Sausage and Mushroom Eggplant Pizza (Low FODMAP)

20 Minutes prep • 20 Minutes cook • Low FODMAP • Gluten-free • Serves 2-3

Want all the taste of classic pizza without the gluten or carbs? These plant-forward eggplant pizzas are the perfectly delicious answer! I made them with sausage, mushrooms, and tomato sauce, but you could make them with any pizza topping you like. I added spinach and fresh basil for some more veggie variety and the combination was wonderful. Using extra-flavorful cheese added a delicious depth to the other flavors. The kitchen will smell wonderfully like pizza when you make this recipe and the end result will not disappoint.

Ingredients

1 eggplant cut into 1/4 inch slices

5 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil, divided

1 pound plain ground pork (organic grass-fed if possible)

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or equal amounts: thyme, rosemary, basil, marjoram, and oregano)

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed

Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

2 green onions (green part only), chopped

2 cups oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 teaspoon dry thyme

1 packed cup baby spinach, long stems removed and roughly chopped

6 ounces low FODMAP tomato sauce

6 ounces gruyere cheese, grated (or other strong flavored cheese you prefer)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Fresh basil, chopped (for serving)

Directions

(1) Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grate the cheese. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Chop the mushrooms and green onion greens.

(2) Prepare the eggplant: Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices and toss out the two ends. Lay the eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheet and brush both sides of each slice with olive oil (using about 2 1/2 tablespoons altogether). Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

(3) Pre-cook the eggplant: Put the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and cook for 7 - 10 minutes until the eggplant is hot and starts to soften

(4) Cook the sausage: Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the Italian seasoning and let it sizzle for about 30 seconds. Next, add the ground pork and use a spatula to break it into small pieces and combine it with the Italian seasoning. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and a few grinds of red pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

(5) Cook the veggies: In the same pan, add another 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, when it’s hot, add the green onion greens, chopped mushrooms, and dry thyme. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach then stir, and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted and cooked through. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir and cook for about 2 minutes until the meat is heated through.

(6) Layer the toppings: Once the eggplant slices are pre-cooked, remove them from the oven and divide the tomato sauce evenly over all the slices. Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce over each slice. Once the sausage and veggies are cooked, remove from the heat and divide equally across all the eggplant slices. Sprinkle on the gruyere cheese and then the parmesan cheese. Sprinkle lightly with black pepper.

(7) Bake: Put the whole tray back in the oven and bake for another 8 - 10 minutes until the eggplant is cooked through and the cheese is melted and starting to crisp.

(8) Plate and serve: Serve warm with fresh basil and a light sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

Recipe note: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt in all my recipes because it has a wonderful flat and crisp flake that tastes delicious. It is also the least salty salt available so you can use it more liberally as a seasoning than you can table salt or sea salt. If you use another type of salt, you may need to reduce the amount so it is not over-salted. 

Have a question you’d like to have answered? Email me at hello@ibsgamechanger.com

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