Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Katie Wilson
Eggplant Olive Pizza
A smoky grilled pizza topped with tender eggplant, melted provolone, chopped green olives, parsley, and garlic oil.
Nutrition (per serving)
This grilled eggplant and olive pizza is built around the flavor that comes from cooking the crust and vegetables over direct heat. The eggplant softens first, picking up char at the edges, then gets scattered over a crisp grilled crust with provolone, green olives, parsley, and garlicky olive oil.
The method works on an outdoor grill or a heavy grill pan. The key is to cook the dough briefly on one side before topping it, so the crust has enough structure to slide back onto the heat without tearing or sticking.
Provolone melts into the eggplant without making the pizza watery, while the olives bring enough salt and brightness to balance the rich cheese and olive oil. A pinch of red pepper flakes at the end is optional, but it gives the finished pizza a clean little lift.
Serve it as a hearty vegetarian dinner with a salad, or cut it into smaller squares for an appetizer. The pizza is best right after grilling, when the bottom is crisp and the cheese is still glossy.
Ingredients
- Garlic clove, minced:1
- Extra-virgin olive oil:1/3 cup
- Eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch rounds:1 1/4 lb
- Pizza dough, at room temperature:1 lb
- Provolone cheese, sliced and cut into short strips:5 oz
- Pitted green olives, coarsely chopped:1/3 cup
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped:1/4 cup
- Kosher salt:to taste
- Black pepper:to taste
- Red pepper flakes:to taste
Instructions
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Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium heat. Stir the minced garlic into the olive oil and let it stand while the grill heats.
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Brush both sides of the eggplant rounds with some of the garlic oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
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Grill the eggplant, turning once, until tender with dark grill marks, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a board and cut into bite-size pieces.
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Stretch the pizza dough into a rough 12-by-10-inch rectangle on a lightly oiled baking sheet or work surface. Brush the top with garlic oil.
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Oil the grill grates lightly. Place the dough on the grill oiled side down, then brush the exposed top with more garlic oil.
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Grill the dough until the underside is golden and marked, 2 to 3 minutes. Use tongs to return it to the baking sheet, grilled side up.
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Scatter the grilled eggplant, provolone, chopped olives, and parsley over the crust. Keep the toppings fairly even so the pizza cooks through quickly.
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Slide the pizza back onto the grill, cover, and cook until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese has melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
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Transfer the pizza to a board. Season with more salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste, then slice and serve hot.
Tips & Notes
- If using a grill pan, finish the topped pizza in a 500°F oven for a few minutes to help the cheese blister.
- For an oven-only version, roast or pan-fry the garlic-oiled eggplant until tender, then bake the topped pizza on a hot stone or sheet pan.
- Keep the dough at room temperature before stretching so it relaxes instead of springing back.
- Use mozzarella if provolone is unavailable, but choose a low-moisture style for the best grilled crust.
