If you love pizza — and who doesn’t? — you’re going to love this dish! Earthy eggplant makes the perfect crust for this low carb pizza. And all that gooey melted cheese makes it all even more delicious and fun to eat.
January 30 2016 recipe by Anne Aobadia, photo by Emma Shevtzoff, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE in Recipes, Dinner, Meal
If you love pizza — and who doesn’t? — you’re going to love this dish! Earthy eggplant makes the perfect crust for this low carb pizza. And all that gooey melted cheese makes it all even more delicious and fun to eat.
USMetric
4 servingservings
Ingredients
- 2 (2¼ lbs) 2 (1 kg) eggplant
- 1⁄3 cup 80 ml olive oil, for brushing and frying
- 2 2 garlic clove, mincedgarlic cloves, minced
- 1 (4 oz.) 1 (110 g) yellow onion, chopped finelyyellow onions, chopped finely
- ¾ lb 325 g ground beef or ground turkey
- ¾ cup 180 ml sugar-free tomato sauce
- 1 tsp 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- 2½ cups (10 oz.) 600 ml (280 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup 60 ml chopped fresh oregano
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Making low carb simple
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Slice the eggplants lengthwise, about ⅓–½ inches (1 cm) thick. Coat with olive oil on both sides and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned.
Meanwhile, fry garlic and onion in remaining olive oil until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add beef and sauté until cooked through. Add tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
Remove the eggplant slices from the oven and spread the meat mixture on top. Sprinkle with cheese and oregano. Place in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Serve with a green salad dressed with olive oil.
Tip!
Don’t just stop with oregano! Fresh basil, Thai basil, or even parsley, are perfect in this pizza sauce.
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💬 Have you tried this recipe?
What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
52 comments
1
Michael S,mith
February 17 2016
All the food is wonderful (to my surprise). Thanks, I am pleased as punch (without the punch).
My diabetes glucose readings are in the low 80 to low 90. After 10 years of just coping I changed my Dr. the first advice he gave me websites including yours. What a find you and my Dr. have changed my life for ever.
Thank you,
Michael SmithReply: #14
2
Liz
March 21 2016
This was VERY good. I used a cup of Rao's marinara sauce instead of 1/2 can of tomato sauce. All the recipes have been delicious.
3
Sharon
March 24 2016
I don't care for eggplant can I use squash instead?
4
Melinda
March 26 2016
Sure, I usually substitute the one for the other depending on mood and prices. Just take care that the squash might be a bit more watery.
5
Virginia
March 27 2016
I don't see any mention of parchment paper yet the photo shows the eggplant pizza sitting on parchment. When in the process does the parchment get used?
6
Aily
March 30 2016
@Virginia; I'd say it's optional to use parchment paper. Some don't use it at all, ever.
7
Liz
March 31 2016
Is this eggplant sliced lengthwise?
- 1 comment removed
9
Kourtney
April 5 2016
See AlsoLow Carb Broccoli & Cauliflower Gratin - Recipe - Diet DoctorEat This: 5 Authentic Cowboy Recipes to Make in a Cast Iron SkilletTarte Flambée (Elsässer Flammkuchen) Recipe - Food.com17 Spicy Recipes to Melt Your Taste Buds Off (in a Good Way)What is considered as a serving? Would it be two slices of the egg plant ?
10
Micke
April 20 2016
Lovely recepy, very appreciated by both LCHFers and others when I make it. However, why is this considered Moderate LCHF rather than strict?
11
Kat Linden
April 23 2016
Micke, because the carb % is over 5.
12
Micke
April 28 2016
Kat, ok, but how is this calculated? What ingredients make it so carb heavy?
13
Susan
May 2 2016
This would be awesome with ground lamb and feta...and a little allspice or cinnamon in the sauce.
14
Reply to comment #1 by Michael S,mith
Troy
May 21 2016
Who is your doctor? All the doctors I come across freak out about this diet.
15
staci b
May 24 2016
Eggplant is a little higher in carbs, 5 grams per cup. Tomatoes are also higher at 16 grams per cup.
16
Nani
May 24 2016
I've just made... and eaten! Fantastic recipe, thank you!
17
Mindy
June 14 2016
Made this tonight and LOVED it. I used a low(er)-carb pizza sauce and added a layer of mushroom and onions to the top along with another layer of cheese.
18
Murray
July 11 2016
Thank you for this recipe, I made this tonight, absolutely delicious!!
Reply: #35
19
Mike
August 12 2016
Net carbs per cup is about 2.5... don't forget to factor in the fiber! :) so it's low carb!
20
Carol
August 26 2016
Just to say I have been doing this diet for nearly 2weeks and not lost any weight or inches at all ? Love the recipes, I'm 73 and 11:1/2 stone how long is it going to take ?
21
Will
September 19 2016
Carol, purchase some Ketosis Strips (or Lipolysis Strips). They will change color (when you urinate on them) if you are doing the low carb diet correctly. If you are not doing it correctly, they won't change color. Typically, you should see 2-3 pounds (or more) of weight loss in the first week if you keep your net carbs to 20 or less a day.
22
Lacey
November 1 2016
I've never had eggplant but I'm going to try it! I am in week 3 and when I started I had 200 pounds to lose! Only 180 more to go! My husband has also lost a similar amount of weight! I love these new life changes!
- 1 comment removed
24
Rachel
November 18 2016
I am not a fan of eggplant but I decided to step outside the box and try this recipe. But I made 2 versions:) One on eggplant and one on sliced zucchini, turns out I do like eggplant after all! The eggplant taste didn't compete as much as the zucchini did. I will definitely make this again with eggplant!
Reply: #26
25
D
January 29 2017
I made this dish as well. Very, very good. I added the recipe to my favourites. Even hubby enjoyed it after doubting the eggplant part. LOL I did use my homemade tomato sauce instead of the canned.
In this recipe it says to use 1/2 can of tomato sauce. A specific amount would be more useful. eg. 1/2 of a 28 fl.oz can or 1 cup etc.etc. I noticed this happened in the Pumpkin bread recipe as well. It says to use 1 can pumpkin puree. What size can is that? What is the quantity. :) Cheers!26
Reply to comment #24 by Rachel
Dotthis
January 29 2017
Thanks for the heads up on the Zucchini. I was considering trying with Zucchini. I will cancel that thought! Cheers.
27
Gracey
February 16 2017
I am appreciating this plan and the recipes (delicious) so much. My only frustration is the inprecise measurements on so many things. To say "chicken breast" - doesn't mean much when we have them ranging from 140 gm to 390 gm. 1/2 onion is likewise difficult. 1/4 can tomato sauce can mean very many different things - we have tomato sauce cans from 8 oz to 28 oz.
Have you ever considered switching the recipes to grams - it would take away the guess work.
Thanks so muchReply: #28
28
Reply to comment #27 by Gracey
Dylan
July 6 2017
Yes, I've never understood using volume measurements like cups, milliliters, ounces etc... Grams all the way for everything! Nearly everything (except liquids) you buy in the shops is sold by weight not volume.
29
Linda
August 4 2017
Hubby and I are currently in week 3 and loving the recipes so full of flavor, I have lost 4kgs and couldn't be happier. I was having breakfast for the first few days but didn't need it, once I got into it i found that it is so easy to have dinner and stay full till lunch time. I used to snack all day, I only eat twice a day with no need to eat anything else at all, so amazed how satisfied I feel, and have a heap more energy than I've had in years. LCHF diet where have you been hiding (it's not a diet, it's a great way to eat and live healthy.) ?
30
JL
June 3 2018
Made this and was underwhelmed. I found the eggplant to be soggy. I think that you need to sweat the eggplant to reduce the liquid. The crust truly is the vehicle for the toppings so it does works. Almond flour all the way from this point onwards.
Reply: #55
31
Carolyn
June 10 2018
This meal is so easy .. I also add some spinach leaves and mushrooms on top of the eggplant before covering in the mince for a bit extra. My daughter loves it and great for work lunches the next day ?
- 1 comment removed
33
Andrea L Mudd
August 22 2018
I made this for dinner last night. It was so good that I'm going to the store today because I have to have it again. LOVE THIS!!
34
Janee
September 19 2018
I made this for dinner and used hot smoked sausage instead of ground beef and it turned out excellent.
35
Reply to comment #18 by Murray
Jennifer Fredrick
December 5 2018
Couldn’t tou skip the tomato sauce altogether and use an olive oil and fresh garlic mix? Would be much less carbs, but higher fat.
Reply: #37
36
Jennifer Fredrick
December 5 2018
You, not tou. 🙄. Auto correct at it’s not so finest.
37
Reply to comment #35 by Jennifer Fredrick
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
December 5 2018
Couldn’t tou skip the tomato sauce altogether and use an olive oil and fresh garlic mix? Would be much less carbs, but higher fat.
Yes, that should work. You could also do an alfredo if you prefer white sauce pizza. This is pretty customizable.
38
Mary
December 29 2018
I am allergic to olive oil but all the recipes call for olive oil can I substitute for another oil?
Reply: #39
39
Reply to comment #38 by Mary
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
December 30 2018
Try avocado oil!
40
Maureen
January 11 2019
This was even better than I expected! I will make this again and again.
41
Fiona
February 13 2019
WOW! I was not expecting this to taste that amazing!! I generally am not a fan of eggplant but this recipe is a game changer! Even my husband loved it!
I’ll definitely be making this again..
Thank you!!42
KB
April 10 2019
JL suggested sweating the eggplant so that the result is less soggy. I have made this recipe both ways and I agree. After eggplant is sliced, sprinkle with salt. Stand slices in a colander for 20 minutes to allow water to drain out. Pat dry with a towel. Then proceed brushing on the oil, etc.
Reply: #43
43
Reply to comment #42 by KB
Emily
April 28 2019
Personally, I find eggplant + oil can be a bit rich tasting (also in things like moussaka, melanzane alla parmeggiana etc.), so in order to prepare the eggplant for this recipe, I grill it instead of baking it in the oven. Just sweat it an JL suggests, then grill it on a BBQ or grill pan, no oil needed.
JL suggested sweating the eggplant so that the result is less soggy.
44
Mary
July 6 2019
I sliced it with the skin on but found the skin hard to eat. It was too thick. Should we skin the eggplant before slicing? Otherwise, it was quite tasty.
45
Ayesha
July 12 2019
I have visibly seen my daughter loose weight and enjoy your receipes.it has boosted her confidence
46
Lynn
July 28 2019
This was really good and I'll definitely be making it again. I wouldn't have thought about adding cinnamon to the meat topping but it added a great taste!
47
Ahmed7898
August 4 2019
I'm getting fed up of cheese. I felt like trying this recipe but is there anything I could substitute for the cheese in it?
Reply: #48
48
Reply to comment #47 by Ahmed7898
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
August 6 2019
I'm getting fed up of cheese. I felt like trying this recipe but is there anything I could substitute for the cheese in it?
You may wish to find a different recipe as there is not a great substitute for the cheese.
49
alan
September 29 2019
Yesterday my oldest daughter and I decided to give this recipe a try along with one of the brussels sprouts recipes (I will review that one too) I doubled the recipe to make 8 servings. I think the few egg plants I had to choose from at the local grocery must've have been a bit larger than average (I don't have much experience with egg plant). They were probably three and 1/2 inches thick at the largest part; I only sliced three of them and still had excess. This I should have figured out on my own. I could have increased the other ingredients, used the same amount of egg plant as the base recipe and just had a thicker pizza(more servings per square inch, if you will).
In our mixture, we used Rao pizza sauce, and since we double the recipe, it worked out perfect because one small jar came out to be the exact 1 and 1/2 cup that we needed, and the net carbs came out to be 12 (for that amount). I thought the 'Italian ' mix of shredded cheese should work great on a pizza, however not being familiar with it, I decided to mix an 8 OZ bag of that with an 8 OZ bag of something more familiar; mozzarella . We also used fresh oregano and basil despite them being listed as part of the ingredients of the Rao pizza sauce.
It turned out delicious. Every person in my household, even the pickiest, love it. The only part that I could see turning some people off about it was the skin of the eggplant. My guess is that the skin on smaller eggplants would probably have been more tender and plalatable. Overall very pleased with this recipe. I plan on using the same mixture and experimenting with other low carb crust ideas.
- 1 comment removed
51
Marie
July 11 2020
About eggplants: Assess the situation per eggplant to decide whether you need to peel it or not. Small varieties usually have thin skins that can be left on and are enjoyable to eat. Older eggplants have tougher skins. Make sure you’re picking the best eggplant possible from the very beginning to avoid this issue all together.
Reply: #52
52
Reply to comment #51 by Marie
Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
July 11 2020
About eggplants: Assess the situation per eggplant to decide whether you need to peel it or not. Small varieties usually have thin skins that can be left on and are enjoyable to eat. Older eggplants have tougher skins. Make sure you’re picking the best eggplant possible from the very beginning to avoid this issue all together.
Great tip, Marie! Thanks for sharing!
53
meme13651
August 6 2020
This was soooooooo good my my my made me forget about our storm
Reply: #54
54
Reply to comment #53 by meme13651
Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor
August 6 2020
This was soooooooo good my my my made me forget about our storm
I hope you weathered the storm well! I am glad you enjoyed this one!
55
Reply to comment #30 by JL
rpsangel
October 6 2020
I agree with comment that the eggplant as the base being too watery/soggy. I did bake at 400 per directions, & though I did try baking it for longer trying to get it to crisp up; it didn't happen. IMO grilling it would be the only way to get it to crisp up. I wouldn't make this by baking the eggplant again.
56
Denelle
June 28 2021
Delicious! The fresh oregano really added a lovely flavor. I also cooked some fresh mushrooms with the pork sausage I used. I added water to tomato paste to make a sugar free sauce. So good, so easy.
