Pesto & Crispy Aubergine Frying Pan Pizza
This pizza is AMAZING! Crispy bottom, fluffy dough, crispy aubergines, amazing pesto and easy tomato sauce. . You’ll love this!

I might be so bold as to say that this is probably the best pizza I’ve eaten for a LONG time—and I really love pizza. With a crispy bottom, fluffy dough, crispy aubergines, incredible pesto and easy tomato sauce. The flavour combination is stunning.
Cooking the base in a pan means a crispy bottom every time and cooking is super quick.
Some other toppings I love;
- Lots of roast veg
- Mushrooms and truffle oil
- Vegan cream cheese and rocket
- Roast cherry tomatoes and olives
I hope you love this as much as I do!
Much love, Niki xxx



Pesto & Crispy Aubergine Frying Pan Pizza
This pizza is AMAZING! Crispy bottom, fluffy dough, crispy aubergines, amazing pesto and easy tomato sauce.
Prep time: 1 hr 30 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
2 servings
No ratings yet
Ingredients
To make the dough
- 230 g white plain flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 3½ g quick yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 175 g lukewarm water
Mix together—leave for a few minutes
For the tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- 3 tbsp passata
Pesto layer
- 100 g pine nuts toasted rinsed
- 60 g basil
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ juice lemon
- 50 ml water
For the aubergine
- 1 sliced aubergine
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
To make the dough
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl—mix well.
- Mix the yeast, sugar, in the olive oil with the lukewarm water.
- Bring together until you have a dough. Tip the dough onto a well floured chopping board. Knead for a few minutes until the dough is springy. Add more flour if needed.
- Add back to the bowl and cover with a damp cloth for about a hr.
For the aubergine
- Fry the aubergine in a pan for a few minutes on each side with the oil until crispy. Set aside.
To make the pesto
- Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz to combine.
To make the tomato sauce
- Mix the passata & tomato paste together.
To make the pizzas
- Transfer back onto the floured chopping board and knead again.
- Divide into two and roll out.
- Pre-heat a frying pan.
- Place one of the pizza bases into the pan and push to the sides if needed.
- Now add half the tomato topping, pesto, veg and plant based cheese.
- Cook on medium until the dough fluffs up and becomes a little crispy on the bottom—approx 5–6 minutes.
- Pre-heat your grill
- Now transfer the pan to under and cook for approx 5 minutes until the toppings are cooked, and the pizza base sides are a little brown.
- Repeat with the next pizza.
If you recreate this recipe, tag me on Instagram:@rebelrecipes or #rebelrecipes for a chance to be featured.