Grilling pizza at home is one of the best ways to get a crisp, blistered crust without needing a professional pizza oven. A charcoal grill can reach much higher temperatures than most home ovens, which helps the dough cook quickly while giving the crust a lightly smoky, wood-fired flavor. That intense heat is exactly what makes this Grilled Spring Onion and Eggplant Pizza with Goat Cheese so satisfying.
This pizza is simple, but the flavor is anything but plain. The spring onions become sweet and slightly smoky on the grill, the eggplant turns tender with charred edges, and the goat cheese adds a creamy, tangy finish. Melted mozzarella holds everything together, while a little olive oil, salt, and pepper keep the toppings balanced and fresh.
I expected this grilled vegetable pizza to be good, but the first bite was even better than I hoped. The combination of grilled onions, eggplant, mozzarella, and goat cheese tastes rich without feeling heavy. It is a great meatless main dish, especially when you want something that feels special but still comes together quickly.
The spring onions used here are red spring onions. They are usually available throughout the year, though their peak season runs from February through June. Because they are harvested young, they have two different flavors in one ingredient: the green stems taste mild and fresh like scallions, while the bulbs are sweeter and closer to red onion.
If your spring onions are large, slice them in half lengthwise so they cook evenly and develop good grill marks. If they are small and tender, you can leave them whole. Either way, place them directly over the heat and let the grill do the work. A little char adds depth and makes the finished pizza taste like it came from a wood-burning oven.
The eggplant should be sliced crosswise into thick pieces so it stays sturdy on the grill. Brush both sides with olive oil before cooking. Eggplant absorbs oil quickly, so be generous enough to help it soften, brown, and pick up flavor without drying out.
Grill the vegetables on both sides over direct heat until they are tender and marked. This step builds the base flavor of the pizza before it ever touches the crust. Once the vegetables are cooked, chop the spring onions and slice the eggplant into strips so they are easy to scatter evenly over the dough.
You can use homemade pizza dough if you have the time, and it will be excellent here. For an easy weeknight version, a good par-baked pizza crust also works well. The original version uses Trader Joe’s par-baked pizza crusts, which are barely baked and still have a dough-like texture. They cook quickly, taste great, and make grilled pizza much easier to pull together.
If you are using fresh pizza dough, shape it first, brush one side with olive oil, and grill that side briefly before adding toppings. This gives the dough structure and prevents it from becoming soggy. After the first side is cooked, flip the crust so the grilled side faces up, then add mozzarella, grilled spring onions, grilled eggplant, and small pieces of goat cheese.
Once the pizza is topped, slide it back onto the hot grill and cook until the crust is done and the cheese has melted. The result is a crisp grilled pizza with smoky vegetables, creamy cheese, and a fresh onion flavor that makes it perfect for spring and summer cooking.
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Grilled Spring Onion and Eggplant Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 bunch spring onions roots removed, sliced lengthwise if large
- 1 eggplant sliced crosswise into 1/2″ pieces
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 2 10″ pizza crusts
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- goat cheese
Instructions
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Heat the grill on high. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices generously with olive oil, then drizzle the spring onions with olive oil. Grill the vegetables directly over the flame until tender and lightly charred.
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Coarsely chop the grilled spring onions and cut the grilled eggplant into strips.
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Shape the pizza dough to your preferred size and place it on a pizza paddle dusted with cornmeal. For easier handling, you can place the dough on cornmeal-dusted parchment first. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil, then place that side directly on the grill. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until that side of the crust is cooked.
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Using tongs, carefully move the crust from the grill back onto the cornmeal-dusted pizza paddle with the grilled side facing up. Add mozzarella, grilled spring onions, grilled eggplant, small pieces of goat cheese, and a light seasoning of salt and pepper.
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Slide the pizza back onto the grill and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the crust is cooked through and the cheese is melted.
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Remove the pizza from the grill, season to taste, slice, and serve while hot.
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