Eggplant Pizza Recipe (30 Minutes!) - WholesomeYum (2024)

FAQs

What kind of pizza is heart healthy? ›

Swap processed meats for veggies, try a veggie-based crust, avoid stuffed-crust and deep-fried pizzas, and opt for an Italian-style or homemade pizza if trying to lower your pizza's cholesterol content.

Cut off the top and bottom ends, and if you like, peel the skin. Then cut the flesh into ½- to 1-inch slices. You can halve small eggplants lengthwise instead of slicing. Generously brush the slices on all sides with olive oil, melted butter, or cooking oil (or use an oil-based marinade).

Transfer one prepared flattened dough to the pizza peel. If the dough has lost its shape in the transfer, lightly shape it to the desired dimensions. Spread with tomato sauce and sprinkle with toppings: Spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and place your desired toppings on the pizza.

Both the cauliflower crust and the whole-wheat crust offer fiber and protein, which play a key role in weight loss by helping to keep you feeling full and satisfied after a meal. But if you're not trying to cut carbs and are looking for that traditional pizza pie flavor, the whole-wheat crust is what you want.

Pizza is high in saturated fats due to cheese and processed meat toppings, which can increase your cholesterol levels as well as risk for heart disease. Eating three-four slices of pizza or more, on a regular basis, can have detrimental health consequences.

Consider part-skim ricotta cheese for a creamy and delicious addition to your heart-healthy diet. According to the USDA, 1 ounce of part-skim ricotta provides 1 gram of saturated fat and 28 milligrams of sodium, significantly less than full-fat dairy options.

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

I tend to soak the slices in a bowl of water with a couple of tablespoon of salt for about 30-45 minutes. It doesn't have to do with bitterness, but I find that in doing this, the fried eggplant turns out less greasy," Jenkins says.

The steam from the base can't escape, so it condenses on your crispy surface and turns it wet and soggy. Use a pizza stone or a pan with holes to get a crispy pizza crust. A pizza stone will keep your pizza hot and its porousness will absorb some condensation.

Do you put cheese on pizza first or last? ›

Cheese always goes belowthe toppings

You've got your dough as the foundation. Then your sauce. The cheese is the next solid layer. Then your toppings (after all, they're called top-pings and not bottom-ings), and then finally your garnishes like basil, pepper, fresh mozzarella, etc, after the pizza is cooked.

If you are putting wet and soggy toppings on your pizza, it's likely that they will cause your crust to become soggy. The main culprit is the tomato sauce. If your sauce is too watery it's going to affect the crispiness of the crust. Other toppings such as veggies can affect the crispiness too.

Adding meat to your pizza can give it an extra protein boost. Opt for good quality chopped meat or try purchasing from the deli counter. Also ensure that you opt for a variety that has a low sodium content as this will increase the nutritional value of the meat.

One of the biggest benefits of adding veggies to your pizza is that it increases the fiber content of your meal. Fiber is essential for maintaining digestive health and helps keep you feeling fuller for longer, reducing the urge to overeat.