Vegan Eggplant Pizza with Pesto Hummus (Gluten-Free)

These vegan eggplant pizza bites with pesto hummus have become my absolute favourite mid-week lunch. It’s a super healthy version of your favourite pizza dish and can be topped with a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and even nuts and seeds.

This low carb eggplant pizza is such a simple dish to make. All you need to do is roast thick slices of aubergine, whizz up your pesto hummus (which we will get to in a minute), add your favourite toppings and then let the magic happen.

But don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you – like many of my recipes, sometimes the most basic ingredients can create the most flavour-packed dishes.

You can really let your creativity shine here too. And get the whole family involved in making it, as each person can pick their own toppings based on their likes and preferences!

How to Make Pesto Hummus

I’m sure you’ve heard of pesto and I’m even more sure you have heard of hummus - they are two of the most popular condiments and dips currently around – but have you ever heard of pesto hummus?

Well, basically, it’s a combination of the two (and coincidentally my two favourite things in the world). It takes on all the delicious aspects of both – the creaminess of the hummus and the zing and kick from the pesto - and creates this ultimate flavour-packed dip that is great for dipping, spreading and just generally eating straight from the bowl!

I’ve used it in replacement of the traditional tomato sauce for my grilled eggplant pizza, but it’s also amazing when tossed through pasta, spread on toast or thinned out a little with olive oil and drizzled over salads.

If you’re not that keen on hummus or pesto, you don’t have to combine them. You can either use them on their own (why not add a little chilli powder or siracha into the hummus instead for a spicy kick, or add some tomatoes into your pesto to create a zingy tomato pesto) or use any other sauce of your choosing.

Be careful if using a pre-bought sauce as they are usually high in salt and sugar. A super simple tomato sauce can be made using ingredients you probably already have lying around and will taste a lot better than any store variety.

Roasted Eggplant Pizza Ingredients

Firstly, to make the eggplant pizza bites you'll need the following ingredients:

• 1-2 Eggplants. Sliced lengthwise into thin slices (around 2cm or ⅓ inch)
• Olive Oil. For brushing the eggplant slices.
• Cherry Tomatoes. Sliced.
• Mushrooms. Cleaned and sliced

Then, for the pesto hummus (exact measurements in the handy recipe card below):

• Fresh Basil
• Garlic
• Walnuts
• Lemon
• Salt & Pepper
• Chickpeas
• Water

How to Make Vegan Eggplant Pizza Slices?

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 355°F and line your baking tray with baking paper or foil.

STEP 2: Slice the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 2 cm- ⅓ inches thick

STEP 3: Place the slices on the baking tray and brush with a little olive oil and add a pinch of salt

STEP 4: Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until cooked.

STEP 5: Place all the ingredients for the pesto hummus in a blender (this is my favourite) or a food processor and process until smooth. 

I like to keep mine a little chunky for some added texture, but it’s completely up to you & your preference.

STEP 6: Take the eggplant pizza out of the oven and top each with a layer of pesto hummus.

STEP 7: Add the sliced cherry tomatoes and mushrooms

STEP 8: Pop in the oven for around another 5-10 minutes, or until the cherry tomatoes and mushrooms are soft

Serve your vegan eggplant pizza bites immediately with fresh basil and some freshly ground pepper. I also like to add small blobs of the remaining pesto hummus on top for some extra flavour; it's so good!

Eggplant Pizza Vegan Topping Options

The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to customise. Everyone in your house can create their own aubergine pizza how they want it and you can use up any leftover ingredients you have laying around in the back of the fridge.

A few of my favourite eggplant pizza toppings:

• Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, Olives
• Spinach, Artichokes and Cheese
• Jackfruit, Red Onion and Broccoli
• Hummus, Artichokes, Spinach and Olives
• Pesto, Roasted Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing

How to Store Your Low Carb Eggplant Pizza

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t advise freezing the eggplant pizza bases. Eggplant is notorious for becoming a little soft and watery when defrosted. However, you can keep the aubergine pizza in the fridge for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. To reheat, splash a little water on top and then bake in the oven until warmed throughout. They also taste great cold.

If you have any pesto hummus left over, it will last up to a week in the fridge in an airtight jar or container – or you can freeze in an ice-cube tray and then pop each block out to defrost when required.

As always please, if you make this recipe share it with me either on my Facebook,Twitter or Instagram. I would love to see it! Hashtag #HediHearts. Also if you want more healthy recipes, check out my Youtube channel. Loads of fabulous and easy recipes waiting for you there. And you can see our vegan eggplant pizza web story here.