i always want to try an eggplant dish when it's available, but i'm also simultaneously scared it will be terrible. it looks like you definitely found an amazing recipe that makes the eggplant reach its potential in deliciousness, tenderness, and delicateness (is that a word?).

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 07, 2014 at 2:33 pm

      I'm glad you can relate, Caitlin. It's always good to know I'm not alone.

      Reply
  18. ameyfm says

    September 05, 2014 at 8:13 am

    This looks soooo good. I love this combo, and it sounds especially good on a pizza. I'm loving your Mofo posts and pics so much!

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      September 07, 2014 at 2:33 pm

      Thanks so much!

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Sarah McMinn, author and recipe developer here at My Darling Vegan. I am a classically trained chef and professional photographer. With 14 years of vegan experience, my goal is to make vegan eating easy, fun, and accessible for all.

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Hi! I’m Sarah McMinn, author and recipe developer here at My Darling Vegan. I am a classically trained chef and professional photographer. With 14 years of vegan experience, my goal is to make vegan eating easy, fun, and accessible for all.

More about me →

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